Precedential OpinionsUnder Minn. Rule of Civil Appellate Procedure 136.01, the Court of Appeals issues a precedential opinion (formerly called "published opinions") only to clarify or develop the law.  In deciding whether to issue a precedential opinion, the court considers multiple factors listed in Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 136.01, subd. (1)(b), incluing whether the case establishes a new principle or rule of law, clarifies existing case law, decides a novel issue involving a constitutional provision, statute, administrative rule or rule of court, or resolves a significant or recurring legal issue.  Precedential opinions will be considered and used by courts faced with similar issues in the future, and they are published in books of caselaw found in most law libraries.  Under Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 128.02, subd. 1(f), parties may advise the court whether a precedential opinion would be helpful. 

DECISIONS OF THE COURT OF APPEALS
FILED Monday, June 2, 2025

A25-0230   Alexander Nelson, Appellant, vs. Arroyo Insurance Services, Inc., Respondent.
                   Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Kerry Meyer.
          We review the denial of an application under Minn. Stat. § 563.01 (2024) to proceed in  district court without payment of court fees for an abuse of discretion.
          Remanded. Chief Judge Jennifer L. Frisch.

A24-1936   In re Calm Waters Cannabis Co., et al., Petitioners, Cristina Aranguiz, et al., Respondents, Green Leaf MN, et al., Respondents, Hendo
                   Industries, LLC, et al., Respondents, vs. Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, et al., Respondents.
                   Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Stephen L. Smith.
          A district court does not exceed its authority by granting temporary injunctive relief in an action in which claims are asserted relating to a state agency’s quasi-judicial decisions where it appears that the district court can adjudicate at least some of the claims without inquiring into the validity of the quasi-judicial decisions.
          Writ Denied; motion denied. Chief Judge Jennifer L. Frisch.

A24-1275   Fidel Pizarro-Rios, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
                    Carver County District Court, Hon. Janet L. Barke Cain.
           State v. Franson, 921 N.W.2d 783 (Minn. App. 2018), rev. denied (Minn. Feb. 27, 2019), which held that a district court had jurisdiction to reimpose a mandatory conditional-release term because the conditional-release term was authorized when it was imposed and the defendant did not have a crystallized expectation of finality in a sentence that did not include a conditional-release term, is inapposite to cases that do not involve resentencing proceedings for determination of a defendant’s predatory-offender risk level based on the Minnesota Supreme
Court’s decision in State v. Her, 862 N.W.2d 692 (Minn. 2015).
          Reversed and remanded. Judge Keala C. Ede.

A24-1276   Amy Sweasy Tamburino, Appellant, vs. Michael O. Freeman, Respondent, David Hough, et al., Respondents.
                   Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Susan Robiner.
          When a party prevails in a motion to compel under Minnesota Rule of Civil Procedure 37.01, a district court abuses its discretion when it categorically excludes from an attorney-fee award all fees associated with the mandatory meet-and-confer requirement under rule 37.01.
          Reversed and remanded. Judge JaPaul J. Harris.

Nonprecedential OpinionsNonprecedential opinions (formerly called "unpublished opinions") are typically issued in cases that do not contain issues of first impression or involve the application of established law to the particular set of facts and circumstances in that case.  See Minn. R. Civ. App. 136.01.  Nonprecedential opinions "are not binding authority except as law of the case, res judicata or collateral estoppel, but nonprecedential opinions may be cited as persuasive authority." Minn. R. Civ. App. 136.01. 

NONPRECEDENTIAL OPINIONS
FILED Monday, June 2, 2025

Pursuant to Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 136.01, subd. 1 (c)

1.   A24-1915
      CVC Investments LLP, et al., Appellants, vs. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, Respondent.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded. Chief Judge Jennifer L. Frisch.
      Rice County District Court, Hon. Christine Long.

2.   A24-1479
      Bruce Ray Fairbanks, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Chief Judge Jennifer L. Frisch.
      Anoka County District Court, Hon. Todd R. Schoffelman.

3.   A24-1603
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Dakota John Greenly, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Renee L. Worke.
      Chisago County District Court, Hon. Jesse Seabrooks, II.

4.   A24-1634
      Barnabas A. Yohannes, Appellant, vs. Minnesota IT Services, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Stephen L. Smith.

5.   A24-1247
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Freddrick Lee Johnson, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Joy D. Bartscher.

