1. CHIEF JUSTICE GILDEA IS THE LEADER WE NEED!

Lorie Skjerven Gildea became Minnesota's fourth Chief Justice in five years in 2010.  She succeeded Eric Magnuson j(2010), Russell Anderson (2008), and Kathleen Blatz (2006).  We needed stability.

Lorie Skjerven Gildea became Minnesota's only Chief Justice born in the Space Age.  Fourteen of her 21 predecessors were born before 1899.  Only her three immediate predecessors were born after 1928.  We needed a commitment to bringing technology, efficiency, and effectiveness to our courts,

Lorie Skjerven Gildea became Minnesota's Chief Justice at a time when we needed to improve service and access to justice to veterans, the challenged, rural communities, and underserved communities of citizens.  We needed a leader who would guide greater access to the courts.

So Minnesota needed Lorie Skjerven Gildea to bring stability to the office of Chief Justice with a commitment to the future of the Judicial Branch and a dedication to:

• the rule of law,
• equal access to justice,
• the protection of individual rights,
• the reliability of the social contract,
• the separation of powers, and
• the faith that people could place in their courts.

Minnesota also needed Lorie Skjerven Gildea to yank our court system into the modern era. 

• We needed to move from paper files and carbon copies to computers and the cloud. 
• We needed to change systems to make our judiciary was more effective and efficient. 
• We needed to make our courts more responsive to under-served communities. 
• We needed to secure adequate court funds after years of stagnation.

As is discussed below, Lorie Skjerven Gildea has worked hard and well to deliver on those commitments.

This blog is dedicated to showing the factual basis of the efforts of Lorie Skjerven Gildea on technology, problem-solving courts, and improving service and access to underserved individuals and communities of people.

From posts 2 to 7, there are discussions of her work to lead the electronic revolution and savings in the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

From posts 8 to 14, there are discussions of her leadership on "Problem Solving Courts" or "Treatment Courts" that have saved hundreds of lives and millions of taxpayer dollars.

From posts 15 to 25, there are discussions of her efforts to improve equal access to justice for people and groups who have been underserved by the court system.

Thank you for considering these materials.  It is hoped that you will find this data to be useful.

2. A DECISIVE LEADER ON TECHNOLOGY AND SAVINGS!

From the close of the territorial courts in 1858 until Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea started work in 2010, the Minnesota judicial system was paper-based and shrouded in mystery.

If you wanted to know what judges, juries, prosecutors, and opposing counsel were doing, you had to travel to the county courthouses or the Supreme Court in St. Paul to read the hard copies of court filings in the dimly-lit offices of the court clerks during business hours.

That has changed in the past seven years, as Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea has:

• 
  
• led all judges, lawyers, and court staffers to learn to use computers;
• given all citizens access to virtually all court filings and rulings on the internet;
• made it possible to pay most traffic tickets and civil citations by computer or telephone;
• provided regular citizens with tools to resolve simple court disputes without a lawyer;
• increased transparency by televising all Supreme Court hearings;
• allowed trial judges latitude to allow cameras in their court rooms; and
• increased computer accessibility in court houses.

The details are in the next five posts.

3. The "E-Court" Revolution on 2012-2017.

THE E-COURT REVOLUTION

1.  On January 20, 2012, Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea persuaded the Judicial Council (a panel of senior judges from around the state who set policies for the judicial branch to approve the E-Court MN initiative to make virtually all court filings and rulings available on the Internet within five years.  See here . 

• "The Judicial Council voted to move state courts from a framework of paper files to an electronic information environment. The E-Court MN strategic initiative will result in increased productivity for judges and court staff, and ensure convenient, timely, and appropriate access to court information for court users."

• “The E-Court MN initiative will result in significant benefits for judges, court employees, attorneys, and most importantly, the hundreds of thousands of people we serve each year,” said Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea. “It is often said that everybody likes progress, but nobody likes change.  However, the public we serve deserves the most cost-efficient and user-focused judicial system that we can provide, one that is more in tune with the high-tech world in which we live,” said Gildea.   

• The plan approved by the Judicial Council envisions a multi-year transition to an electronic environment that, among other innovations, includes digital imaging of past case files and electronic filing (e-filing) of new cases.

• The first phase of the initiative calls for 10 courts to be selected as pilot sites. Over the past year the Second Judicial District Court (Ramsey County) and the Fourth Judicial District Court (Hennepin County) have been operating a pilot project that allows for the voluntary e-filing of civil cases, and Dakota County District Court has been operating a pilot project to convert paper case files to digital images.

The scope of the initiative includes the following components:

•      E-Filing (including e-Citations and e-Charging)
•      Electronic document management, including document imaging
•      SessionWorks for judges (a touch screen desktop tool for judges to view case records)
•      Electronic transmission of cases to the appellate courts
•      E-Tools (eSignature, eNoticing, eCertification, and other tools that allow for electronic processing of orders)

• “The E-CourtMN initiative will be the most comprehensive reengineering effort yet undertaken by the Minnesota Judicial Branch,” said State Court Administrator Sue K. Dosal, who was charged by the Council with overseeing the initiative.  “Our past successes like the creation of the Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS) and the Minnesota Court Payment Center (CPC) demonstrate that we are up to this new task,” Dosal said.  The Council directed Dosal to return in six months with a progress report."

2.  On March 22, 2012, the Judicial Branch selected the first nine counties to transfer almost all court filings and records to an electronic format with accessibility to the public. See here.

• "They include district courts in Cass, Clay, Cook, Dakota, Faribault, Kandiyohi, Lake, Morrison, and Washington counties.  Courts in the Second Judicial District (Ramsey County) and the Fourth Judicial District (Hennepin County) have already been operating a pilot project that allows for the voluntary e-filing of civil cases."

3.  On June 7, 2012, the original pilot programs in Hennepin County (Minneapolis) and Ramsey County (St. Paul) became mandatory to transfer almost all court filings and records to an electronic format with accessibility to the public. See here.

