An eight-year review of 105 scheduled civil jury cases shows how rarely Otter Tail County jurors are asked to decide the facts.
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Introduction
Many civil cases receive a jury-trial setting. Very few reach an Otter Tail County jury.
Otter Tail County civil jury trials are far rarer than the number of scheduled cases suggests. A litigant can demand a jury, prepare for trial, and even receive a jury-trial date without a jury ever hearing the case. In Otter Tail County, that is not an occasional outcome. It is overwhelmingly the usual one.
Justice-Denied reviewed the public Minnesota Court Records Online hearing record for the county’s three current district judges. From May 7, 2018 through August 31, 2026, we identified 105 distinct Otter Tail County civil cases with at least one hearing labeled “Jury Trial.” By August 31, 2026, only five had reached jury proceedings. Four had produced a verdict. Just three had produced a verdict resolving contested liability.
The central finding: among civil cases that had already been placed on a jury calendar, approximately one in 26 had produced a completed verdict—and approximately one in 35 had produced a verdict deciding contested liability—by August 31, 2026.
A constitutional right—and a vanishingly rare event
That right does not mean every filed case must be tried. Parties settle. Claims may be voluntarily dismissed. Courts may resolve genuinely legal questions, and Rule 56 permits summary judgment when no genuine dispute of material fact remains. But a jury demand has practical meaning only if genuinely disputed facts can survive the procedural stages preceding trial.
The Otter Tail County record shows how narrow that passage has become:
105Cases with a jury setting100%
5Reached jury proceedings4.8%
4Produced a verdict3.8%
3Decided contested liability2.9%
Put another way, through August 31, 2026, no jury proceedings were identified in 100 of the 105 cases. A completed verdict was absent in 101. A jury had resolved contested liability in only three.
5 of 105reached jury proceedings
Only 4.8% reached jurors by the cutoffAmong cases that had already received a jury-trial setting, nearly nineteen out of twenty had not reached jury proceedings by August 31, 2026.
5 cases reached jury proceedings100 cases had not by the cutoff
The review used the appointment date of Judge Kevin M. Miller—May 7, 2018—as the beginning of a common comparison period. We searched MCRO Hearing Search by judicial officer and civil case category in six-month intervals through August 31, 2026. Only entries whose case location was Otter Tail County and whose hearing type was “Jury Trial” were retained.
Repeated trial days and rescheduled settings were consolidated by court file number. The searches produced 106 judge-case assignments, but one case appeared under both Judge Sharon Grewell Benson and Judge Johnathan R. Judd. Removing that duplicate left 105 distinct cases. For every jury setting marked “Held” or “Held On the Record,” we then examined the docket and filed verdict or dismissal record to determine whether jurors actually returned a verdict.
Scope: This is not a percentage of every civil case filed in Otter Tail County. It is a more focused measure of attrition among cases that progressed far enough to receive a jury-trial setting. MCRO calendar labels describe what happened to a setting; they do not, by themselves, establish why a case settled, was dismissed, was rescheduled, or otherwise left the calendar. Outcomes are measured through August 31, 2026; cases without jury proceedings by that date may have remained pending or proceeded later.
An earlier stage of attrition is not measured here. In Stevenson v. Stevenson, the plaintiffs expressly demanded a jury trial, and a filed civil cover sheet proposed a five-day trial, but MCRO shows no hearing labeled “Jury Trial”; the case was disposed of on summary judgment before entering the jury calendar. It therefore is not among the 105 cases studied. The published percentages measure what happened only among cases that received an MCRO jury-trial setting. They exclude cases—like Stevenson—that demanded a jury but were resolved before any such setting appeared. Measuring that broader gap would require a separate, systematic review of jury demands in all eligible civil cases.
Otter Tail County civil jury trials: the three-judge comparison
Sharon Grewell Benson
Common window: May 2018–August 2026
38cases with a jury setting
3reached a jury
3completed verdicts
3contested-liability verdicts
Benson’s three completed verdicts all required jurors to decide disputed liability. Her full-tenure record adds a fourth such verdict from 2017.
Johnathan R. Judd
From March 2021 appointment through August 2026
25cases with a jury setting
1reached jury proceedings
0completed verdicts
0contested-liability verdicts
One Judd case reached two recorded jury days in May 2026, then ended through settlement and stipulated dismissal without a verdict.
