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Minnesota legal history

May 25, 2026

Perspectives: ‘Nuremberg’ movie has Minnesota legal links

Minnesota ties to the “Nuremberg” film spotlight Justice Robert Jackson, war crimes trials, Supreme Court history and free speech law.

Illustration of a gavel, block and a nameplate that reads "DEATH PENALTY"
Feb 16, 2026

Perspectives: Executions resume, but not in Minnesota

Florida’s first execution of 2026 highlights Minnesota’s unique path to abolishing capital punishment after a botched hanging and historic cases.

Children from the American Indian Movement Peace Makers Center beat a drum to protest outside the Metrodome in 1991
Dec 1, 2025

Perspectives: Trump’s urge to restore mascots recalls legacy here

President Trump’s call to restore Native-themed team names renews debate in Minnesota, where legal battles, trademarks, and mascot disputes have deep roots.

Clarence Thomas listens during the swearing-in ceremony for Pam Bondi on Feb. 5, 2025
Sep 29, 2025

Perspectives: Same-sex marriage at risk as high court convenes

Justice Clarence Thomas and allies may have the votes to revisit Obergefell as the Supreme Court considers Kim Davis’s appeal challenging same-sex marriage.

In this 2019 file photo, former FBI and CIA director William Webster, right, accompanied by his wife Lynda Webster, speaks during a news conference
Sep 22, 2025

Perspectives: FBI/CIA’s Webster death recalls 8th Circuit cases

The death this summer of centenarian William Webster was felt in and around the law, including here in the 8th Circuit.

Black and white photo of William Seward
Sep 15, 2025

Perspectives: St. Paul was site of key Seward speech for Lincoln

William Seward’s 1860 speech in St. Paul boosted Lincoln’s path to victory and left a lasting imprint on Minnesota’s legal and civil rights history.

Facade of the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis
Apr 28, 2025

Perspectives: ‘Gatsby’ at 100 recalls Guthrie litigation dramas

As “The Great Gatsby” turns 100, Minnesota reflects on F. Scott Fitzgerald's legacy — and the Guthrie Theater's legal history tied to his cultural influence.

the McLean House at Appomattox Court House
Apr 14, 2025

Perspectives: End of Civil War recalls legal lore here

The 160th anniversary of the Civil War's end provides a chance to review its history in Minnesota as seen through the prism of related litigation and law.

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