• "Following the success of the pilot, the Minnesota Supreme Court has approved rule changes that will make eFiling and eService of civil cases in Hennepin County and Ramsey County district courts, including family but not probate/mental health and conciliation court cases, mandatory for attorneys and government entities beginning September 1, 2012."  The first electronic filing was made as a test on October 25, 2010 in Hennepin County.

4.  On September 18, 2012, the Judicial Branch announced that full training on-line for filing and accessing most court filings and records would begin on October 1.  See here.

• "Any attorney licensed in Minnesota and staff who will be e-Filing and e-Serving court documents at any time in the future in Minnesota district courts may wish to register now for live online training sessions to be offered twice weekly starting Oct. 1, 2012.  The sessions are for all attorneys and their staff, regardless of whether their local court currently offers eFile and eServe. The sessions will last approximately 90 minutes, with time allowed for questions after the presentation.  Attorneys and their staff can participate in the sessions from any computer. Training is provided online through WebEx, and users will be sent instructions on how to set up their computer for the training upon registration."

5.  On October 3, 2012, the Judicial Branch announced that the courts in Washington County (eastern suburbs) would transfer almost all court filings and records to an electronic format with accessibility to the public. See here.

• "E-Filing and E-Service are two components of the eCourtMN initiative being implemented throughout Minnesota, which will move state courts from a framework of paper file management to an electronic information environment. This initiative, which displays the Judicial Branch’s commitment to provide business solutions in the most effective and efficient manner possible, will result in significant benefits for public and private attorneys, stakeholders, the hundreds of thousands of people served each year, judges, and court employees."

6.  On November 5, 2012, the Judicial Branch announced that the courts in Dakota County (southern suburbs) would transfer almost all court filings and records to an electronic format with accessibility to the public. See here.

• "E-Service provides the opportunity to electronically serve registered parties and eliminate U.S. mail costs.  Not only will eFiling and eService benefit attorneys, it will also allow judges and court staff to view and work with the most up-to-date case documents from anywhere, even when someone else is viewing the case file."  

7.  On December 6, 2012, the Judicial Branch announced the opening of an E-Court Support Center to provide fast answers and assistance to citizens, lawyers, judges, staff, and local governments on how to use the system.  See here.

• "Attorneys, legal administrators, and government agencies seeking to eFile case documents in district courts or serve parties electronically can now get help over the phone or via eMail through the new, centralized MN eFile Support Center. While Support Center staff cannot provide legal advice, advise callers on their rights, interpret law, or comment regarding court rulings, they can assist attorneys and law firm and government agency staff in the use of the Judicial Branch’s electronic filing tool."

8.  On July 5, 2013, the Hennepin County Courts became the first judicial district to offer a one-stop shop for citizens seeking any court records from the county at one site.  See here.

• "The public may look up all civil, conciliation, criminal, housing and probate/mental health case information occurring in Hennepin County."

9.  On May 2, 2014, the Judicial Branch announced that virtually all records of all active cases from any county would be available at all 101 court houses in all 87 counties in the state.  See here.

• "Members of the public are now able to view case documents on public access terminals in all Minnesota state courthouses, regardless of which district court the documents were filed in.  District courts are currently converting documents in all active cases to digital images. The images are stored in the Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS), which is accessible through the courthouse terminals. Confidential and sealed case documents are not available through this new service. The effort is part of the Judicial Branch’s eCourtMN Initiative."

10.  On September 1, 2015, the Judicial Branch announced that all records from all appellate courts were available electronically at every courthouse in the state.  See here.

11.  On December 15, 2015, the Judicial Branch announced that e-filing was available in all 87 Minnesota counties.  See here.

• "Our transition to electronic case records has been rightly called the largest transformation in the 150-year history of Minnesota’s Judicial Branch,” said Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea.

• “Through eCourtMN, we are producing new efficiencies in our justice system, making it easier for our users to complete their business with the courts, and expanding on-demand access to information for the public and our justice partners. Making eFiling and eService available across the state is a huge step in this transformation, and we’re pleased to be offering this valuable service to all our customers.”

12.  On July 1, 2016, e-filing became mandatory state-wide for all attorney, public agencies, sheriffs, law enforcement agencies, and guardians ad litem.  People who were representing themselves were allowed to file on paper, until the first time they filed electronically.  See here.

• The transition to electronic filing and service is part of the Minnesota Judicial Branch’s eCourtMN initiative, which has transformed the state’s court system by replacing paper-based court files with an electronic information environment. Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea has called eCourtMN 'the largest transformation in the 150-year history of Minnesota’s Judicial Branch.' The goal of the initiative has been to make the state’s court system more accessible, more efficient, and more convenient for court customers."

13.  On April 10, 2017. the Judicial Branch unveiled new dashboards to allow the public to look at case filings in the state's trial courts.  See here.

  

You can track the case loads state-wide and for each county over the past five years by categories such as family law, juvenile, major civil, minor civil, major criminal, minor criminal, probate and mental health.  See here.

14.  RECOGNITION OF THE INNOVATION OF THE E-COURT SYSTEM:  The E-Court revolution in the Minnesota Courts has been recognized for its innovation.  See here and here.

4. Paying your Citations and Tickets by Phone.

THE CENTRALIZED PAYMENT CENTER

SAVING YOU ON FUSS:  In 2016, the Minnesota Judicial Branch completed a multi-year project to centralize the processing of citations and traffic tickets, from case initiation through case disposition, for all 87 counties in Minnesota.

With the completion of this project, the processing of all of Minnesota’s “payable citations” paid online, by mail, or over the phone is now being handled by staff at the Minnesota Court Payment Center (CPC).

Additionally, questions about citations are handled by call center clerks in the CPC. Payable citations include traffic and parking tickets, as well as other citations that do not require a court appearance.  See here.

