Episodes

The ComMN Law is a Minnesota Supreme Court podcast. Each podcast, we bring you legal news and highlight one interesting case at the Minnesota Supreme Court. 


Podcast episodes, show notes, and CLE codes listed below.


Fagin v. State

A17-1705

Opinion published October 2, 2019

In our June episode, we discuss legal news, cover resulted cases published since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, Fagin v. State. Transcript of the episode here.

  • A brief update on the Cruz-Guzman school-segregation case (initially heard at SCOM summer 2018), and charter schools’ unsuccessful attempt to be exempted from the decision

  • The Brodkorb-MacDonald saga never ends, as Michelle MacDonald survives Brodkorb’s attempt to get her case thrown out for missing deadlines

  • Mark gives tribute to Justice Lillehaug, who announced this month that he would retire from the bench after next term

  • Resulted opinion in Central Housing Associates v. Olson, our November case (with an outcome surprising to us at TCL HQ)

  • Court of appeals opinion in Fagin v. State

  • Oral argument in Fagin v. State (podcast form here)

  • Briefing in Fagin v. State:

On-Demand CLE Code: 275958*


Firefighters Union v. City of Brainerd

A18-0398

Opinion published October 9, 2019

In our May episode, we discuss legal news and walk through our featured case, Firefighters Union v. City of Brainerd. Transcript of the episode here.

  • A pair (one and two) of K. Feath pieces in MN Lawyer outlining what went down with the Public Safety/Judiciary budget

  • Report from the International Bar Association on harassment and bullying in the legal profession, as well as a MN Lawyer piece highlighting the finding that a third of female lawyers are sexually harassed

  • Here’s everything we know about the lake-naming controversy (post-recording update: the State has appealed the COA ruling to the MN Supreme Court)

  • Court of appeals opinion in Firefighters Union v. City of Brainerd

  • Oral argument in Firefighters Union v. City of Brainerd (podcast form here)

  • Briefing in Firefighters Union v. City of Brainerd:

    • Appellant (City of Brainerd) brief

    • Respondent (Firefighters Union) brief

    • Appellant (City of Brainerd) reply brief

On-Demand CLE Code: 274487*


Minnesota Sands v. County of Winona

A18-0090

Opinion published March 11, 2020

In our April episode, we discuss legal news, cover interesting cases that have resulted since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, MN Sands v. County of Winona. Transcript of the episode here.

On-Demand CLE Code: 273081*


State v. Harvey

A18-0205

Opinion published August 28, 2019

In our March episode, we discuss legal news, cover interesting cases that have resulted since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, State v. Harvey. Transcript of the episode here.

On-Demand CLE Code: 271511*


In the Matter of the Application of J.M.M. o/b/o Minors for a Change of Name

A17-1730

Opinion published January 22, 2020

In our February episode, we will discuss legal news, cover interesting cases that have resulted since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, In the Matter of the Application of J.M.M. We also chat with the Standpoint Executive Director Rana Alexander, who filed an amicus brief in this case. Transcript of the episode here.

  • Justice Thissen speaks about equity, impartial courts

  • The Star Tribune highlights how Minnesota’s judicial budget request reflects impending wave of retirements

  • Court of Appeals opinion in In the Matter of the Application of J.M.M. (and its prior opinion on initial appeal)

  • Oral argument in In the Matter of the Application of J.M.M.

  • Briefing in In the Matter of the Application of J.M.M.:

    • Appellant (J.M.M.) brief

    • Respondent (appointed counsel) brief

    • Appellant (J.M.M.) reply brief

    • Amicus (Standpoint and Battered Women’s Justice Project) brief

On-Demand CLE Code: 269915*


Larson v. Gannett Company

A17-1068

Opinion published February 26, 2020

In our January episode, we discuss legal news, cover an interesting court of appeals case that might make its way to the supreme court, and walk through our featured case, Larson v. Gannett Company. Transcript of the episode here.

On-Demand CLE Code: 268783*


Bandemer v. Ford Motor Company

A17-1182

Opinion published July 31, 2019

In our December episode, we discuss legal news, cover an interesting case that has resulted since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, Bandemer v. Ford Motor Company. Transcript of the episode here.

