Civil Law & the Courts

The following write-ups are produced and maintained by Minnesota House Research Department, with some links provided to other sources.

Children & Families

• Reporting Maltreatment of Minors
  A 17-page overview of reporting maltreatment of minors as established in the Maltreatment of Minors Act. The act establishes a system for reporting possible child abuse and neglect, and its related laws and rules. July 2022.

• Youth and the Law
  A 140-page guidebook explaining state law and court cases that establish rights, responsibilities, and protections for youth, including information on economic protection, education, health and social services, and criminal justice. February 2024.

Courts

• Judicial Branch Overview
  A short description of the court system in Minnesota. October 2014.
• Judicial Interpretation of Statutes
  An 8-page brief that discusses the role the courts play in interpreting statutes, including the tests and tools the court uses to resolve ambiguity. April 2020.
• State Jury Service
  A brief description of how the jury system works. July 2019.
• The Minnesota Judiciary: A Guide for Legislators
  A 31-page guidebook describing the structure, functions, personnel, and finances of the judicial branch of state government. September 2019.

Laws and Legal Issues

• Attorney Fee Awards in Minnesota Statutes
  A 47-page information brief summarizing and outlining various attorney fee provisions found in Minnesota Statutes. November 2018.
• Government Immunity from Tort Liability
  A 4-page publication explaining the laws that make state and local governments immune from certain lawsuits. October 2020.
• The Internet and Public Policy: Challenges and Policy Considerations for State Regulation
  An 11-page information brief that outlines the challenges that states have in regulating the Internet. May 2018.
• The Internet and Public Policy: Cybertorts and Online Property Rights
  A 13-page information brief that discusses how certain civil wrongs occur online and the laws that have been used to address that conduct. May 2018.
• The Internet and Public Policy: Jurisdiction and Procedure in Internet Law Cases
  A 7-page information brief discusses common jurisdictional issues and how the Internet has affected legal procedure. May 2018.
• Unconstitutional Laws: The Effect of Court Rulings and Options for Legislative Responses
  A 10-page publication providing background on constitutional challenges to laws and information on reviewing court decisions. September 2022.

Archived Materials

The following materials have been archived and may contain some information that is not up-to-date. "Archived" materials are no longer actively maintained by House Research Department and are generally at least five years old. Current materials are provided in the previous topics.

• Administrative Subpoenas
  A 9-page information brief answering common questions about administrative subpoenas, which compel individuals to provide a state or local agency with information. November 2006.
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Constitutional Issues (Request a copy)
• Community Courts and Quality-of-life Crime: The Midtown Manhattan Community Court as a Model
  A 38-page information brief summarizing quality-of-life crimes in Minneapolis and describing how Manhattan has set up a community court to deal with quality-of-life crimes. September 1999.
• Equal Protection: Standards Used in Judicial Review of State Legislation (Request a copy)
• Features of State Same-Sex Marriage Constitutional Amendments
• Federal Child Support Enforcement Amendments of 1984 (Request a copy)
• Gomez: The Minnesota Supreme Court Abortion Funding Decision (Request a copy)
• House of Representatives Proposal for Adjusting Public Defender Salaries (Request a copy)
• Interstate Compacts (Request a copy)
• Joint Child Custody and Shared Care (Request a copy)
• Judicial Branch Overview
  A short description of the court system in Minnesota. October 2014.
• Judicial Selection and Retention: Minnesota and Other States (Request a copy)
• Judicial Selection in Minnesota
• Juvenile Justice System
• Litigation Under State ERAs (Request a copy)
• Living Wills and Proxy Decisionmakers (Request a copy)
• Minnesota's Public and Private Nuisance Laws
  A 12-page information brief describing Minnesota laws that provide civil remedies to combat offensive or injurious conditions or activities that are a nuisance to the surrounding community. July 2015.
• Minnesota's Public Defender System
• Municipal Liability Under Federal Antitrust Laws (Request a copy)
• No Fault Divorce: Criticisms and Responses (Request a copy)
• Out of Home Placement of Children: 1981 and 1984 (Request a copy)
• Parental Notification of Abortion (Request a copy)
• Proposed Minnesota Code for Children and Youth (Request a copy)
• Separation of Powers: When Statutes and Court Rules Conflict
  When statutes and court rules conflict. March 2005.
• State Takeover of Court Financing (Request a copy)