Appellate Courts will begin transmitting all notices, orders, and opinions electronically.
Beginning no later than July 1, 2011, the appellate courts will send notices, orders, opinions, and correspondence related to pending cases to attorneys in those cases by e-mail rather than postal mail. All attorneys with pending appellate cases who have not already registered an e-mail address should do so immediately. Unrepresented parties with pending appellate cases may also participate in this e-notification system by registering an e-mail address. Please visit the Clerk of Appellate Courts page for instructions on how to register your e-mail address.
Opinion Policies
Minnesota Court of Appeals opinions are issued weekly and are available to the public at 10 a.m. CST/CDT every Monday.
On Wednesday of every week, the Court of Appeals will mail a notice that informs counsel, pro se parties, and court personnel associated with a case that an opinion will be released the following Monday. Opinions are available online or by visiting the Clerk of Appellate Courts, 305 Minnesota Judicial Center, 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, after the Monday release time. Copies of the opinions are mailed to involved parties on Mondays.
In certain time-sensitive cases, the Court of Appeals may issue opinions on a business day other than Monday. In these instances, involved parties will be contacted just prior to the special release.
Please visit the Minnesota State Law Library's Appellate Opinions Archive for previously released Court of Appeals Opinions.
Published Opinions
By statute, the Court of Appeals issues a published opinion only in the most important and complex cases. Published opinions include an extensive analysis of the facts and law. They will be considered and used by courts faced with similar issues in the future, and they are published in books found in most law libraries.
DECISIONS OF THE COURT OF APPEALS
FILED Monday, April 28, 2025
A24-1388 In re the SUPERVISED Estate of Lori Jean Bogren, Deceased.
Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Michael K. Browne.
1. Under Minnesota Statutes section 524.2-1107(c) (2024), a disclaimer “describe[s] the interest . . . Disclaimed” when it conveys sufficient information to impart an idea or impression of the interest’s qualities, peculiarities, or distinctive traits.
2. Because of the flexibility of what constitutes an adequate description of an interest being disclaimed under section 524.2-1107(c), a disclaimer is not automatically defective if it does not state the value of the interest disclaimed.
Reversed and remanded. Judge Renee L. Worke.
PRECEDENTIAL SPECIAL TERM OPINIONS
A25-0259 In the Matter of the Denial of the Application of Kathleen Smith for MSRS General Employees Retirement Plan Total and
Permanent Disability Benefits. Minnesota State Retirement System.
1. Because the 60-day deadline to appeal the decision of a governing board under Minn. Stat. § 356.96, subd. 13 (2024), runs from the day the board mails its decision, Minn. R. Civ. P. 6.01(e)—which is incorporated into Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 126.01—applies to add three days to the appeal deadline.
2. To invoke the certiorari jurisdiction of the court of appeals, a petitioner may effectuate service on “the adverse party,” as required by Minn. Stat. § 606.02 (2024), by serving the party with the issued writ of certiorari directly, regardless of whether the party is represented by counsel.
Appeal to proceed. Chief Judge Jennifer L. Frisch.
A25-0328 Wendy Sills, Respondent, vs. Kevin Thomes, Appellant.
Todd County District Court, Hon. Johnathan Judd.
A district court's order that does not determine the parties' respective rights in real property pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 558.04 (2024) is not immediately appealable under Minn. Stat. § 558.215 (2024).
Dismissed. Chief Judge Jennifer L. Frisch.
Unpublished Opinions
Unpublished opinions are issued in cases that are less complicated, that involve legal issues that have already been decided in published opinions, or that will affect only the parties to that particular case. These opinions are usually shorter, do not contain extensive discussion of the facts, and are not generally relied on by other courts to the same degree as published opinions.
NONPRECEDENTIAL OPINIONS
FILED Monday, April 28, 2025
Pursuant to Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 136.01, subd. 1 (c)
1.
A24-0909
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Chad Menford Brehmer, Appellant.
Affirmed. Chief Judge Jennifer L. Frisch.
Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Hilary L. Caligiuri.
2.
A23-0928,
A23-0930
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jeremy Scott Jenkins, Appellant.
Reversed. Judge Renee L. Worke.
Beltrami County District Court, Hon. John G. Melbye.
3.
A24-0316
Deandre D'Shaun Adams, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Antoinette York, Appellant.
Affirmed. Judge Kevin G. Ross.
Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Charlene Hatcher.
4.
A23-0453
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Eric James Reinbold, Appellant.
Affirmed. Judge Kevin G. Ross.
Pennington County District Court, Hon. Tamara Lynn Yon.
5.
A24-1334
Ryan Gary Sanford, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Bethany Lynn Beilby, Appellant.
Affirmed as modified. Judge Francis J. Connolly.
Steele County District Court, Hon. Karen R. Duncan.
6.
A24-1171
North Country Contracting, LLC, et al., Respondents, vs. Citizens Alliance Bank, Appellant, Nick Woodard, Defendant.
Reversed and remanded. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
Clay County District Court, Hon. Jade Rosenfeldt.
7.