  • Dan Heilman for MN Lawyer on a survey that showed that (1) the “Twin Cities overall pays partners far less than in many larger markets” and (2) “male partners have consistently reported substantially higher average compensation than their female counterparts”

  • You know you want to read this sexy story about legislative process reform . . .

  • #tbt to Dusosky v. Fischbach (the case about “sitting on two seats with one butt”) and Fischbach’s defense that was recently retroactively funded by the MN Legislature

  • Justice Thissen’s first majority opinion published December 5, 2018, State v. Ortega-Rodriguez

  • Court of Appeals opinion in Bandemer v. Ford Motor Company

  • Oral argument in Bandemer v. Ford Motor Company

  • Briefing in Bandemer v. Ford Motor Company:

On-Demand CLE Code: 267974*


Central Housing Associates v. Olson

A17-1286

Opinion published June 12, 2019

In our November episode, we discuss legal news, cover interesting cases that have resulted since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, Central Housing Associates v. Olson. Transcript of the episode here.

On-Demand CLE Code: 266449*


Maethner v. Someplace Safe

A17-0998

Opinion published June 26, 2019

In our October episode, we take a deep dive into the upcoming judicial election with highlights from the October 4th judicial candidate forum, as well as a discussion with guests Michelle MacDonald, Michael Brodkorb, and Allison Mann on the candidates and their qualifications. Finally, we walk through our featured case, Maethner v. Someplace Safe. Transcript of the episode here.

  • MN Lawyer’s Kevin Featherly with an update on the finances of the 2018 judicial races (bottom line: no one is trying to buy our judges . . . yet)

  • Justice Chutich's campaign website and Michelle MacDonald’s campaign website

  • Video of the judicial candidate forum in Golden Valley on October 4, hosted by the League of Women Voters and the Minnesota State Bar Association, featuring Justice Chutich and Judge Jesson, as well as their respective challengers, Michelle MacDonald and Anthony L. Brown

  • Michelle MacDonald's disciplinary case suspending her from the practice of law for 60 days starting in January 2018 followed by supervised probation for 2 years, her cert petition to the US Supreme Court (and its denial), both of which she discusses in our interview

  • Missing in Minnesota highlights Michelle MacDonald’s involvement in the Grazzini-Rucki case and subsequent disciplinary history (with documents relating to her most recent disciplinary investigation)

  • Minnesota Lawyer reports on Michelle MacDonald’s lawsuit (complaint here) against Michael Brodkorb and Allison Mann, from the initial filing, to the lack of the factual basis for the suit, to the resulting disciplinary investigation

  • Michael Brodkorb and Allison Mann release their book, The Girls Are Gone, which chronicles the disappearance of Samantha and Gianna Rucki, and includes an examination of MacDonald’s legal work on the case

  • First Amendment Scholar Eugene Volokh weighs in on the First Amendment questions in our featured case, Maethner v. Someplace Safe (Professor Volokh filed an amicus brief in this case with his band of “bloggers and podcasters”)

  • Court of Appeals opinion in and MN Lawyer summary of Maethner v. Someplace Safe

  • Oral argument in Maethner v. Someplace Safe

On-Demand CLE Code: 265435*


Warren v. Dinter

A17-0555

Opinion published April 17, 2019

In our September episode, we discuss legal news, cover interesting cases that have resulted since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, Warren v. Dinter. Transcript of the episode here.

  • Winona Daily News article on the retirement of Judge Jeffery Thompson, which prompted the Third Judicial District to begin a discussion that eventually led the Supreme Court to issue an order moving Judge Thompson's former seat from Winona Court to Olmsted County

  • Minnesota State Bar Association poll on contested appellate judicial races; Justice Thissen’s OTD tweet on a constitutional case interpreting what it means to be “learned in the law,” a requirement for judicial office in Minnesota; and Allison Mann’s musing on possible implications for the upcoming judicial race

  • Star Tribune feel-good story on Ralph Campbell, a twenty-nine years sober licensed drug and alcohol counselor, who has been the "glue" of the Hennepin County DWI Court since he began volunteering there in 2008

  • Register for the Minnesota Historical Society's Justice Jeopardy on October 11 (see you there, ComMNers!)

