Minnesota Supreme Court

Browse recent court opinions from the Minnesota Supreme Court. AI-powered plain English summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis of 30 cases. State Supreme Court.

State Supreme Court Jurisdiction: MN 30 Recent Cases

Outcome Breakdown

20
Defendant Win
3
Plaintiff Win
2
Remanded
1
Mixed

Top Legal Topics

criminal-law (7)sufficiency-of-evidence (5)appellate-review (5)retaliation (4)probable-cause (2)prosecutorial-misconduct (2)assault (2)property rights (2)administrative law (2)employment law (2)

Cases by Year

2020202120222023202420252026

Recent Opinions (30)

State of Minnesota v. Melissa Madelyne Zielinski

Minnesota Court of Appeals Affirms DWI and Test Refusal Convictions Against Zielinski

2026-03-25 · Defendant Win · Impact: 30/100

This case involves Melissa Madelyne Zielinski, who was convicted of first-degree test refusal and fourth-degree driving while impaired (DWI) after refusing to take a blood test following a traffic sto...

State of Minnesota v. Scot Perry Christian

Minnesota Supreme Court Affirms Scot Perry Christian's Murder Convictions, Upholding Exclusion of Third-Party Perpetrator Evidence

2026-03-25 · Defendant Win · Impact: 65/100

This case involves Scot Perry Christian, who was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and attempted first-degree premeditated murder. Christian appealed his convictions, arguing several point...

State of Minnesota v. Anthony Richard Smeby

Minnesota Court of Appeals Affirms Drug Convictions, Upholding Search Warrant Based on Probable Cause

2026-03-18 · Defendant Win · Impact: 45/100

This case involves Anthony Richard Smeby, who was convicted of first-degree controlled substance crime and fifth-degree controlled substance crime. Smeby appealed his convictions, arguing that the dis...

State of Minnesota v. Jeremiah Quan Turner

Minnesota Court of Appeals Affirms Jeremiah Quan Turner's First-Degree Assault Conviction

2026-03-18 · Defendant Win · Impact: 30/100

This case involves Jeremiah Quan Turner, who was convicted of first-degree assault and other charges related to a shooting incident. Turner appealed his conviction, arguing that the district court mad...

In the Matter of the Civil Commitment of: Leah Christina Graeber

Appeals Court Affirms Denial of Full Discharge for Sexually Dangerous Person

2026-03-11 · Defendant Win · Impact: 40/100

This case involves Leah Christina Graeber, who was civilly committed as a sexually dangerous person (SDP) and a sexual psychopathic personality (SPP). Graeber appealed the district court's decision to...

In the Matter of the Welfare of the Children of: L.K., Parent

Appeals Court Upholds Termination of Parental Rights for L.K. Due to Failure to Reunify and Best Interests of Children

2026-03-11 · Defendant Win · Impact: 40/100

This case involves L.K., a parent whose parental rights to her two children were terminated by the district court. The district court found that there were grounds for termination under Minnesota Stat...

Theodore Lockhart, Sr., Relator v. Hennepin County

Hennepin County's Termination of Employee for Sexual Harassment Upheld by Appeals Court

2026-03-11 · Defendant Win · Impact: 45/100

This case involves Theodore Lockhart, Sr., a former employee of Hennepin County, who was terminated after an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. Lockhart appealed his termination to t...

State of Minnesota v. Deshon Israel Bonnell

Minnesota Supreme Court Upholds Conviction, Finding No Prejudicial Discovery Violation

2026-02-25 · Defendant Win · Impact: 45/100

This case involves a dispute over whether the State of Minnesota properly handled evidence in a criminal case against Deshon Israel Bonnell. The core issue was whether the State's actions constituted ...

State of Minnesota v. Nicholas James Firkus

Minnesota Supreme Court Upholds Murder Conviction of Nicholas James Firkus

2026-02-25 · Defendant Win · Impact: 65/100

This case involves Nicholas James Firkus, who was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Heidi Firkus. The conviction was based on evidence that Firkus shot his wife during a dispu...