SAVING TAXPAYERS' MONEY:  The CPC has reduced the payables case processing workload in those 85 counties, and that centralization had helped reduce the statewide number of Judicial Branch staff working on payables processing.  See here.

2011 AWARD:  The state-wide system started in late 2010 under Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea.  In 2011, it received the Paul H. Chapman Award from the Foundation for Improvement of Justice. The award is given out each year to recognize and reward individuals or organizations whose innovative programs and work have made improvements in the justice system.     See here.

2012 AWARD:  The Minnesota program received the 2012 Justice Achievement Award from the National Association for Court Management (NACM).  See here.

• "Before the creation of the CPC, clerks in local courthouses processed citations manually.  Employees working from home offices now do most of the work in a highly automated system.  Over $50 million was receipted in fiscal year 2011, including current and overdue debt.  The amount of overdue debt collected in fiscal year 2011 was $4.8 million, compared to $.9 million collected in fiscal year 2010 and $1.1 million in fiscal year 2009.  The CPC logged its one-millionth phone call on Nov. 22, 2011."

2017 Award: The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, recognized today the Minnesota Court Payment Center (CPC) as part of the 2017 Bright Ideas in Government initiative.   See here.

5. Cameras in the Courtroom.

The best way that Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea could pursue to build public confidence in the courts was to allow citizens to watch the judges at work.  She worked hard and secured computer and camera coverage of all Supreme Court hearings and gave trial judges to latitude to allow cameras in their court rooms in most cases not involving sensitive cases such as minors and violent crimes.

SUPREME COURT:  On August 23, 2017, Chief Justice Gildea persuaded the rest of the Supreme Court to authorize livestreaming video of oral arguments before Minnesota's highest court.  See here.

The first live stream-cast was on August 28, 2017 with the oral argument between Governor Mark Dayton and the Legislature over the Governor's veto of the Legislature's two-year operating budget.

CAMERAS IN TRIAL COURTS: Recording devices are allowed in Minnesota District Courts under the conditions prescribed in Rule 4 of the General Rules of Practice.  See here.

Different rules apply to several categories of cases:  general rules that apply to all cases; rules for probate cases; rules for criminal trials before a guilty verdict has been reached or a guilty plea has been accepted; rules for criminal trials after a guilty verdict has been reached or a guilty plea has been accepted; and rules for civil cases.

6. Help for People Without Lawyers.

If you are going to resolve a problem in court, you should hire a lawyer if you can afford one.  Even if the matter seems straight-forward and the law seems clear, a lawyer understands to process and may spot ways to solve your situation more effectively and efficiently.

But Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea understands that people may need or want to represent themselves in a court matter.  That is why she has worked to make the system easier to understand and to help individuals who plan to represent themselves.

1.  Self-Help Centers in Your Home and in Every Courthouse:  By January 23, 2017, Minnesota had opened these centers in every county.  You also can contact them from home by telephone, e-mail, or on-line.  See here.

Self Help Center staff are able to provide instructions on how to complete court forms; review filled-out forms for completeness; help self-represented litigants locate free or low-cost legal services and programs; and provide information about court process, practice, and procedure.

This help is available for a wide variety of court proceedings, including: civil actions; conciliation court matters; criminal expungement; divorce, child support, custody, and family law; landlord and tenant law; name changes; and much more.

While Self Help Center staff are not able to directly provide legal advice, strategy, or research, they will be able to connect customers with services that offer legal advice and guidance. 

2.  Get Free Advice from a Local Lawyer.  The Minnesota Judicial Branch works with the private Minnesota State Bar Association and local groups of lawyers to operate a free call-in service where people can ask for suggestions and legal observations from a volunteer lawyer in one's area. You can find many resources here.

3.  Free Guidance on how to prepare appeals. A new self-help clinic at the Minnesota State Law Library provides free assistance to individuals seeking to file an appeal with the Minnesota Court of Appeals or the Minnesota Supreme Court.  See here. 

“Ensuring that all Minnesotans have access to their justice system is one of the founding principles of our court system,” said Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea.

“In recent years, we have greatly expanded the resources available to people representing themselves in our courts, and have explored new ways of leveraging technology to make it faster and easier for Minnesotans to access needed information about their justice system. We are proud that Minnesota has become a national leader in this important area, and are continuing to look for new ways to expand our services in the future.”

7. Other Electronic Innovations in tthe Courts.

WI-FI IN EVERY COURT HOUSE:  In 2013, the Judicial Branch began implementing a public guest Wi-Fi network in courthouses and other branch facilities.  See here.

• “Publicly accessible Wi-Fi has become commonplace in recent years,” said Mark Moore, Chief Information Officer and Director of Information Technology for the Judicial Branch. “We see installation of a guest Wi-Fi network as part of our effort to improve customer service and to assist our justice partners when they are working in court facilities.”
• The free service does not require a password. In almost all court facilities, it appears as MJB_Guest when Wi-Fi-enabled devices are turned on. 

TECHNOLOGY SAVES MONEY ON JURY SELECTION: To save staff time and costs spent on reviewing questionnaires submitted by prospective jurors, the Judicial Branch launched an on-line survey of potential jurors to check for disqualifying factors such as an opinion of the case or knowledge of one or more of the parties.  See here.

• "The online Juror Qualification Questionnaire was developed as part of the Judicial Branch’s on-going efforts to use technology to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and make the courts more accessible."

• "Court administrators would like to see more summoned citizens use the online option because it reduces the amount of court staff time required to process the questionnaires. "

8. "TREATMENT COURTS" IN MINNESOTA

One of the innovations that Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea has pursued most vigorously is the adoption and expansion of "problem-solving courts" which are now officially called "treatment courts."  See here.

The idea is to help non-violent offenders to avoid jail or prison time or further criminal records by pursuing counselling and treatment for addictions to drugs or alcohol or care for mental or physical injuries which triggered the case.  In "veterans court" cases, care is also facilitated through VA programs where eligible.

