Minnesota

CDC plans to collect data on vaccine recipients, leading to privacy concerns

Some states are objecting to a requirement that they share information on vaccine recipients with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dec 9, 2020 9:34 AM CST

No new wave of election lawsuits emerged Tuesday; which pending cases could make a difference?

A wave of Election Day litigation did not materialize Tuesday, even as President Donald Trump vowed to take voting cases to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Nov 4, 2020 10:44 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Texas courts allow count of drive-thru votes; 8th Circuit questions extended ballot deadline

Drive-thru votes can be counted in Texas, 2 courts say The Texas Supreme Court and a federal judge in Houston have refused to stop the counting of nearly 127,000 votes cast in drive-thru voting in Harris County, Texas. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen of the Southern District of Texas said…

Nov 2, 2020 4:36 PM CST

Minnesota will launch legal paraprofessional pilot program

Minnesota is joining the gradually growing roster of states allowing nonlawyers to handle some legal tasks in hopes of providing greater access to justice.

Oct 1, 2020 9:19 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Godmother feels betrayed after law firm money theft; state AG staffer probed over BLM buttons fuss

Bookkeeper accused of embezzling $740K from godmother’s law firm A former bookkeeper and office manager accused of embezzling $740,000 from a Rhode Island law firm has agreed to plead guilty in the theft, according to federal prosecutors. The defendant, 39-year-old Sarah Gaulin, was accused of taking the money from Hamel,…

Sep 14, 2020 4:45 PM CDT

Which appeals court is most likely to grant qualified immunity to police?

An analysis of qualified immunity cases in federal appeals courts shows significant disparities in grants of qualified immunity to police officers in excessive force cases.

Aug 25, 2020 12:17 PM CDT

‘Need to go back to law school’ comment isn’t defamatory, appeals court rules

A Minneapolis lawyer can’t sue for defamation over a negative online review that said, “Need to go back to law school,” the Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled.

Aug 18, 2020 9:30 AM CDT

High-profile killings of unarmed Black people spark calls for reform

The seeds that inflamed America’s intense national debate over race and criminal justice were planted months before George Floyd was killed by police on a Minneapolis street in late May. The buildup to the country’s summer of civil unrest began in a quiet subdivision just outside of Brunswick, Georgia, where an unarmed Black man out jogging was shot and killed on Feb. 23 by two armed white men.

Aug 1, 2020 1:10 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Stealth layoffs are a bad idea, expert says; ACLU seeks sanction against feds

Stealth layoffs could affect law firm ‘vitality,’ expert says Attributing layoffs to performance rather than economic issues—so-called stealth layoffs—could harm associate relationships with law firm partners and leaders, according to consultant Hugh Simons, the former chief operating officer at Ropes & Gray. That wasn’t the view that prevailed during the…

Jul 29, 2020 3:36 PM CDT

2020 Harvard Law grad postpones bar exam and her wedding plans because of COVID-19

This past spring, when few people realized that most July bar exams would ultimately be canceled, Molly Coleman decided to forgo the test, for the time being, despite her lawyer father’s objections.

Jul 27, 2020 2:21 PM CDT

Judges should know risks before attending public protests, ethics committee says

A California Supreme Court advisory committee has warned the state’s judges about the ethical risks of attending public protests.

Jul 24, 2020 11:13 AM CDT

Lethal force laws reexamined after police killings; is reasonableness standard too easy?

Lawmakers in several states are considering revisions to police lethal force laws following the deaths of George Floyd and others during encounters with officers.

Jun 19, 2020 11:23 AM CDT

Journalist blinded in Minneapolis protests sues law enforcement citing First Amendment violation

A freelance journalist who was blinded in one eye while covering recent protests in Minneapolis is suing the city and state and local law enforcement for using excessive force and violating her First Amendment rights.

Jun 11, 2020 1:05 PM CDT

Amid cries of ‘defund the police,’ Minneapolis city council majority pledges dismantling

As protesters across the nation have chanted “defund the police,” the Minneapolis city council plans to take action. A veto-proof council majority said it would be dismantling the police department and redefine the city’s system of public safety.

Jun 8, 2020 10:01 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: New charges filed in George Floyd case; state chief justice decries court system bias

Officer faces increased charge in George Floyd case; others also charged Prosecutors have added an upgraded charge against the Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd by pressing his knee into his neck. Derek Chauvin was previously charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He now faces a charge…

Jun 3, 2020 3:41 PM CDT