Kevin M. Miller
From appointment through August 2026
43cases with a jury setting
1reached a jury
1completed verdict
0contested-liability verdicts
Miller’s only verdict was an inherited 2019 case in which the jury was asked to decide damages, not liability.
Otter Tail County · Civil jury record
When did a jury last decide disputed liability?
Record and elapsed time through
Sharon Grewell Benson
Since the last identified qualifying verdict
2 years8 months · 17 days
Last verdict:
Toso v. Jewel Motel & Knutson
56-CV-22-2814
Johnathan R. Judd
Reviewed tenure · No qualifying verdict identified
5 years5 months · 30 days
From appointment:
His 2026 jury proceeding ended in settlement.
Kevin M. Miller
Reviewed tenure · No qualifying verdict identified
8 years3 months · 24 days
From appointment:
His 2019 jury verdict decided damages only.
The cases that reached jurors
BensonJune 2018
Carroll v. Barnes, 56-CV-16-728
The jury decided negligence, causation, fault, and damages. It found the defendant 100% at fault and awarded damages.
BensonOctober 2023
Johnson v. Unity Bank, 56-CV-22-635
The jury found conversion and awarded damages. Liability and damages were both submitted.
BensonDecember 2023
Toso v. Jewel Motel, 56-CV-22-2814
The jury decided negligence, causation, comparative fault, and damages.
MillerApril 2019
Becker & Drewes v. Estate of Schenatzki, 56-CV-18-764
The case began under Judge Waldemar Senyk and was reassigned after Miller’s appointment. The special-verdict form contained damages questions only; it did not ask the jury to determine contested liability.
JuddMay 2026
Larsen v. GSL Enterprises, 56-CV-25-1261
MCRO records two jury proceedings as held. No verdict appears. A later stipulated dismissal states that all claims and counterclaims had been fully compromised and settled.
Judge Benson’s full tenure supplies one additional example outside the common comparison window. In Wright v. DVCM of the Lakes Area, 56-CV-15-3361, an August 2017 jury rejected breach of contract but found negligence and causation and awarded $50,000. Across her full tenure through the cutoff, Benson therefore completed four civil jury verdicts among 45 cases with jury settings.
The Miller record is narrower than the countywide problem
The countywide numbers are striking on their own. Miller’s individual record presents an additional distinction. His one completed verdict occurred on April 25, 2019. From that date through August 31, 2026, no later civil jury verdict appeared in the reviewed record—a span of 2,685 days, or approximately seven years and four months.
Nor does case type supply an obvious explanation. Of Miller’s 43 cases, MCRO classified 23 as personal injury, eight as civil other or miscellaneous, three as contract, two as employment, two as property damage, two as quiet title, and one each as consumer-credit contract, wrongful death, and malpractice. The docket contained conventional fact-intensive disputes ordinarily capable of jury determination.
Most did not end through an adjudicated dismissal. Twenty-five of the 43 had at least one jury setting marked “Cancelled; Settled.” Ten had a setting marked “Cancelled; Dismissed,” and Justice-Denied’s case-level review located stipulations associated with those dispositions rather than ten merits dismissals imposed by the court. Because some cases received multiple settings, those categories overlap.
Settlements are a normal and often desirable part of civil litigation. But they do not erase the institutional significance of the final result: among the 43 jury-setting cases reviewed, no identified matter involving contested civil liability culminated in a verdict before Miller.
This finding adds historical context to Before a Jury Hears the Facts: Three Cases at a Procedural Crossroads. That article compares how pleading decisions, discovery limits, evidentiary rulings, summary judgment, and settlement can affect whether a scheduled civil case ultimately reaches a jury.
Historical context: was the pattern always this pronounced?
A preliminary review of Minnesota Court Records Online provides an initial historical comparison. From July 1, 2015 through the beginning of this study’s modern period in May 2018, 40 distinct civil cases assigned to retired Otter Tail County Judges Mark F. Hansen, Waldemar B. Senyk, and Barbara R. Hanson received jury-trial settings. Three produced verdicts resolving contested merits—a rate of 7.5%. By comparison, only three of the 105 cases in the modern study produced contested-liability verdicts, a rate of 2.9%.