Over a two- or three-year period, judges take reports from health professionals, counsellors, social workers, law enforcement, and others who report on whether the person has passed regular tests for substance abuse, attended treatment and counselling sessions, and avoided further legal problems.

As of 2017, over $5 million has been saved by using these courts by avoiding the costs of incarceration on the original charges and the costs of trials and imprisonment for persons who recover and do not commit subsequent crimes.  Hundreds of defendants have graduated from these programs, improved their lives, and avoided further criminal activity.

More details on how each of these "treatment courts" work can be found at the following posts:

9.  Veterans Courts serving 13 counties.
10.  DWI and Drug Courts serving 32 counties.
11.  Mental Health Courts serving 3 counties.
12.  A Housing Court serving 1 county.
13.  A Domestic Violence Court serving 1 county.
14.  A Family Court serving 1 county.

Veterans Treatment Court (13 counties)

Anoka County (2016)
Becker County (2014)
Blue Earth County (2013)
Brown County (2013)
Carver County (2014) *
Clay County (2014)
Faribault County (2013)
Hennepin County (2010)
Jackson County (2013)
Martin County (2013)
Nicollet County (2013)
Ramsey County (2014)
Watonwan County (2013)

DWI/Drug Courts (33 Counties)

Aitkin County (2006)
Anoka County (2016)
Becker County (2008)
Beltrami County (2007)
Blue Earth County (2008)
Brown County (2007)
Carlton County (2014)
Carver County Veterans Court (2014) *
Cass County (2006)
Clay County (2008)
Cook County (2016)
Cottonwood County (2012)
Crow Wing County (2006)
Dakota County (2008)
Dodge County (2003)
Faribault County (2007)
Hennepin County (1996)
Itasca County (2007)
Jackson County (2007)
Kittson County (2008)
Koochiching County (2005)
Lake of the Woods County (2005)
Le Sueur County (2015)
Lincoln County (2009)
Lyon County (2009)
Mahnomen County (2013)
Marshall County (2012)
Martin County (2007)
Morrison County (2014)
Nicollet County (2007)
Murray County (2012)
Nobles County (2012)
Norman County (2015)
Olmsted County (2016)
Otter Tail County (2008)
Pennington County (2012)
Pipestone County (2012)
Polk County (2015)
Ramsey County (2002)
Red Lake County (2015)
Redwood County (2009)

Rice County (2014)
Rock County (2012)
Roseau County (2017)
Scott County (2016)
St. Louis County (2002)
Stearns County (2002)
Steele County (2014)
Wabasha County (2005)
Waseca County (2014)
Watonwan County (2007)

Winona County (2012)
Wright County (2016)

Mental Health Court (3 counties)

Hennepin County (2003)
Ramsey County (2005)
St. Louis County (2013)

9. Veterans Courts

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea has been a leading advocate for the funding and expansion of Minnesota's system of Veterans Courts.

These courts are intended to keep non-violent veterans out of jail or prison and away from criminal records by altering the usual path of criminal prosecutions.  The hearings are geared to get veterans access to substance treatment, physical and mental care, VA assistance where available, and supervision by counsellors, health professionals, lawyers, law enforcement, social workers.

It is an effort to assist wounded warriors who have run into the legal system when they returned with physical and mental injuries and addictions.

You can read about these efforts here, and here,  and here, and here, and here.     

One good example of how the Veterans Court system developed under Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea came with a "Stand Down" test in Rochester when hundreds of veterans had their minor legal charges handled over several days.  See here.  The results sparked steady growth for the system.  See here. 

Military veterans with active misdemeanor, petty misdemeanor, or non-felony warrants outstanding can have their cases heard in a special court proceeding on Oct. 4, 2011.  Volunteer defense attorneys will be available to assist veterans.  The hearings will take place at the Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, MN. 

The special court hearings are part of Minnesota Stand Down, an effort to help veterans with legal matters, housing, taxes, employment, driver’s licenses, benefits, and other issues.  A free lunch will also be served to the veterans.  The event is sponsored by the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) and the Third Judicial District.

“The Third Judicial District is pleased to participate with MACV in providing comprehensive services to veterans that will aid them in resolving social and legal issues in one place,” said Third Judicial District Chief Judge Robert Benson. “It is designed to help veterans with their re-adjustment to civilian life.”

Judges and volunteers will be available from 1 pm. to 4 p.m. to allow veterans to resolve cases pending from anywhere in the state of Minnesota.  “It is an efficient way to move the cases and to help veterans get the benefits they've earned, as well as remove obstacles to employment and housing,” said Third Judicial District Judge Robert Birnbaum, one of the judges participating in the event. 

As of 2017, full-scale Veterans Courts have been authorized and funded in 13 counties.  See here.

Veterans Treatment Courts

5th Judicial District: Blue Earth-Brown-Faribault-Jackson-Martin-Nicollet-Watonwan Counties (2013)
Anoka County (2016)
Carver County (2014)
Clay-Becker Counties (2014)
Hennepin County (2010)
Ramsey County (2014)

10. DWI and Drug Courts earn Six Awards

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea has worked for funding and authorization for "Treatment Courts.  These courts save millions of taxpayer dollars because offenders do not return to jail or prison.  They make our roads and homes safer.  They lead to the birth of more drug-free babies.  They have turned around the lives of hundreds of people who had been dependent on drugs or alcohol, and their families.

As of 2017, the term "Treatment Courts" has been applied to Adult Drug Courts in one or more counties, Juvenile Drug Court, Family Dependency Treatment Court, DWI Court, DWI/Drug Hybrid Court, Drug/Family Dependency Hybrid Court, DWI/Drug/Family Dependency Hybrid Court, Veterans Court, Mental Health Court, and Tribal Healing-To-Wellness Courts.

They all offer repeat offenders who are not violent the chance to avoid incarceration and further criminal records if they work with lawyers, law enforcement, recovery professionals, social workers, and other professionals through a period of treatment, testing, counselling, and assessment without committing further offenses.

