| Minnesota Court of Appeals | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of Minnesota Court of Appeals | |
| 44°57′16″N93°6′1″W / 44.95444°N 93.10028°W /44.95444; -93.10028 | |
| Established | November 1, 1983 (1983-11-01) |
| Jurisdiction | Minnesota,United States |
| Location | Saint Paul |
| Coordinates | 44°57′16″N93°6′1″W / 44.95444°N 93.10028°W /44.95444; -93.10028 |
| Composition method | Nonpartisan election, appointment by thegovernor if filling midterm vacancy |
| Authorized by | Minnesota Constitution |
| Appeals to | Minnesota Supreme Court |
| Judge term length | 6 years (mandatory retirement at the age of 70) |
| Number of positions | 19 |
| Website | Official website |
| Chief Judge | |
| Currently | Jennifer Frisch |
| Since | December 31, 2024 |
| Lead position ends | December 31, 2027 |
| Jurist term ends | January 2, 2029 |
|
|---|
| Constitution |
|
TheMinnesota Court of Appeals is the intermediateappellate court in theU.S. state ofMinnesota. It began operating on November 1, 1983.
The Court of Appeals has jurisdiction over mostappeals from thestatetrial courts, including theMinnesota District Courts, and from many decisions of state agencies and local governments. The only exceptions to this grant of jurisdiction are statewide election contests, first-degree murder cases, and appeals from the Minnesota Tax Court andMinnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals, all of which go directly to theMinnesota Supreme Court.
The Minnesota Supreme Court hasdiscretionary review. Only about five percent of Court of Appeals decisions are accepted by the Supreme Court for further review, meaning that the Court of Appeals makes the final ruling in the vast majority of the 2,000 to 2,400 appeals filed every year.[1]
Under Minnesota law, the Court of Appeals must issue a decision within 90 days after oral arguments. If no oral argument is held, a decision is due within 90 days of the case's scheduled conference date. This deadline is the shortest imposed on any appellate court in the nation.[1] The court expedites decisions on child custody cases, mental health commitments and other matters in which the parties request accelerated response.
The 19 judges of the Minnesota Court of Appeals are elected to renewable six-year terms.[2] When a midterm vacancy occurs, thegovernor appoints a replacement to a term that ends after the general election occurring more than one year after the appointment.[3] All judges who have served on the court have been appointed by the governor.[4] The chief judge is selected by the governor from the members of the court to serve a fixed three-year term.[5]
Eight seats are associated withMinnesota's congressional districts. Judges for those seats must live in the associated district at the time of appointment or initial election. But seated judges remain eligible for those positions even if they later move to another district. Remaining seats are at-large positions that can be filled without regard to residency. The seats associated with congressional districts are redesignated every ten years followingreapportionment of the districts. The most recent reapportionment occurred in 2022. The seats on the Court of Appeals were redesignated in January 2023.[6]
Members sit in three-judge panels in various locations throughout the state to hear oral arguments, all of which are open to the public.[1]
| Seat | Name | District | Appointed by | Joined | Duration | Term end date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Jennifer Frisch (Chief) | 4th | Tim Walz (DFL) | May 4, 2020 | 5 years, 6 months | January 2, 2029 |
| 6 | Renee Worke | 1st | Tim Pawlenty (R) | June 9, 2005 | 20 years, 5 months | January 6, 2031 |
| 15 | Kevin Ross | 3rd | Tim Pawlenty (R) | February 23, 2006 | 19 years, 9 months | January 4, 2027 |
| 19 | Francis Connolly | At-large | Tim Pawlenty (R) | January 1, 2008 | 17 years, 10 months | January 2, 2029 |
| 17 | Matthew Johnson | At-large | Tim Pawlenty (R) | January 1, 2008 | 17 years, 10 months | January 2, 2029 |
| 11 | Michelle Ann Larkin | At-large | Tim Pawlenty (R) | July 14, 2008 | 17 years, 4 months | January 2, 2029 |
| 5 | Louise Dovre Bjorkman | At-large | Tim Pawlenty (R) | September 8, 2008 | 17 years, 2 months | January 2, 2029 |
| 16 | Peter Reyes | At-large | Mark Dayton (DFL) | April 7, 2014 | 11 years, 7 months | January 2, 2029 |
| 4 | Tracy Smith | At-large | Mark Dayton (DFL) | February 3, 2016 | 9 years, 9 months | January 6, 2031 |
| 12 | Diane Bratvold | At-large | Mark Dayton (DFL) | March 24, 2016 | 9 years, 8 months | January 6, 2031 |
| 13 | Jeanne Cochran | 6th | Mark Dayton (DFL) | November 7, 2018 | 7 years | January 4, 2027 |
| 9 | Randall Slieter | 7th | Mark Dayton (DFL) | December 3, 2018 | 6 years, 11 months | January 4, 2027 |
| 3 | Sarah Wheelock | 2nd | Tim Walz (DFL) | December 1, 2021 | 3 years, 11 months | January 6, 2031 |
| 14 | Elise L. Larson | 8th | Tim Walz (DFL) | July 1, 2022 | 3 years, 4 months | January 6, 2031 |
| 2 | Jon Schmidt | At-large | Tim Walz (DFL) | September 5, 2023 | 2 years, 2 months | January 6, 2031 |
| 8 | Keala C. Ede | At-large | Tim Walz (DFL) | September 11, 2023 | 2 years, 2 months | January 6, 2031 |
| 18 | JaPaul Harris | At-large | Tim Walz (DFL) | March 18, 2024 | 1 year, 8 months | January 2, 2026 |
| 1 | Elizabeth Bentley | At-large | Tim Walz (DFL) | August 1, 2024 | 1 year, 3 months | January 4, 2027 |
| 7 | Rachel Bond | 5th | Tim Walz (DFL) | January 3, 2025 | 10 months | January 4, 2027 |
State intermediate appellate courts in the United States | ||
|---|---|---|
|  | |
The states ofDelaware,Maine,Montana,New Hampshire,North Dakota,Rhode Island,South Dakota,Vermont, andWyoming do not have intermediate appellate courts. Nor do the equivalent court systems ofAmerican Samoa, theDistrict of Columbia,Guam, theNorthern Mariana Islands, or theU.S. Virgin Islands | ||
