Malcolm Rivera
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. It comprises seven justices, who are elected to renewable six-year terms and presided over by a chief justice. The court hears oral arguments in most cases, which are formal discussions of statutes and past appellate court rulings. Oral arguments rarely consider the evidence in a case. The court's opinions are published and are binding on all other courts in the state. The Minnesota Supreme Court hears cases on a range of issues, including constitutional matters. For example, in Baker v. Nelson, the court held that the denial of the statutory entitlement demanded by gay citizens to marry the adult of their choice did not offend the United States Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of justices | 7 |
| Justices' salary | $205,362 for Chief Justice; $186,692 for associate justices |
| Justices' retirement age | 70 |
| Election process | Justices are elected to renewable six-year terms |
| Midterm vacancy | Governor of Minnesota appoints a replacement |
| Cases heard | The court hears oral arguments in the majority of cases |
| Cases bypassed to the Supreme Court | First-degree murder cases, tax court cases, and worker's compensation matters |
| Cases reviewed | 12% of 600 to 700 petitions received annually |
| Opinions written | 75 to 100 annually |
| Opinions released | Wednesdays |
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What You'll Learn
The Minnesota Supreme Court hears appeals from the Court of Appeals
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. It is comprised of seven justices, who are elected to renewable six-year terms. The justices select which appeals they will hear from decisions of the Court of Appeals. They consider factors such as whether the case raises an important question that is being decided for the first time, whether the decision to be reviewed conflicts with an earlier decision, and whether the lower courts have departed from accepted justice procedures.
The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the majority of the cases it decides. These oral arguments are very formal and involve discussions of statutes and past appellate court rulings. They rarely discuss the evidence in a case. Usually, the argument is a presentation by an attorney to a panel of seven justices, lasting 35 minutes for the appellate lawyer and 25 minutes for the respondent's lawyer.
The Minnesota Supreme Court grants a review of approximately 12% of the 600 to 700 petitions it receives each year. Generally, between 75 and 100 opinions are written by the Court annually. The Court has appellate jurisdiction over certain types of cases, including election-related disputes, prosecutorial appeals regarding search and seizure in unresolved criminal proceedings, and originating actions from writs of prohibition, habeas corpus, and mandamus.
The Court also plays an administrative role in the regulation and disciplinary proceedings of Minnesota attorneys, as well as in the budgeting process of the state's Judicial Branch. It oversees various bodies, including the State Court Administrator, Board of Continuing Legal Education, and Board of Law Examiners.
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Justices deliberate on cases in a conference room
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. It comprises seven justices, including the chief justice, who are elected to renewable six-year terms. The justices select which appeals they will hear from decisions of the Court of Appeals. In making these selections, they consider factors such as whether the case raises an important question being decided for the first time, whether the decision conflicts with earlier rulings, and whether lower courts have departed from accepted norms of justice.
The Court does not conduct trials, evidentiary hearings, or sentencing hearings. Instead, it hears oral arguments in the majority of the cases decided by its judges. These oral arguments are formal discussions involving statutes and past appellate court rulings. After each oral argument, the justices immediately move to a conference room to deliberate on the cases. Each justice presents their thoughts about the proper outcome, with the chief justice speaking last. The justices attempt to reach a consensus on the case, and once decided, the opinions are filed with the Clerk of the Appellate Courts and released to the public online.
The Court also reviews the validity of administrative rules and decisions of the administrative courts under the Administrative Procedure Act. It plays an administrative role in the regulation and disciplinary proceedings of Minnesota attorneys and has oversight over various legal bodies in the state. The decisions and orders of the Minnesota Supreme Court are binding on all other courts in the state.
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The Court has appellate jurisdiction over certain election-related disputes
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the state's highest court, with seven justices who are elected to renewable six-year terms. The court does not conduct trials, evidentiary hearings, or sentencing hearings. Instead, it hears oral arguments in the majority of the cases decided by its judges. These oral arguments are formal discussions involving statutes and past appellate court rulings, rarely delving into specific evidence. Attorneys present their cases to the panel of justices, aiming to persuade them towards a favourable ruling.