STUDIES:

On Monday, March 2015, the Supreme Court released a study showing the lasting impact of Minnesota's drug courts.  See here.

Drug Court participants continue to have a significantly lower rate of recidivism: Comparing offenders who spent similar amounts of time outside of incarceration (“at-risk time”) during the evaluation period, the new study shows drug court participants consistently had significantly lower recidivism rates. For example, among those offenders who reached four years of “at-risk time” during the evaluation, 28% of drug court participants had received a new conviction, compared to 41% of non-drug court participants.

Drug Court participants spent fewer days incarcerated: Drug court participants spent, on average, 74 fewer days incarcerated in jail or prison compared to similar offenders during the four-year evaluation period. The average cost savings for each drug court participant was $4,288 as a result of this reduced incarceration.

On June 29, 2012, the Supreme Court announced that "drug court participants have lower rates of recidivism, spend less time incarcerated, and make greater progress on social indicators, such as attainment of a driver’s license, than do non-participants, according to the first comprehensive study of the effectiveness of Minnesota’s drug courts.  See here.

The Minnesota Statewide Adult Drug Court Evaluation, a two-and-a-half-year study, compared 644 non-participants to 535 participants from 16 drug court programs covering 23 counties. The two groups were matched o key characteristics including criminal history, chemical dependency status, and key demographics. The study was produced by the Minnesota Judicial Branch State Court Administrator’s Office.

AWARDS:

On August 13, 2013, Judge Robert Rancourt of the X County District Court was inducted unto the x Hall of Fame for Drug Courts.  See here.

“As a judge when I see children separated from their mothers and fathers I know we can do better. When I see our veterans coming home physically and emotion ally broke and getting involved in the criminal justice system due to substance abuse and mental health issues I know we can do better,” said Judge Rancourt as he accepted the induction. “Ladies and gentleman we have to be a voice for the voiceless. We will not stop until we have Drug Court within reach of everyone who needs it in this country.”

On May 31, 2012, the Drug Court serving Cass and Itasca Counties and the Leech Lake Tribe of the Ojibwa People won the 2012 Outstanding Criminal Justice Program Award by the National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA).  See here.

The Cass/Itasca County/Leech Lake Tribal Wellness Court is a multi-jurisdictional court which targets chronic alcohol and drug offenders. The Court combines treatment, sobriety testing, and monitoring to break the cycle of addiction for offenders.  Law enforcement, probation, treatment professionals, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and court officials provide a team approach to assist individuals in overcoming their addiction and becoming law-abiding citizens.  

On March 21, 2012, the Ramsey County St. Paul) Substance Abuse Court (RCSAC) hosted a national training program for drug court teams from around the country.  The five-day Adult Drug Court Planning Initiative training will bring together approximately 90 participants representing 10 jurisdictions.  See here.

Drug Courts have saved Minnesota an estimated $5 million in avoided incarceration costs. Evaluation findings for RCSAC found that graduates were 14 percent less likely to commit a new felony than those in a comparison group within one year of starting drug court or the disposition date. Additionally, graduates were 36 percent less likely to obtain a new conviction than those in a comparison group within three years of exiting drug court or the disposition date. There have been 24 drug-free babies born to mothers while in the RCSAC. 

On July 27, 2011, The Drug Court serving Cass and Itasca Counties and the Leech Lake Tribe of the Ojibwa People received the 2011 NADCP Cultural Proficiency Courage Award, presented for the first time this year, by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP).   See here.

The Cass/Itasca County/Leech Lake Tribal Wellness Court, which is thought to be the only multi-jurisdictional court in the United States, has served as a national model for intergovernmental cooperation.  The Court, which has been in operation since 2006, serves the populations of Cass County, Minnesota, and the Leech Lake Reservation.  The Court has also been the recipient of the Honoring Nations Award by Harvard University. 

On November 24, 2010, the Drug Court serving Cass and Itasca Counties and the Leech Lake Tribe of the Ojibwa People received "Honors" from the Harvard Honoring Nations Program of the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development for their Joint Tribal-State Wellness Courts.  The award identifies and celebrates outstanding examples of tribal governance, and to facilitate the dissemination of best practices, it comes with a $10,000 prize that can be used to share the success story with other governments.  See here.

In 2006, Leech Lake set aside generations of racial tension that existed between the tribe and its non-native neighbors in order to focus on community healing.  As a result, a DWI Wellness Court was formed by the Leech Lake Tribal Court and Cass County District Court to adjudicate and rehabilitate substance abusers.  One year later, Leech Lake established a second Wellness Court in collaboration with Itasca County District Court.

On December 20, 2010, the Drug Courts serving in nine counties in the Fifth Judicial District in south central Minnesota recognized by the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) with a 2010 County Achievement Award.   See here. 

Drug courts have been shown to reduce the need for lengthy jail sentences by providing intensive supervision.  They have also been shown to reduce drug use, restore lives, and reunite families.  The first multi-county adult drug courts in the state were developed in the Fifth Judicial District.  Three multi-county collaboration efforts have resulted in the implementation of drug courts serving nine of the 15 counties in the District.

NEWS: 

On October 17, 2016, a new Drug Court was approved for Wright County in the western exurbs.  See here. 

On August 9, 2016, a new Drug Court was approved for Scott County in the southwest exurbs.  See here. 

On May 25, 2015, a new Drug Court was approved in the City of Rochester and Olmsted County in southeast Minnesota.  See here. 

On March 18, 2015, a new Drug Court was approved for Carlton County at the base of the Arrowhead in northeast Minnesota.  See here.

On June 30, 2014, new Drug Courts were approved for service in Morrison, Steele, Waseca, and Rice Counties, and several counties along the Dakota borders in western Minnesota.  A new Veterans Court was also approved for St. Paul in Ramsey County.  See here.