The three earlier verdicts were not damages-only proceedings. Jurors decided negligence and comparative fault in Fronning v. Fergus Falls Area Family YMCA, 56-CV-13-3379; nuisance and related liability questions in Lac Qui Parle, LLC v. Clitherall Township, 56-CV-14-1514; and contract formation and breach in Gunderson v. Ranum, 56-CV-15-2560. All three verdicts occurred between September 2015 and February 2016.
What this comparison does—and does not show: The historical result is suggestive, not conclusive. It involves only three verdicts, does not yet include every judicial officer who may have handled Otter Tail County civil cases during the transition period, and does not establish why cases did or did not reach juries. Nevertheless, it raises a fair and testable question: whether the present scarcity of civil jury adjudication represents a continuation of longstanding practice or a comparatively recent development.
What the numbers prove—and what they leave unanswered
The record shows that a jury-trial setting rarely led to jury proceedings within the period reviewed through August 31, 2026. It also proves that contested-liability verdicts have occurred before Judge Benson during the same period in which none appeared before Miller or Judd. Benson’s record shows that such trials were possible in the same courthouse and under the same statewide procedural rules.
The figures do not assign one explanation to all 101 cases that had produced no verdict through August 31, 2026. Parties control settlement decisions. Some dismissals are stipulated. Some cases lose a jury setting for administrative or procedural reasons unrelated to the merits. A calendar search cannot measure settlement pressure, litigation cost, evidentiary loss, or the cumulative effect of pretrial rulings.
But those limitations do not make the outcome unimportant. They identify the next questions the public record should answer:
How often does summary judgment, rather than settlement, remove the final path to a jury?
How often are claims or damages narrowed before the evidentiary record is complete?
Do written orders consistently distinguish legal questions from credibility disputes and competing factual inferences?
When a jury setting is cancelled for “Other” reasons, what actually happened to the case?
Do similar cases receive similar access to discovery and factfinding regardless of the assigned judge?
These findings raise a broader question: Does the pattern observed in Otter Tail County reflect systemic barriers for civil litigants seeking jury resolution, and does that pattern extend beyond the county? This study cannot answer that question. Justice-Denied intends to examine comparable records from other Minnesota counties and judicial districts to determine whether Otter Tail County is an outlier or part of a wider institutional pattern.
Why this matters to civil litigants
Trial is not the measure of justice in every case. A fair settlement can be better than a verdict, and a legally deficient claim should not consume a jury’s time. The concern begins when the route to a jury depends on inconsistent treatment of disputed facts, incomplete discovery, or a court’s selection among competing reasonable accounts.
That is why the countywide comparison matters. The question is not whether plaintiffs should win. Jurors may reject their claims, as factfinders sometimes do after hearing the evidence. The question is whether litigants with genuine factual disputes receive the adjudicative process Minnesota law reserves for those disputes.
For Otter Tail County civil litigants, the observed results remain stark: through August 31, 2026, approximately 95% of the reviewed cases had not reached jury proceedings, approximately 96% had produced no jury verdict, and approximately 97% had produced no verdict resolving contested liability.
A constitutional right should be more than a date placed on a calendar. These figures make the distance between the promise and the observed result a legitimate matter of public concern.
Editorial disclosure: Justice-Denied founder and editor Craig Stevenson and his wife, Marie Stevenson, were plaintiffs in prior litigation before Judge Miller. This article reports a separately defined countywide MCRO dataset covering all three current Otter Tail County judges. Case numbers, search dates, counting rules, and the document-level classifications of every held jury setting are disclosed so readers can test the conclusions independently.
The 105 cases behind the numbers
Behind these percentages are named litigants and identifiable disputes. The register below identifies all 105 cases included in our review. Five reached jury proceedings; in the other 100, no jury proceedings were identified through August 31, 2026. Publishing the case list allows readers to examine the individual matters behind the aggregate finding and check which cases were counted.
Study window: May 7, 2018 through August 31, 2026. Case captions are reproduced as recorded in the research, including initials and abbreviations. Calendar cancellation labels describe jury settings, not necessarily final case outcomes. A cancelled setting may be followed by a later jury setting or a trial before the judge. Inclusion does not assign a common explanation to each outcome.
105 cases in the register.
No cases match that search. Try a surname, court file number, or judge.
Five cases that reached jury proceedings through August 31, 2026
1.
Kellie Ann Carroll vs Dawn Barnes
56-CV-16-728Judge: Benson
Contested-liability verdict; June 2018
2.
