Minnesota Lawyer

Our review of issues in state and national news, with a rotating cast of political people in the know.

A candid Q&A with Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, the House Judiciary’s rookie chair, who's a career prosecutor, a stalwart defender of equity and an opponent of racism, prejudice and privilege.

In a decision with implications for the Derek Chauvin trial, the state Supreme Court has ruled that pattern jury instructions, long used by judges in third-degree depraved-mind murder cases, have been used in error.

Six finalists have been named for a pair of judgeships in the state’s 6th Judicial District. The state’s Judicial Selection Commission named the batch of finalists on March 26.

Last week’s unanimous State v. Khalil opinion, written by state Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen, name checks Rep. Kelly Moller’s House File 707 and lifts a passage directly from it.

Our review of issues in state and national news, with a rotating cast of political people in the know.

After a slow start to House floor activity early in the 2021 legislative session, action picked up last week. Meanwhile, the Senate kept chugging along. Here’s a quick rundown on some of the more pertinent bills that passed off each floor in recent days.

Offenders could get out after serving half their time under the Minnesota Rehabilitation and Reinvestment Act.

The Commission on Judicial Selection has recommended three finalists for the judgeship that is opening up with the retirement of 1st District Court Judge Rex D. Stacey.

An epileptic predatory offender who sought to undo his conditional release revocation and prevent the Department of Corrections from using his epilepsy as a basis for future revocations has lost his case.