Minnesota Lawyer

In the face of COVID-19, the Minnesota Judicial Branch is making do about as well as could be expected, the state court administrator told senators last week.

A Minnesota moratorium on in-person jury trials is being extended until March 15, the state’s Judicial Council decided Thursday.

Gov. Tim Walz proposed to legislative leaders Thursday that they write into law some of the key emergency measures that he has imposed to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, a move that would give lawmakers more of a say in shaping the state’s response.

Though most who get a coronavirus vaccine will never develop serious side effects, such rare cases are barred from federal court and instead steered to an obscure program with a record of seldom paying claims.

Sen. Jerry Relph, 76, a state senator described by his colleagues as compassionate, kind and collaborative, died on Dec. 18 from COVID-19.

A 70-year-old LeRoy man is the ninth Minnesota prisoner, and fifth incarcerated in the Faribault facility, to die of COVID-19.

Despite plenty of sound and fury Monday, only 17 lawmakers voted against a bill to provide $216 million in COVID-19 relief to businesses impaired by the governor’s Nov. 20 executive order.

A group of parents sued Gov. Tim Walz and other state officials Thursday, seeking to throw out his order that put high school sports on hold to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Snags remain, but legislative leaders Thursday sounded optimistic that some form of compromise COVID-19 relief will be agreed to and passed at the Capitol on Monday.

A judge has ordered the closure of a Plainview fitness center that defied Gov. Tim Walz’s latest COVID-19 order to shut down public accommodations, including gyms.