Brenda Becker, Troy Drewes vs Estate of Edward Schenatzki, Dairyland Insurance Company
56-CV-18-764Judge: Miller
Damages-only verdict; April 2019
3.
Donald E. Johnson vs Unity Bank
56-CV-22-635Judge: Benson
Contested-liability verdict; October 2023
4.
Christopher Shane Toso vs Jewel Motel, Todd Knutson
56-CV-22-2814Judge: Benson
Contested-liability verdict; December 2023
5.
Gary Larsen, Heather Larsen vs GSL Enterprises LLC, Greg Lang, Sarah Lang
56-CV-25-1261Judge: Judd
Jury proceedings followed by settlement; no verdict; May 2026
100 cases with no jury proceedings identified through August 31, 2026
Expand the 100-case list
1.
Valerie Norenberg vs Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company
56-CV-13-1472Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
2.
Joseph C. Honrud, Debra Diane Honrud vs D. Peter LaCount, Laurie Baukol
56-CV-15-3589Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
3.
Jack L. Menier vs William J. Gass, Julie R Gass, David A. Anderson, Anderson Land Surveying
56-CV-16-1599Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
4.
Cynthia Horbach vs Tanya Jo Erickson
56-CV-16-2826Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
5.
Thumper Pond Resort, LLC d/b/a Thumper Pond Resort vs Stock Building Supply Midwest, LLC, Kaashagen & Sons, Inc. n/k/a BJK Construction, Inc., Badger Midwest Holdings, LLC, Gorski and Associates, LLC, MiTek USA, Inc.
56-CV-16-3000Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
6.
Dustin Evenson vs Arvig Enterprises, Inc., Chase Rydberg
56-CV-16-3727Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
7.
Terry Carlson, Janet Carlson, Amy Oeltjenbruns, Carlson Turkey Farms, Limited Partnership, Lyle Oeltjenbruns vs Soo Line Railroad Company d/b/a Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway Company, Canadian Pacific Limited, Canadian Pacific Railway Limited
56-CV-17-1015Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
8.
Douglas Paul Forys vs Thomas Floyd Ostendorf, E & H Enterprises of Alexandria, Inc., d/b/a Ellingson Plumbing, Heating, A/C Electrical
56-CV-17-1520Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
9.
Ryan Kostohryz, Celeste Kostohryz vs Mark’s Fleet Supply, Inc.
56-CV-17-1847Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
10.
Kimberly Moske, Kimberly Schroeder vs CITY OF PARKERS PRAIRIE
56-CV-17-2841Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
11.
Yolanda Roxanna Wilson vs Aleisa Laverne Rayburn, Richard Kenneth Bratlien
56-CV-17-3601Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
12.
Ma Rosa Zavala De Urbano vs American Family Mutual Ins. Co.
56-CV-18-442Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
13.
Merwin Carlson, Individually and as Trustee for North Dakota Workforce Safety Insurance, Denise Carlson vs Richard S Collins, Raoul Collins, Carole Collins
56-CV-18-558Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
14.
Mark T Carrillo vs Colleen LaPoint, Kurtis LaPoint
56-CV-18-590Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
15.
John Max, as Parent and Natural Guardian of J. O., a Minor vs Tyler Severson, Staci Severson, P. J., a Minor
56-CV-18-1190Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
16.
Gary L Hulzebos, Kathryn L Hulzebos vs Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company
56-CV-18-1690Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
17.
Penrose Oil Company vs The Estate of Ronald G. Germain, Romona E. Germain, individually and d/b/a Ron’s Ready Mart
56-CV-18-1745Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
18.
Cecilie Schumacher-Cookman, DuWayne Cookman vs Lorene Schumacher
56-CV-18-1954Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
The case proceeded to a trial before the judge on June 8, 2023. It is included here because no jury proceedings were identified, not because no trial occurred.
19.
Elizabeth E. Sweder vs Mike Reard, Nancy Reard vs. Kay Peck and Jane Neubauer, real estate agent for Kay Peck
56-CV-18-2663Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
20.
Harold Duane Schenck, Jr., Shirley Schenck vs Alexander Huber
56-CV-18-2872Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
21.
Julia Vigil, as Trustee of The Next of Kin of Rachel Elizabeth Tso, decease vs Dean Thomas Hedburg, Schill Trucking Service, Inc., Schill Trucking, Inc.
