Seeking Justice

Is justice a constitutional right guaranteed to everyone? Or is it a right that is granted or denied to parties by those in power?

Based on our own experience in Otter Tail County, this website critically examines the judicial system in Minnesota to uncover issues that impact fairness, impartiality, and public trust. We will explore key aspects of legal processes, ethical obligations, judicial oversight, and systemic concerns to assess whether justice is truly served.

As U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis stated, “Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” We intend to shine some light into areas that apparently haven’t seen it in a very long time.

Topics We Will Investigate:

Systemic Issues

• Is the judicial system in Minnesota fundamentally fair?
• What is outcome-based jurisprudence?
• What ethical obligations do court employees have?
• Do district courts communicate with appeals courts about ongoing cases?
• Does the Minnesota Court of Appeals review all cases thoroughly?
• Does the Minnesota Supreme Court review all cases?
• What is the significance of a Supreme Court denial of a petition for review?

Judicial Conduct

• Are judges truly fair and impartial?
• What rules and ethical guidelines must judges follow?
• Do judges have sufficient time to properly evaluate each case?
• Are judges required to follow established legal precedents? [Our Case]
• How do judges deal with conflicting facts at summary judgment? [Our Case]
• Can judges pick and choose the evidence they use to make decisions? [Our Case]
• Can judges choose the legal sources they cite to justify their decisions? [Our Case]
• What do law clerks do and what is their relationship to the judge? [Our Case]
• Do judges make disparaging comments about the parties? [Our Case]
• How do judges deal with deletion of evidence and untruthfulness? [Our Case]
• How do judges address contradictory statements under oath? [Our Case]
• How do judges decide whether a defamation claim is heard by a jury? [Our Case]
• Can judges omit text from quotations without denoting the omission? [Our Case]
• Can judges selectively choose text from caselaw citations? [Our Case]
• Are judges allowed to ignore contrary evidence? [Our Case]

Attorney Ethics

• Are attorneys held to high ethical standards?
• Do attorneys tell the truth during court proceedings?
• What professional rules govern attorney conduct?

Discovery & Evidence Handling

• Can the deletion of evidence be detected?
• How serious is the deletion or destruction of evidence?
• What are the consequences of perjury during depositions?
• How is an Independent Medical Examination handled? [Our Case]
• Can a complaint be amended if new evidence is found? [Our Case]
• Are both parties treated fairly during discovery? [Our Case]
• How are motions to compel discovery decided? [Our Case]
• How are motions to extend discovery decided? [Our Case]

Privacy & Confidentiality

• How well is private information protected from public disclosure? [Our Case]
• Is spousal privilege protected by the courts? [Our Case]

Our goal is to promote transparency, accountability, and fairness in the Minnesota judicial system by analyzing these critical issues and encouraging informed discussions.