On June 15, 2015, Drug Courts along the Canadian border in Koochiching County and Lake of the Woods County celebrated their successes and anniversaries.  See here. 

On June 29, 2015, the Drug Courts in the Eighth Judicial District in southwest Minnesota celebrated their successes and anniversaries.  These courts serve the Counties of Chippewa, Grant, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Stevens, Swift, and Traverse.  See here. 

On March 20, 2013, supporters of the growing Drug Court system were led in a rally for budget support at the State Capitol by Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea, Governor Mark Dayton, and other leaders.  See here. 

Speakers told the audience that drug courts are a proven solution that saves lives, reunites families, and saves taxpayers money. Minnesota is home to 37 drug courts serving adults, juveniles, families, DWI offenders, the mentally ill, and veterans.

On October 4, 2010, Judge Chad Leduc presided over the Koochiching County DUI/Substance Abuse Court and the Family Dependency Treatment Court on Oct. 1 via video conference from U.S. Congressman James Oberstar's office in Washington, DC.  Never before has a drug court session been held from a congressional office building.  See here. 

Judge LeDuc was in Washington last week to meet with members of Congress about drug court.  Oberstar is Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. 

TREATMENT COURTS IN MINNESOTA, AS OF JANUARY 1, 2017.

As of 2017, the term "Treatment Courts" has been applied to 33 courts, including Adult Drug Courts in one or more counties, Juvenile Drug Court, Family Dependency Treatment Court, DWI Court, DWI/Drug Hybrid Court, Drug/Family Dependency Hybrid Court, DWI/Drug/Family Dependency Hybrid Court, Veterans Court, Mental Health Court, and Tribal Healing-To-Wellness Courts.

They all offer repeat offenders who are not violent the chance to avoid incarceration and criminal records if they work with lawyers, law enforcement, recovery professionals, social workers, and other professionals through a period of treatment, testing, counselling, and assessment without committing further offenses.

11. Mental Health Court gets Award

There has been some success with an innovative "Mental Health" court in St. Paul which won national recognition.

On August 19, 215, the Ramsey County "Mental Health Court" was named one of only four "National Mental Health Collaboration Learning Sites" by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Council of State Governments.  See here.

The RCMHC directs eligible defendants with mental health disorders from the criminal justice system to community-based mental health, substance abuse, and support services. 

The RCMHC program has produced a number of public benefits including reduction in jail crowding, expedited case processing, an increase in services for mentally ill offenders, and reduced recidivism.

12. Housing Court

There has been some success in an innovative effort to provide free legal advice in housing cases in a "Housing Court" experiment in Minneapolis.

On March 14, 2014, Lawyers gave free legal help to parties in housing cases in Hennepin County.  See here.

Tenants and landlords who meet low-income guidelines can get their legal questions answered for free on a walk-in basis at the Hennepin County Government Center as part of the Hennepin County
Housing Court Project.

The program offers legal help with emergency repairs, expungements of records, lock outs, service issues, evictions, lease violations and repair problems.

The Housing Court Project is a collaboration between the 4th District Housing Court, Hennepin County, Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (for tenants), and the Volunteer Lawyers Network (for landlords).

13. Domestic Violence Court gets Award

Some success has been seen with innovations in domestic violence cases through Family Court cases.

On February 21, 2013, the Humphrey Institute gave its government innovation award to the only domestic violence court for repeat offenders in the nation.  See here.

In Stearns County, all seven homicides committed in the year before the program started involved a repeat offender in domestic violence crimes.  Under the new program, when a repeat offender was charged with another domestic crime, the first step was an immediate consideration of the needs of any children trapped in the household, followed by counselling of the victim. 

By addressing those issues first, the program cut the length and cost of these cases in half, and saved many children and other family members from the stress of testifying.

14. Family Courts gets Award

Minnesota has had some success with Family Courts.

On April 23, 2009, the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University honored an "early evaluation program for family law cases in the Hennepin County courts.  See here.

The "process paired parties to child custody disputes with skilled teams of evaluators early in the case to reduce conflicts and improve the prospects for a settlement acceptable to both parties. 

Settlement rates exceeded 70 percent in the more than 2,300 child custody and parenting time cases" in the first seven years.

15. ACCESS AND JUSTICE FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES!

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea is committed to improving fairness and access to the court system for underserved communities.

The following posts will provide information for each pf these groups.

	16. Improving Equality in Equal Justice Under The Law"
	17. Women and the Law
	18. The Asian-Pacific Legal Experience.
	19. Protecting the Vulnerable from Financial Crimes 20. Equal Access to Justice for rural Minnesota. 21. Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea and the Tribal Courts 22. Listening to the Public about Court Reforms 23. Helping people with health care directives. 24. The Courts and Children. 25. The Courts and Translation and English as a Second Language.

16. Improving Equality in "Equal Justice Under The Law"

On March 27, 2017, Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea and the Minnesota Judicial Branch issued the 2016 report of its Committee for Equality and Justice,  See here. 

On December 1, 2016, Minnesota received a national grant to enhance access to the justice system.  See here.

On November 15, 2016. the Supreme Court issued the results of its "Access and Fairness" survey.  The survey was of lawyers and trial judges.  See here at page 11.  

On October 31, 2016, court leaders met with the "Diversity Council" to plan listening sessions to improve access to justice.  See here. 

On May 2, 2016, the courts responded to changes created by an influx of new Minnesotans to Stearns County and the City of St, Cloud by holding a briefing on challenges to local teenagers involving controlled substances, truancy, and dangers heightened by social media.  See here. 

On October 18, 2011, the Minnesota Judicial Council’s Committee for Equality and Justice co-hosted the Council on Crime and Justice's 2011 Minnesota Justice Forum, "Racial Disparities: Crafting Solutions."  See here. 

17. Women and the Law

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea became the highest-ranking woman in state government in Minnesota history when she was elected in 2012 and carried86 of the state's 87 counties.