56-CV-18-2886Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
22.
Power Product Services Inc., a Colorado Corporation vs Ryan Wien, Travis Perrine, Lakes Area Power Solutions, LLC
56-CV-18-2979Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
23.
Gregg A Stoll vs Dustin J Heisler
56-CV-18-3061Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
24.
Brian’s Repair, Inc. vs Jacob John Blum
56-CV-18-3073Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
25.
Mike Reinke, Kristin Reinke vs Hoibros Investments, LLC., Steve Hoiberg
56-CV-18-3345Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
26.
Phillip Kaste, Amanda Kaste vs The Rusty Nail, Inc., dba The Rusty Nail, Stellas, LLC, Sara Marie Boyum, Nathan Paul Boyum, Individually and Jointly
56-CV-19-97Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
27.
MHA Insurance/Covery’s vs Teresa Elkin, individually and as personal representative for the estate of Thomas Elkin
56-CV-19-140Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
28.
Gary Archie Meemken vs Kelly Jo Suckow
56-CV-19-505Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
29.
Erin Kay Meyer vs Lake Region Healthcare Corporation, a Minnesota Non-Profit Corporation d/b/a Lake Region Healthcare and Bridgeway Behavioral Health
56-CV-19-1071Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
30.
Mark Moe vs Perham Stockyards, Inc.
56-CV-19-1708Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
31.
Deborah Ruth Anderson vs Ronnie Clifford Jaenisch
56-CV-19-1742Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
32.
Salon Tru & Day Spa, LLC vs Abigail Hanson
56-CV-19-1770Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
33.
Karl Christopher Miller, Darlane Miller vs Jason Karl Strege
56-CV-19-2221Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
34.
BRYAN CRANDALL and Courtney Crandall vs Sean Sullivan, Sean Sullivan Construction
56-CV-19-2235Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Dismissed / Cancelled; Other
35.
Russell H. Sauer as Trustee of the Russell H. Sauer Revocable Trust u/d/t October 19, 1998 vs Donald Hennen, Jeanne Hennen
56-CV-19-2343Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
36.
Unifund CCR, LLC vs Connie M Quaal
56-CV-19-2571Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
37.
Thomas I Strinden, Michelle L. Strinden, Avis Kay, George Retzlaff, Hazel Retzlaff vs Richard Johnson, Jeannie Johnson
56-CV-19-2840Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
38.
Amy Nettestad vs Justus Pickit, William F Neuman, Florence D Neuman, David A Conklin, Angela K Conklin et. al.
56-CV-19-3728Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
39.
Nicolas A. Teberg vs The Estate of Douglas D. Loeks
56-CV-20-441Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
40.
AGCOUNTRY FARM CREDIT SERVICES PCA vs Wayland State Bank
56-CV-20-471Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
41.
Tyran J. Carrier vs Tyler Burnside, Amy Burnside, Lucas Burnside
56-CV-20-616Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
42.
Mark J. Isaacson, Robyn J. Isaacson, Jeffrey L. Berg, Jill A. Berg vs Dana William Reinke, Sherry Reinke, Brett Reinke, Donald Reinke
56-CV-20-1052Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
43.
Wayland State Bank vs PEBS Minnesota, LLP, Jason C. Egli, Eric W. Boutte, Gregory L. Phillips
56-CV-20-2301Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
44.
Stony Hills Properties, LLC vs Rick Johnson Excavating & Construction Services LLC
56-CV-21-102Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
45.
Sverdrup Mutual Insurance Company vs RDO Agriculture Equipment Company
56-CV-21-226Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
46.
Verlan Fire Insurance Company vs Hammers Construction Inc., NCI Group, Inc. d/b/a Metallic Building Company
56-CV-21-723Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
47.
Ronald Carrlson, Patricia Carrlson vs Nathan Tobkin
56-CV-21-917Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Other / Cancelled; Settled
48.
Terry Colton, Brenda Burton, aka Brenda Colton, Terry L. Sjuts, Cheryl A. Sjuts, Steven M. Wimmer, as CoTrustees of the Steven M. Wimmer and Susan L. Wimmer Living Trust Agreement dated September 21, 2017 et. al. vs Gary A. Meemken, and as Trustee of the Francis Rix Trust Dated May 23, 2016, Teresa L. Meemken
56-CV-21-1568Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
49.
