U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank issued his strongly worded order two days after a private hearing with top officials about changing the confinement program.

The judge said the setup was needed “to allow the court to hear and assess remedy proposals” ahead of a standard hearing in a later phase.

It’s virtually impossible for clients to clear discharge hurdles.

Despite a federal court ruling, elected officials are reluctant to give sex offenders more freedom.

The Legislature’s chance at making a preemptive change to state law is slipping away, and a prescriptive ruling might prove the only consequence that will lead to actual reform.

U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank largely sided with the more than 700 residents who were civilly committed to the Minnesota Sex Offender Program.

U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank largely sided with the more than 700 residents who were civilly committed to the Minnesota Sex Offender Program.

A court-appointed panel is calling for an overhaul of the laws and treatment protocols that have made Minnesota the nation’s per-capita leader in the civil commitment of sex offenders.

After years of inactivity punctuated by sporadic talks at the Legislature, the issue of Minnesota’s civil commitment of the sexually dangerous seems to be coming to a head. The question now is whether a judge will intervene to force changes in the Minnesota Sex Offender Program before the 2014 Legislature even convenes.

For DFL Rep. Alice Hausman, next year’s bonding bill is a take-two proposition. The House Capital Investment Committee chair from St. Paul pushed for an $800 million package of construction projects last year, but watched it fail by five votes the day before session adjourned.