Minnesota Court of Appeals

Key Minnesota Court of Appeals decisions with plain-language summaries.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals hears appeals from district court decisions. Its published opinions are binding on all district courts in Minnesota. Below are curated summaries of 12 important Court of Appeals decisions that affect everyday legal issues.

The Court of Appeals has 19 judges who typically sit in three-judge panels. Most appeals from district court go to the Court of Appeals first. Published opinions create binding precedent; unpublished opinions do not, but may still be cited as persuasive authority.

Cases by Topic

Family Law — LaChapelle v. Mitten (third-party parental rights), Zander v. Zander (joint custody/property), Szarzynski v. Szarzynski (custody modification), Bjergum v. Bjergum (orders for protection)

Housing & Landlord-Tenant — Cimarron Village v. Washington (subsidized housing eviction), Ellis v. Doe (habitability/rent abatement)

Employment — Gagliardi v. Ortho-Midwest (hostile work environment), Henry v. ISD 625 (age discrimination)

Criminal Law — State v. Bernard (DWI implied consent), State v. Thompson (competency/mental health)

Contracts & Insurance — Olson v. Leffert, Jay & Polglaze (breach of contract), Peterson v. Western National (insurance bad faith)

All Cases

For the full archive of recent opinions, visit the Minnesota Judicial Branch.

Zander v. Zander

720 N.W.2d 360 (Minn. Ct. App. 2006)

Held that a court awarding joint custody over one parent's objection must make detailed findings on each statutory factor, and that tribal per capita payments received during the marriage are marital property subject to division.

Thomas B. Olson & Associates v. Leffert, Jay & Polglaze

756 N.W.2d 907 (Minn. Ct. App. 2008)

Established the standard three-element test for breach of contract claims in Minnesota: formation of a contract, performance of conditions precedent by the plaintiff, and breach by the defendant.

Szarzynski v. Szarzynski

732 N.W.2d 285 (Minn. Ct. App. 2007)

Affirmed conduct-based attorney fees under Minn. Stat. 518.14 but reversed a 'nuisance litigant' designation that did not follow the General Rules of Practice.

State v. Thompson

988 N.W.2d 149 (Minn. Ct. App. 2023)

Held that when a defendant asserts his own competence in a contested competency proceeding under Rule 20.01, the defendant bears the burden of proving competence by a fair preponderance of the evidence.

State v. Bernard

844 N.W.2d 41 (Minn. Ct. App. 2014)

Held that the Fourth Amendment does not prohibit Minnesota from criminalizing refusal to submit to a breath test when circumstances establish a basis for the officer to have obtained a warrant for a nonconsensual test.

Peterson v. Western National Mutual Insurance Company

930 N.W.2d 443 (Minn. Ct. App. 2019)

Held that an insurer must conduct a reasonable investigation and fairly evaluate its results before denying a first-party insurance claim, or the denial may constitute bad faith under Minn. Stat. 604.18.

LaChapelle v. Mitten

607 N.W.2d 151 (Minn. Ct. App. 2000)

Held that third-party parental rights in nontraditional families must be evaluated under the existing custody framework, and that a biological parent is entitled to custody unless unfit or extraordinary circumstances exist.

Henry v. Independent School District No. 625

964 N.W.2d 667 (Minn. Ct. App. 2021)

Reversed summary judgment dismissal of an age-discrimination claim, holding that a 57-year-old employee who received her first negative review in 19 years after new management arrived presented sufficient evidence of disparate treatment and constructive discharge under the MHRA.