Thomas F. Harig, IV, vs Western National Mutual Insurance Company
56-CV-21-1801Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
50.
Craig Rintala vs Riley Bros. Construction, Inc.
56-CV-21-1806Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Dismissed / Cancelled; Other
51.
Pamela Burow vs Fergus Enterprises, Inc.
56-CV-21-2016Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
52.
Paulette C. Satter vs Michael Yaggie
56-CV-21-2044Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
53.
Jennifer Ann Hultin vs Jon Alan Kragness
56-CV-21-2047Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
54.
Precision Landscape and Irrigation, LLC vs. Jason Hansen
56-CV-21-2285Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
55.
IN RE: County State Aid Highway No. 34 Right of Way Acquisition Otter Tail County, Minnesota vs. Cory J.Mack and Theresa C.Mack
56-CV-21-2981Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Dismissed / Cancelled; Settled
56.
Zenala Faith Reidhammer vs DAVID ALLEN KENYON
56-CV-21-2982Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
57.
Marine Innovations, Inc. vs Hillside Lifts, LLC
56-CV-22-835Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
58.
City of Fergus Falls, Fergus Falls Port Authority vs Carleton Companies, Inc.
56-CV-22-1020Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Other / Cancelled; Settled
59.
Mark Joseph Korf, Brian Anthony Korf vs Donna M. Korf
56-CV-22-1099Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
60.
Lois Meier vs Progressive Preferred Insurance Company, Robert Lee Feyh
56-CV-22-1433Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
61.
Randall Morgan vs Gerald Henry
56-CV-22-1539Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
62.
Tanya Hanstad vs Evan Joseph Dummer, John Anthony Dummer
56-CV-22-1699Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Other / Cancelled; Settled
63.
Laszlo Szathmary, Gail Ann Szathmary vs Amy Marie Geerdes, Marcia Marie Kostrzewski
56-CV-22-1721Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
64.
Theodore Steenbock vs Pioneer Home, Inc, d/b/a PIONEERCARE CENTER
56-CV-22-1813Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
65.
Fred L. Kadel vs Daniel Henry Schubert
56-CV-22-1823Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
66.
Arazeli Silva vs Brew Restaurants, Inc.
56-CV-22-1981Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
67.
Connie Bachmeier vs Daniel Briard
56-CV-22-2221Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
68.
Sheryl Carlson vs Farmers Insurance Exchange
56-CV-22-2616Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
69.
Sharlotte Meyer vs David Martineau, David Martineau Construction LLC
56-CV-22-2629Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
70.
Otter Tail County vs Anthony Cross, Ryan Johnson, Ashley Johnson
56-CV-22-2815Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
71.
Timothy Sporre vs Mark Murphy
56-CV-22-2881Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
72.
Gary A Meemken vs North Star Mutual Insurance Co.
56-CV-23-443Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
73.
Rayven Aune vs Black Bears Prairie Inn, LLC, Black Bear Motel, LLC, Grandstay Hospitality, LLC
56-CV-23-910Judges: Benson, Judd
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Other / Cancelled; Settled
This case appeared under both Benson and Judd and is counted once in the 105-case total.
74.
Andrew Bremseth vs Aaron Mikkelson
56-CV-23-986Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
75.
Amber Anderson vs Aaron Mikkelson
56-CV-23-987Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
76.
Ashley Sands vs Aaron Mikkelson
56-CV-23-988Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
77.
AUTO-OWNERS INSURANCE COMPANY vs Scooby’s Construction, LLC
56-CV-23-1033Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Other / Cancelled; Settled
78.
Michael Kircher vs State Farm Fire and Casualty Company
56-CV-23-1241Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
79.
Andrew Beck vs Kathleen Hoover
56-CV-23-1593Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
80.
Peter T. Quinlan vs Wendy Anne Sanborn Dougan
56-CV-23-1699Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
81.
Christiansen Keefe vs Kronemann Construction, Inc.
56-CV-23-1802Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
Miller permitted a contested psychological-examination recording and allowed Keefe to plead punitive damages. Counsel reported settlement at mediation on July 22, 2025, before the scheduled summary-judgment hearing. The later dismissal implemented the parties’ agreement. Doc. 43, p. 5; Doc. 61, pp. 19–20; Doc. 74.
82.
SB Restoration Services, Inc. vs David Awaijane
56-CV-23-1962Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
83.
Andrew Dertinger vs Papenfuss Trucking, Inc.