The Minnesota Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over certain election-related disputes. This means it can review and make decisions on these disputes, with its rulings binding on all other courts in the state. The court selects which appeals to hear from the Court of Appeals, considering factors such as whether the case raises a novel and important question or conflicts with earlier decisions.
While most cases heard by the Supreme Court are subsequent to reviews by the Court of Appeals of final decisions made by lower courts, some cases bypass the Court of Appeals and go directly to the Supreme Court. These include appeals in first-degree murder cases, tax court matters, and workers' compensation issues. The Supreme Court also has an administrative role, overseeing the regulation and disciplinary proceedings of Minnesota attorneys, as well as the state's Judicial Branch budgeting process.
The court's opinions are filed with the Clerk of the Appellate Courts and released to the public online. They are also published in sources such as Minnesota Lawyer and the Northwestern Reporter. The justices deliberate on cases immediately after hearings, with each justice presenting their thoughts on the proper outcome. The chief justice speaks last, and the court aims to reach a consensus.
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The Court grants a small percentage of certiorari petitions
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest appellate court and the state's court of last resort. It hears oral arguments in the majority of cases it decides on. Oral arguments are formal discussions of statutes and past appellate court rulings, and rarely involve the presentation of evidence.
The Court selects which appeals it will hear from decisions of the Court of Appeals. In making these selections, the seven justices consider factors such as whether the case raises an important question that is being decided for the first time by a Minnesota court, or whether the decision to be reviewed conflicts with an earlier decision that would normally have been followed.
The Minnesota Supreme Court grants a review of approximately 12% of the 600 to 700 petitions it receives each year. This means that the Court grants a small percentage of certiorari petitions. Certiorari petitions are appeals to the court to give a discretionary review of a case. Three of the Supreme Court's seven justices must vote in favor of the petition. However, the Court rarely grants reviews of such cases because they could be detrimental to the parties involved.
The Court grants reviews in cases that bypass the Court of Appeals and go directly to the Supreme Court. These include appeals in first-degree murder cases, tax court cases, and worker's compensation matters.
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Justices are elected to renewable six-year terms
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the state's highest court. It comprises seven justices who are elected to renewable six-year terms. The justices select which appeals they will hear from decisions of the Court of Appeals. In making these selections, they consider factors such as whether the case raises an important question that is being decided for the first time by a Minnesota court, or whether the decision to be reviewed conflicts with an earlier decision that would normally have been followed. The Court also reviews the validity of administrative rules and decisions of the administrative courts under the Administrative Procedure Act.
The justices must follow the four canons in the Minnesota Code of Judicial Conduct. Justices who engage in misconduct may face removal through an impeachment proceeding, which requires a majority vote by the Minnesota House of Representatives and a two-thirds vote by the Minnesota Senate. The Supreme Court may also remove or discipline a justice upon a recommendation by the Board on Judicial Standards. Justices are subject to mandatory retirement at the end of the month in which they turn 70.
The Court does not conduct trials, evidentiary, or sentencing hearings. However, it hears oral arguments in the majority of the cases decided by its judges. Oral arguments are very formal and involve discussions of statutes and past appellate court rulings. They rarely discuss the evidence in a case. Usually, an oral argument involves a presentation by an attorney to a panel of seven justices, summarising the merits of their party's position. After each oral argument, the justices immediately converge to discuss their opinions on the case.
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Frequently asked questions
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the state's highest court, with seven justices who select which appeals they will hear from decisions of the Court of Appeals.
The justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court are elected to renewable six-year terms. When a midterm vacancy occurs, the governor of Minnesota appoints a replacement.
The Minnesota Supreme Court does not conduct trials, evidentiary, or sentencing hearings. The Court hears oral arguments in the majority of the cases decided by its judges. The Court has appellate jurisdiction over cases involving certain election-related disputes, prosecutorial appeals regarding search and seizure, and originating actions from writs of prohibition, habeas corpus, and mandamus.
Written rulings are usually issued between three and five months after the conclusion of oral arguments. The Court grants a review of approximately 12% of the 600 to 700 petitions it receives each year, with between 75 and 100 opinions written annually.
Yes, decisions and orders of the Minnesota Supreme Court are binding on all other courts in the state. The Court also plays an administrative role over the regulation and disciplinary proceedings of Minnesota attorneys.
