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, December 9, 2024

A23-1953   Daley Farm of Lewiston, L.L.P., et al., Appellants, vs. County of Winona, Respondent, Land Stewardship Project, Respondent,
                    Defenders of Drinking Water, Respondent.
                    Winona County District Court, Hon. Douglas Bayley.
          I. A district court’s decision to remand a variance application to the county board of adjustment is reviewed de novo.
          II. When a variance application denial is arbitrary and capricious based solely on bias, remanding for reconsideration by an unbiased decision-maker may be appropriate if the record before a county board of adjustment could support the decision absent the bias.
          III. A district court order remanding a variance application to a county board of adjustment is not a “request” as defined in Minnesota Statutes section 15.99, subdivision 1(c) (2022), so the 60-day deadline for an agency response in section 15.99, subdivision 2(a) (2022), is inapplicable to such an order.
          Affirmed. Judge Randall J. Slieter.

A24-0132   State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Tolulope Martins Famuyiwa, Appellant. 
                    Washington County District Court, Hon. Siv Mjanger.
          A defect in a criminal complaint that otherwise charges a criminal offense under Minnesota law does not deprive a district court of subject-matter jurisdiction over the state’s prosecution of the case.
          Affirmed. Judge Jennifer Frisch.

A24-0358   Karol M. Provost, Respondent, vs. John L. Lundmark, Appellant.
                    Beltrami County District Court, Hon. John G. Melbye.
          Under the Minnesota Uniform Arbitration Act, Minn. Stat. §§ 572B.01-.31 (2022 & Supp. 2023), the scope of an arbitration clause that applies to “all disputes arising in connection with” an option agreement covers disputes over the exercise of the option, even if the option period may have expired, unless the agreement provides a clear indication to the contrary.
          Reversed and remanded. Judge Elizabeth G. Bentley.

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, December 9, 2024

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

1.   A24-0174
      Michelle Marie Dillavou, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Joseph Alex Abel Sirois, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Chief Judge Susan L. Segal.
      Scott County District Court, Hon. Caroline H. Lennon.

2.   A24-0804
      State of Minnesota by Peters Sunset Beach, Inc., et al., Appellants, vs. Pope County,  Respondent.
      Affirmed; motion to supplement record denied and motion to strike granted. Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
      Concurring, Judge Elise Larson.
      Pope County District Court, Hon. Melissa Listug.

3.   A24-0408
      Bryce Dean Dirk, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Motion granted. Judge Tracy M. Smith.
      Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Tamara G. Garcia.

4.   A24-0093
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Aidan Bebee Lauseng, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Tracy M. Smith.
      Mower County District Court, Hon. Kevin Siefken.

5.   A24-0517
      Royce James Stute, petitioner, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, Commissioner of Public Safety, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
      Hubbard County District Court, Hon. Eric P. Schieferdecker.

6.   A23-1871
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Christopher Nicholas Markgraf, Appellant.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Randall J. Slieter.
      Meeker County District Court, Hon. Stephanie L. Beckman.

7.   A24-0409
      County of Cottonwood, Petitioner, Debbie Denise Koch, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Joseph Zachary Zoellner, Respondent.
      Affirmed. Judge Jennifer Frisch.
      Cottonwood County District Court, Hon. Christina M. Wietzema.

8.   A24-0647
      State of Minnesota, Appellant, vs. Rashard Dujuan Ross, Respondent.
      Dismissed. Judge Sarah I. Wheelock .
      Dissenting, Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
      Hubbard County District Court, Hon. Robert D. Tiffany.

9.   A23-0982
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jonathan Gerald Carlson, Appellant.
      Affirmed. Judge Sarah I. Wheelock.
      Washington County District Court, Hon. Gregory G. Galler.

10. A24-0037
      State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Mohamed Abdulgani Ahmed, Appellant.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Elise Larson.
      Polk County District Court, Hon. Anne Marie Rasmusson.

11. A24-0266, A24-0478
      Lexie Peterson, as trustee for the heirs and next-of-kin of Emmanuel O. Ulubiyo, deceased, Respondent, vs.
      Riverview Healthcare Association, dba RiverView Health, Respondent, Alicia A. Frankwitz, D.O, Respondent, Sanford Clinic North, et al., Appellants
      (A24-0478), Heeraimangalore Manjunath, M.D., Appellant (A24-0266).
      Affirmed. Motion denied. Judge Keala C. Ede.
      Polk County District Court, Hon. Tamara Lynn Yon.

12. A23-1228
      Craig Jerald Mackey, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Beth Ann Mackey, Respondent.
      Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Judge Elizabeth G. Bentley.
      Itasca County District Court, Hon. Heidi M. Chandler.

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
December 9, 2024

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, December 9, 2024

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.