Melissa Ann Lorsung v. Commissioner of Public Safety

State Patrol promotion denial not found to be gender discrimination or retaliation

2026-02-04 · Defendant Win · Impact: 35/100

This case involves Melissa Ann Lorsung, who was denied a promotion to sergeant in the Minnesota State Patrol. She claims this denial was due to gender discrimination. Lorsung had previously filed a co...

State of Minnesota v. Jamie Sara Schmeichel

Minnesota Supreme Court Rules Against State in Vehicle Forfeiture Case

2026-02-04 · Plaintiff Win · Impact: 65/100

This case involves a dispute over whether the State of Minnesota could seize a vehicle belonging to Jamie Sara Schmeichel. The State sought to forfeit Schmeichel's car, alleging it was used in a drug-...

State of Minnesota Office of the Attorney General v. Madison Equities, Inc.

Minnesota Attorney General's Office wins case against Madison Equities over deceptive trade practices

2026-01-07 · Plaintiff Win · Impact: 75/100

This case involves a dispute between the State of Minnesota, represented by its Attorney General, and Madison Equities, Inc., a company involved in property management. The core issue revolved around ...

Dennis Walsh v. City of Orono, Minnesota

City of Orono Wins Retaliation Lawsuit Filed by Former Police Officer

2025-12-31 · Defendant Win · Impact: 35/100

This case involves a former police officer, Dennis Walsh, who sued the City of Orono, Minnesota, alleging that the city retaliated against him for reporting misconduct by his supervisor. Walsh claimed...

State of Minnesota v. Raenard Romalle Douglas

Minnesota Supreme Court Upholds Conviction for Assault and Domestic Abuse Charges

2025-12-24 · Defendant Win · Impact: 35/100

This case involves a man, Raenard Romalle Douglas, who was charged with several crimes, including assault and domestic abuse. During his arrest, Douglas resisted and assaulted a police officer. He was...

State of Minnesota v. Lisa Dawn Oliver

State employee's termination for insubordination upheld

2025-12-10 · Defendant Win · Impact: 35/100

This case involves a dispute over whether Lisa Dawn Oliver, a former employee of the State of Minnesota, was wrongfully terminated. Oliver was fired after she was accused of "gross insubordination" an...

State of Minnesota v. Brian Russell Lueck

Intoxicated Defendant's Statements Deemed Voluntary and Admissible

2025-11-12 · Defendant Win · Impact: 25/100

State of Minnesota v. Brian Russell Lueck, decided by Minnesota Supreme Court on November 12, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court's deci...

Tescil Romalis Mason-Kimmons v. State of Minnesota

Appeals court upholds drug conviction based on marijuana odor and paraphernalia

2025-11-05 · Defendant Win · Impact: 20/100

Tescil Romalis Mason-Kimmons v. State of Minnesota, decided by Minnesota Supreme Court on November 5, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Tescil Romalis Mason-Kimmons, appealed h...

Thaleaha McBee v. Team Industries, Inc.

Eighth Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Employer in Discrimination Case

2025-10-29 · Defendant Win · Impact: 25/100

Thaleaha McBee v. Team Industries, Inc., decided by Minnesota Supreme Court on October 29, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Thaleaha McBee, sued her employer, Team Industries,...

Adrian Dominic Riley v. State of Minnesota

Cell phone search incident to arrest in vehicle upheld

2025-10-22 · Defendant Win · Impact: 65/100

Adrian Dominic Riley v. State of Minnesota, decided by Minnesota Supreme Court on October 22, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court's deci...

Erin Lindsay v. Minneapolis Public School District (SSD1), Self-Insured, Relator

Psychological injury from workplace friction compensable under workers' comp.

2025-10-22 · Plaintiff Win · Impact: 40/100

Erin Lindsay v. Minneapolis Public School District (SSD1), Self-Insured, Relator, decided by Minnesota Supreme Court on October 22, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The Minnesota Court of Ap...

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