A24-1065
Varvara Viktorovna Tishchenko, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Joseph Monroe Cmiel, Respondent, Ramsey County, Intervenor.
Reversed and remanded. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
Ramsey County District Court, Hon. Robyn A. Millenacker.
8.
A23-0307
Jon Huseth, et al., d/b/a Clay View Dairy, LLP, Appellants, vs. Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association, Appellant on Related Appeal, Kurt
Emery, Respondent, DuraTech Industries International, Inc., Respondent, Highline Manufacturing, Ltd., Respondent.
Reversed and remanded. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
Goodhue County District Court, Hon. Patrick M. Biren.
9.
A24-1166
Danielle Elizabeth Dressel, petitioner, Appellant, vs. Nathan David Dressel, Respondent.
Affirmed. Judge Michelle A. Larkin.
Dakota County District Court, Hon. Cynthia McCollum.
10.
A24-0830
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Cass Howard Ellingboe, Appellant
Affirmed. Judge Michelle A. Larkin.
Renville County District Court, Hon. Laurence J. Stratton.
11.
A24-0653
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Jeremy Jyrone White, Appellant.
Affirmed. Judge Louise Dovre Bjorkman.
Ramsey County District Court, Hon. John H. Guthmann.
12.
A24-0720
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Thomas Allen Moe, Appellant.
Affirmed. Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.
Olmsted County District Court, Hon. Joseph F. Chase.
13.
A24-1149
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Christopher Ryan Shappell, Appellant.
Reversed and remanded. Judge Tracy M. Smith.
Douglas County District Court, Hon. Michelle L. Clark.
14.
A24-1226
Resolution Non-Renewing Probationary Teaching Contract.
Reversed. Judge Diane B. Bratvold.
Independent School District No. 700.
15.
A24-1141
Dale Zubke, Respondent, vs. David Nelson, et al., Appellants.
Affirmed. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
St. Louis County District Court, Hon. Shawn L. Pearson.
16.
A24-0998,
A24-1145,
A24-1146
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Cory Donavan Dodge, Appellant.
Affirmed. Judge Jeanne M. Cochran.
Stearns County District Court, Hon. Heidi E. Schultz, Hon. Shan C. Wang.
17.
A24-1381
James David Colburn, Respondent, vs. Eunjin Jinny Colburn, Appellant.
Remanded. Judge Randall J. Slieter.
Carver County District Court, Hon. Janet L. Barke Cain.
18.
A24-1314
In the Matter of the Application of Jesus Adrian Soto for a Change of Name of Minor.
Reversed. Judge Sarah I. Wheelock.
Blue Earth County District Court, Hon. Judge Kristine Weeks.
19.
A24-1163
Thomas Gabor Gratzer, petitioner, Respondent, vs. State of Minnesota, Appellant.
Affirmed. Judge Keala C. Ede.
Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Paul Scoggin.
20.
A24-0938,
A24-0939
Guardianship of the Person of Lance Alvin Melser, In re the Guardianship of Cory James Wojtowicz.
Affirmed. Judge Keala C. Ede.
Anoka County District Court, Hon. Jennifer L. Stanfield.
21.
A24-1137
Allison Baron Bonnett, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Theodore James Bonnett, Appellant.
Affirmed in part and remanded. Judge JaPaul J. Harris.
Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Terri Yellowhammer.
22.
A24-0997
State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Vanik Carlence Pierre, Appellant.
Reversed and remanded. Judge Elizabeth G. Bentley.
Jackson County District Court, Hon. Darci Bentz.
23.
A24-1328
John Puetz, Appellant, vs. Vernon Sechriest, II, Respondent.
Affirmed. Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks.*
Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Lois R. Conroy.
* Retired judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, serving by appointment pursuant to Minn. Const. art. VI, § 10.
Order Opinions
Cases 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.
RECENT ORDER OPINIONS
April 28, 2025
1.
A24-0972
Randall Zaza Kar, petitioner, Respondent, vs. Saypee Kennedy, Appellant.
Affirmed. Judge Francis J. Connolly.
Anoka County District Court, Hon. Suzanne Brown.
2.
A24-0721
Andrew Williams, Appellant, vs. State of Minnesota, et al., Respondents.
Affirmed. Judge Matthew E. Johnson.
Carlton County District Court, Hon. Eric Hylden.
3.
A24-1716
In Re the Matter of: Peter Richard Rickmyer, DOB 2/4/1957.
Affirmed; motion denied. Judge Jon Schmidt.
Hennepin County District Court, Hon. Kerry Meyer.
Special Release Opinions
NO SPECIAL RELEASE OPINIONS FILED
Opinion Sets
Opinion sets contain all published, unpublished, and order opinions. The sets are compressed into files that must be unpacked before opening them.
Opinion Sets For Opinions
Filed Monday, April 28, 2025
Opinion Set in a Zipped PDF Format
- Click the above link.
- Save the unzipped file to your computer.
- Choose the "Open" option on the Download Complete screen.
- Extract the files to a location of your choice.
- Open the extracted file.