She is a leader in the second-generation of women leaders in the legal profession.  She works to encourage women to advance in the legal profession and to make the judicial system fairer to women in the courts.

On June 15, 2017, the Supreme Court issued its policy directive that strives to eliminate from court operations bias that is based on race, gender, ethnicity, age, disability, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation and any other status protected by law.   See here. 

On January 20, 2016, the Minnesota courts launched a new initiative to improve enforcement of Orders for Protection.  See  here.

On October 13, 2009, the "Family Violence Coordinating Council" hosted a resource fair to help victims and their advocates to learn about relief available through the courts.  See here.

On May 29, 2009, when the economic collapse was trapping many women in dangerous situations because homes could not be sold because of the housing crisis, the court system offered practical advice.  See here.

On January 7, 2015, the Minnesota Judicial Branch drew attention to the problem of witness intimidation in domestic violence cases.  See here.

18. The Asian-Pacific Legal Experience.

In April, 2017, Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea and the Minnesota Judicial Branch hosted a two-week exhibition on "The Asian-Pacific Legal Experience in America."  See here.

"In early April, members of the public are invited to the Minnesota State Law Library in St. Paul to view a traveling exhibit detailing the legal history of Asian Pacific peoples in the United States through three pivotal events:  the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Japanese American Incarceration during WWII, and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. The exhibit, “Asian Pacific Legal Experience in America,” will be available for free, self-guided tours at the Minnesota State Law Library from Monday, April 3 through Friday, April 14.

During the exhibition, the Minnesota State Law Library will host a special screening of the PBS film, Of Civil Wrongs And Rights: The Fred Korematsu Story on Tuesday, April 4, at noon. The 2001 documentary details the 40-year legal fight to vindicate Fred Korematsu, a civil rights activist who resisted the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The screening will be introduced by United States Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung. Judge Leung became the first Asian-American judge in Minnesota when he was appointed to the Hennepin County District Court bench in 1994, and subsequently became the first Asian-Pacific American to serve on the federal bench in the state in 2011.

The film screening is free and open to the public, though seating may be limited. The film runs for 60 minutes. Attendees are welcome to view the “Asian Pacific Legal Experience in America” exhibit before or after the film screening.

The Minnesota State Law Library is located on the ground floor of the Minnesota Judicial Center at 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in St. Paul. The Library and exhibit are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The "Asian Pacific Legal Experience in America" exhibition is owned by the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, and was sponsored by and developed with the Minnesota National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Minnesota Chapter of the Federal Bar Association."

19. Protecting the Vulnerable from Financial Crimes wins Awards

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea has long been an advocate for protecting seniors and vulnerable citizens from financial crimes.  That was a focus for her when she was a prosecutor in Minneapolis.

As Chief Justice, she has been a leader for a nationally-recognized program to protect vulnerable people from financial predators.  She has also been a strong force to disbar lawyers who steal from clients who are seniors or vulnerable.

On August 6, 2010, in one of her first acts in office, Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea helped to launch the nation's first system to report on the activities of "conservators" in Minnesota.  See here.

On July 15, 2015, the Minnesota protection program won its first national award from the National Association for Court Management.  See here. 

On July 31, 2015, the Minnesota protection program won a second national award for innovative state-government efforts to protect the vulnerable from the Conservator Account Auditing Program.  See here.

CAAP is a nation-leading initiative to protect the assets of vulnerable individuals – persons with developmental disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or traumatic brain injuries – for whom the court has appointed a conservator to manage the individual’s financial affairs.

On September 30, 2015, the Minnesota protection program won national awards for the third and fourth times for protecting vulnerable citizens.  The awards were from the Foundation for the Improvement of Justice and the national association of Court Information and Technology Officers.  See here. 

On November 30, 2016, the Minnesota protection program was highlighted during a U.S. Senate hearing on how to prevent financial abuse.  See  here. 

On August 18, 2014, Minnesota issued a report on the new program and guide to Conservatorships and oversight of guardians.  See here.

DISBARMENT OF LAWYERS WHO PREY ON VULNERABLE CLIENTS:  Chie Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea has been a strong advocate for disbarring attorneys who steal from their vulnerable wards and clients.  See  here.

20. Equal Access to Justice for rural Minnesota.

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea is committed to preserving access to justice for residents of every county in Minnesota.  See here.


The Minnesota Judicial Council recently approved a re-engineering initiative aimed at sustaining court staffing levels in some of Minnesota’s least populated counties.  The effort will shift certain case-processing work to the state's smallest courthouses.

The goal of the initiative is to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to court services, resources, and assistance at their nearest county courthouse. The plan also seeks to improve the efficiency of court operations by centralizing certain case processing work – taking work that used to be done in 87 district courts, and centralizing that work among staff experts working in courthouses in greater Minnesota.

“The Minnesota Judicial Council is committed to ensuring access to justice for all Minnesotans, no matter where in the state they reside,” said Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea. “We are also dedicated to delivering to Minnesotans a justice system that is efficient, effective, and well-managed. Through this initiative, we are leveraging new technologies that will allow us to do our work more efficiently, while also making sure all Minnesotans have access to the help they need when facing a legal issue.”

The Minnesota Judicial Branch is charged with ensuring access to justice for all Minnesotans, and maintains court operations in 106 locations across the state – more locations than any other part of state government. But the scope of work of Minnesota’s courts varies considerably from county to county.

Nearly 500,000 cases were filed in Hennepin County District Court in 2016, and those cases were heard by 62 judges, 16 referees, and five child support magistrates, and processed by hundreds of staff.

By contrast, in many rural counties court is in session once or twice per week, and judges may hear cases in several different counties in their district in a week. In 17 county courthouses, the Judicial Branch has fewer than two full-time employees processing case filings and staffing the customer service windows.

Over the past year, Judicial Branch leaders have been exploring strategies to improve the administration of justice in the state, with a focus on sustaining court operations in each of Minnesota’s 87 counties.

