Minnesota Supreme Court Digest: April 8, 2026

Minnesota Lawyer//April 9, 2026//

The Supreme Court chamber at the State Capitol

The Minnesota Supreme Court chamber at the State Capitol. (File photo: Bill Klotz)

Minnesota Lawyer//April 9, 2026//

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Criminal

Postconviction Relief

Evidentiary Hearing

In this first-degree murder case, petitioner argued the District Court abused its discretion when it summarily denied his petition for postconviction relief without an evidentiary hearing. Petitioner’s postconviction petition claimed that his appellate counsel rendered ineffective assistance by not raising several specific claims on direct appeal, but petitioner’s petition did not allege facts that, if proven by a preponderance of the evidence at an evidentiary hearing, would entitle him to relief.

The Supreme Court held that the District Court did not abuse its discretion by summarily denying petitioner’s postconviction petition without an evidentiary hearing because the undisputed facts alleged in the petition did not entitle him to relief as a matter of law. Affirmed.

A25-0152 Berry v. State (Hennepin County)