6.   A24-1011
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Afeez Adebisi Ogundero, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
      Lyon County District Court, Hon. Tricia Zimmer.

7.   A24-0751
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jimmie Dunlap, Jr., Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Tracy M. Smith.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Carolina A. Lamas.

8.   A24-1023
      Amber Rose Atak, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Ker Yel Yel Atak, Appellant.
      Affirmed in part and remanded. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
      Olmsted County District Court, Hon. Joseph F. Chase.

9.   A24-0716
      In the Matter of the Real Estate Salesperson License of Cheryl L. Pumper, No. 40421136.
      Affirmed. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
      Minnesota Department of Commerce.

10. A24-1879
      In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of: Brad Stevens.
      Affirmed. Judge Randall J. Slieter.
      Commitment Appeal Panel.

11. A24-0882
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Shawn Francis Mortensen, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Sarah I. Wheelock.
      St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Jerrod A Shermoen.

12. A24-0774, A24-0781
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jacob Carl Smith, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Sarah I. Wheelock.
      Rice County District Court, Hon. Christine Long, Hon. Jeffrey M. Johnson.

13. A24-1077
      Joy Litke, et al., Respondents, vs. Home Heritage Holdings, LLC, et al., Respondents, Larson Abstract Company, Inc., Respondent, vs. Wausau
      Homes, Inc., Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Elise Larson.
      Morrison County District Court, Hon. Leah duCharme.

14. A24-1430
      Donald J Brown, Appellant, vs. John Thomas Almeida, Respondent, Erin Mari Almeida, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Jon Schmidt.
      St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Robert C. Friday.

15. A24-1243
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Brenden Jamel Reynolds, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Keala C. Ede.
      Dakota County District Court, Hon. Stacey E. Sorensen Green.

16. A24-1330
      Stephen Eric Baldwin, Respondent, vs. James D. Connors, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Rachel F. Bond.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Laura Marie Thomas.

17. A24-2025
      In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of: Jill C. McLarnon, AKA Jill Shelby.
      Affirmed. Judge Lucinda E. Jesson.*
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. William H. Koch.

18. A24-1647
      Samantha Wakasugi, Appellant, vs. 3M Company, Respondent.
      Reversed and remanded. Judge Margaret H. Chutich.*
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Mark Ireland.

19. A24-1193
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Abdirahman Hussein Farah, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Margaret H. Chutich.*
      Sherburne County District Court, Hon. Judge Kristi Stanislawski.

20. A24-1448
      Brian Adam Castagneri, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Ashley Jo Klingbeil, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge John P. Smith.*
      Douglas County District Court, Hon. Timothy M. Churchwell.

* Retired judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, serving by appointment pursuant to Minn. Const. art. VI, § 10.

Order OpinionsCases that involve a few simple issues may be decided by order opinions, which include little discussion of the facts of the case and a brief analysis of the laws that are involved. Order opinions "are not binding authority except as law of the case, res judicata or collateral estoppel." Minn. R. Civ. App. 136.01. 

RECENT ORDER OPINIONS
June 2, 2025

1.   A24-1774
      Jeffery Vernon Kruger, Respondent, vs. Andrea D. McGraw, Appellant.
      Affirmed in part and remanded. Chief Judge Jennifer L. Frisch
      Wabasha County District Court, Hon. Carmaine Sturino.

2.   A24-1825
      Valerie Steiner, Appellant, vs. Granite City Real Estate Parkside, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Elise Larson.
      Stearns County District Court, Hon. John H. Scherer.

3.   A24-1170
      Minnesota Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund, et al., Respondents, vs. Steve Simon, Respondent, Republican National Committee, et
      al., Appellants.
      Dismissed. Judge JaPaul J. Harris.
      Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Edward Sheu.

Opinions released on a day other than the court’s weekly release date will appear on the Special Release Opinions tab. Special release opinions may be precedential, nonprecedential, or order opinions.  

NO SPECIAL RELEASE OPINIONS FILED

Opinion SetsAs of June 1, 2023, the Court of Appeals no longer provides opinion sets in Word Document format and Rich Text Format. Opinions are available in PDF format under the Opinions tabs on this site.

Opinion Sets For Opinions
Filed Monday, June 2, 2025

Opinion Set in a Zipped PDF Format

1. Click the above link.
2. Save the unzipped file to your computer.
3. Choose the "Open" option on the Download Complete screen.
4. Extract the files to a location of your choice.
5. Open the extracted file.