The initiative recently adopted by the Judicial Council will centralize and shift case processing work to certain parts of greater Minnesota, ensuring that each courthouse has enough workload to justify at least two full-time staff. By ensuring at least two court employees work in each of the state’s courthouses, the Judicial Branch will be able to maintain regular customer service hours in all 87 counties.

The initiative will enhance staffing and service levels in 17 counties across four judicial districts. Highlights of the plan include:

• Moving the Minnesota Judicial Branch Central Appeals Unit (CAU) from the Fourth Judicial District  (Hennepin County) to the district courts in Lincoln and Pipestone counties, which are both part of Minnesota’s Fifth Judicial District. The CAU serves as a liaison between the state’s 87 trial courts and two appellate courts, preparing a comprehensive file of relevant district court documents and exhibits to send to the Court of Appeals or the Minnesota Supreme Court when a case is appealed.
• The work of processing expedited child support orders from all 87 district courts will be centralized among a group of specialized staff working in Minnesota’s Eighth Judicial District in western Minnesota.
• Staff in the Ninth Judicial District in northwest Minnesota will assume the work related to jury qualification and summoning for all 87 district courts.
• In addition, both the Fifth Judicial District and the Sixth Judicial District in Minnesota’s Arrowhead region are centralizing certain work functions in some of the smaller counties in those respective districts. For example, the Sixth Judicial District has established a centralized Copy and Imaging Center in Lake County, where staff receives and processes all document copy requests for Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis county district courts.

Final implementation of the plan will take place over the next several months.

State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba said the ability to shift case processing work across district and county lines is one of the benefits of Minnesota’s transition to electronic case records.

“The Minnesota Judicial Branch recognizes that we have a responsibility to provide justice on a statewide basis, from our largest, most urban counties, to the smallest counties in greater Minnesota,” said Shorba. “Thankfully, our transition to electronic case records has allowed us to think strategically about how to manage our courts in the most efficient way possible. By centralizing parts of our case processing work, and bringing more of that work to our least populated counties, we not only become more efficient, but we ensure that we can keep each courthouse in the state open to serve all Minnesotans.”

21. Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea and tthe Tribal Courts

Under Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea, the Minnesota state and federal courts work with over a dozen tribal court systems in the state.

Issues range from jurisdiction over cases crossing state and tribal lands and citizens to enforcement of treaties.

On March 18, 2016, the public was invited  to a public forum on this topic.  See here.

The event featured opening remarks from Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea and Professor Colette Routel, Co-Director of the Indian Law Program at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, will deliver a short presentation titled, “Finding the Indian Understanding of Treaties.”

The Minnesota Courts work with the tribal courts through a forum that discusses issues of interest four times a year.  See here.

22. Listening to the Public about Court Reforms.

Under Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea, the Minnesota Courts have renewed their roles as both the defenders of individuals' rights and the servants of the Public.  To that end, judges have begun to hold "listening sessions" to hear constructive suggestions from the people.

On October 11, 2017, the first of these meeting between the public and judges and court staff was held in St. Paul.  See here and here. 

On October 25, 2017, the second of these meetings between the public and judges and court staff was held in Apple Valley.  See here and here.

23. Helping people to prepare advance care directives.

The courts have been helping people to understand their legal rights when they will be asked to consider advance care directives such as ("do not resuscitate") or (make heroic efforts") for their long-term care.  Free legal advice has been offered at court events.  See here.

24. The Courts and Children.

Over the past ten years. the Minnesota court system has improved in many ways in serving children,

Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea and the Commissioner of Human Services are the heads of the Children's Justice Initiative ("CJI").   The CJI is a collaboration between the Minnesota Judicial Branch and the Minnesota Department of Human Services.  See here. 

These two state entities work closely with the local juvenile courts, court administrators, social services agencies, county attorneys, guardians ad litem, attorneys for parents and children, tribes, and other key stakeholders in each of Minnesota's 87 counties. 

The overall objectives are to timely find safe, stable, permanent homes for abused and neglected children, first through reunification with the child's parents if that is safe or, if not, through another permanent placement option, and to improve child well-being.

When identifying and implementing improvements, the goal is for all stakeholders to operate "through the eyes of the child" so as to achieve child safety, permanency, and well-being.

On July 1, 2015, Ramsey County trial judge Michael Mayer received an award from the Coalition for Juvenile Justice as an example of advocacy for children in the courts in Minnesota.  See here.

On October 11, 2012, former Supreme Court Justice Helen Meyer and her husband Bill Bieber gave $1.5 million to William Mitchell School of Law to improve the protection and best outcomes for children and families in the legal system.  See here.

On May 24, 2012, the Supreme Court reported on efforts to improve the legal process for foster youth.  See here.

On November 18, 2012, the courts announced proceedings on the legal process for the adoption of special-needs children.  See here. 

On September 24, 2010, the Supreme Court announced that it was appointing members of the newly-created Guardian Ad Litem Board according to Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea.  See here. 

25. The Courts and Translation and English as a Second Language

About 540,000 of Minnesota's residents do not speak English in their homes.  To help them when they find themselves involved in the courts, Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea has been improving and expanding access and translation services.

To get an overall picture of these efforts, you might want to review the Judicial Branch's plan from July 7, 2016.  See  here.

Most information about the courts is available in Spanish, Somali, Russian, Hmong ("Hmoob"), Khmer, Lao, and Vietnamese.  Translation is also available for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  See here.

Courts are required to pay for translators from criminal defendants, parties to lawsuits, and witnesses.  Judges are given clear instructions on how to test a person's ease with English.  See here.

In 2013, the Judicial Branch produced a valuable video on "Going to Court in Minnesota" in Hmong, Somali, and Spanish.  See here. 

In 2013, the Judicial Branch produced a valuable video on "Going to Court in Minnesota" for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  See here.

Most court forms are now available in many languages.