  • Opinion in State v. Edstrom, published August 15, 2018

  • Opinion in Johnson v. State, published August 22, 2018

  • Court of Appeals opinion in Warren v. Dinter

  • Oral argument in Warren v. Dinter

On-Demand CLE Code: 262905*


Justice David Lillehaug

91st Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court

In our August episode, we catch up with Justice Lillehaug at the Minnesota Judicial Center and cover his life story, his time on the court, and his personal life with our regular lightning round. Transcript of the episode here.

  • Justice Lillehaug's Bench & Bar piece on unpublished opinions in Minnesota's appellate courts

  • Opinion in Axelberg v. Commissioner of Public Safety, 848 N.W.2d 206 (Minn. 2014), including Justice Lillehaug's (and Justice Wright's and Justice Page's) dissent

  • 2015 amendments to Minn. Stat. § 169A. 53 in response to Axelberg v. Commissioner of Public Safety and its many dissents


Justice Anne McKeig

94th Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court

In our July episode, we discuss legal news, cover interesting cases that have resulted since our last episode, and visit Justice Anne McKeig in her chambers for a discussion about the finer points of judging, running for re-election, and her favorite Hollywood Chris. Links from the episode below. Transcript of the episode here.

  • Justice Thissen sworn in as 95th Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court

  • Transcript of Chief Justice Gildea's State of the Judiciary Address, highlighting, among other things, the Chief's proposal to take another look at the Limited License Legal Technicians model

  • Petition of Minnesota State Bar Association to amend rule 4(c) for admission to the bar to "permit certain qualified law students to sit for the bar examination during their final year in law school"

  • Ibrahim Hirsi's important piece on "why the people who serve as interpreters in Minnesota courts are not happy with those who run Minnesota courts" (post-recording update: read state court administrator Jeff Shorba's response)

  • Featured tweets from our monthly "Top Thissen Tweets" segment: #2, #1

  • Opinion in Cruz-Guzman v. State, published July 25, 2018, as well a nice backgrounder on the case and commentary from the Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity on the implications of Justice Hudson's majority opinion (and Will Stancil's tweet about "that" footnote)

  • 2017 Hennepin Lawyer profile of Justice Anne McKeig written by former clerk Brittney Miller


Johnson v. State

A17-0842, A17-0883

Opinion published August 22, 2018

In our June episode, we discuss legal news, cover interesting cases since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, Johnson v. State. Links from the episode below. Transcript of the episode here.

Post-recording update: The court issued an opinion in Christensen v. Healey on June 20, 2018, authored by Justice Hudson. We discussed this case in our second episode and made fun of the court in this episode for not yet releasing it as of our recording. Read Justice Hudson's opinion here.

On-Demand CLE Code: 259816*


In re Marriage of Gill

A16-1421

Opinion published October 24, 2018

In our May episode, we discuss legal news, cover important cases that have resulted since our last episode, and walk through our featured case, In re Marriage of Gill. Links from the episode below. Transcript of the episode here.

On-Demand CLE Code: 258763*


State v. Edstrom

A16-1382

Opinion published August 15, 2018

In our April episode, we discuss legal news (both entertaining and serious), cover an interesting case since our last episode (Christensen v. Healey), and walk through our featured case, State v. Edstrom. Links from the episode below. Transcript of the episode here.

*Post-recording update: Dusosky (finally) re-filed her lawsuit on April 10, 2018. Read the coverage of and complaint in Dusosky v. Fischbach II

On-Demand CLE Code: 257377*


Otto v. Wright County et al.

A16-1634

Opinion published April 18, 2018

 

In our inaugural episode, we discuss legal news, interesting cases from the beginning of the calendar year, and our featured case, Otto v. Wright County et al. Links from the episode below. Transcript of the episode here.

On-Demand CLE Code: 257376*


*Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education Rule 5A(7) requires us to keep a list of all individuals who claim credit for listening to our podcasts. Please submit your information here so we can comply with the rules and continue to provide free CLEs to our listeners. We will obviously never give your information to anyone except the Board if they ask to compare lists.