56-CV-23-1977Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Dismissed / Cancelled; Other
84.
Elexus Anderson vs Owners Insurance Company
56-CV-23-2107Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
85.
Rosemary Kjos vs Stetson Village Apartments, LLC, Campbell Properties, LLC
56-CV-23-2362Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Dismissed / Cancelled; Other
86.
Brent Roller, Jenny Roller vs Foam Force, LLC
56-CV-23-2460Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting labels: Cancelled; Dismissed / Cancelled; Other
87.
Devin T. Paradis vs David John Patterson, Performance Food Group, Inc.
56-CV-24-171Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
88.
Natalie Rund Rieppel, as Trustee for the Heirs and Next of Kin of Jean Ida Rund, Jay Rieppel vs Colton Duane Lindquist
56-CV-24-775Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
89.
Jeremy Fronning vs STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, Rodning Insurance Agency, Inc., Mark Rodning
56-CV-24-1057Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
90.
Adrienne R Hartwell vs Kyle B Carlson
56-CV-24-1340Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
91.
Dan Barbre Construction, Inc. vs James T. Mohagen, Karla J. Mohagen
56-CV-24-1731Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Dismissed
92.
Kronemann Construction, Inc., Steve Zimmerman, Levi Lewis vs Ashley Duckwitz
56-CV-24-1837Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
93.
Dani Dahlstrom, Adam Dahlstrom, Kari Haanen vs Dennis Hultstrand, Dawn Hultstrand
56-CV-24-2837Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
94.
Terrance William Maring, Jr., trustee for the heirs and next-of-kin of Terrance William Maring, deceased vs Dexter Ray Brown
56-CV-25-90Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
95.
Alexander Habraken vs Tina Stace, Damian Lewis and John Roe
56-CV-25-172Judge: Judd
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
96.
Precision Locating, LLC, Arvig Enterprises, Inc. vs Martin D Starkebaum
56-CV-25-198Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
A July 14, 2026 scheduling order set a jury trial for December 7, 2026, after the study cutoff. In the October 27, 2026 order, the court removed that setting and required mediation by January 15, 2027, with another pretrial if mediation fails. These later developments do not change the August 31 study cutoff or the counts.
97.
Isabella Theisen vs Don Smalley-Rader
56-CV-25-360Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
98.
Lori Ard, Duane Ard vs Alaina Christine Ard
56-CV-25-935Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
99.
Felicia Curley vs Avila Salvador Carrillo
56-CV-25-2165Judge: Miller
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Settled
100.
Bradley Hage, Leslie Hage vs Steadfast Concrete & Remodeling, Inc., Bryan Kauffman, Roger Hahn
56-CV-25-2416Judge: Benson
Recorded jury-setting label: Cancelled; Other
Counting note: The register contains 105 distinct court files and 106 judge-case assignments. Aune v. Black Bears Prairie Inn and others, 56-CV-23-910, appeared under both Benson and Judd and is listed once. The five cases that reached jury proceedings include four verdicts, three of which resolved contested liability.
Reading the record: “Cancelled; Settled,” “Cancelled; Dismissed,” and “Cancelled; Other” are the recorded calendar labels. Multiple labels can appear when a case had more than one jury setting. They should not be read as findings that a judge dismissed the merits or that a case could never reach a jury later. Use the court file number when locating a case in Minnesota Court Records Online.
Filed verdict forms reviewed in 56-CV-16-728, 56-CV-22-635, 56-CV-22-2814, 56-CV-18-764, and 56-CV-15-3361.
Stipulated dismissal reviewed in 56-CV-25-1261.
Case register: the 105 case captions and jury-setting labels recorded in the study; September 25, 2023 findings in 56-CV-18-1954 confirming a trial before the judge, and the July 14, 2026 scheduling order in 56-CV-25-198 setting a jury trial after the study cutoff; and the October 27, 2026 order, Index 232, pp. 1–2, removing that setting and requiring mediation.
Stevenson v. Stevenson, 56-CV-20-2928: verified complaint with jury demand, civil cover sheet, MCRO hearing history, and June 16, 2023 summary-judgment disposition.
Historical MCRO Hearing Search review for Judges Mark F. Hansen, Waldemar B. Senyk, and Barbara R. Hanson, July 1, 2015–May 6, 2018; filed verdicts and dispositive records reviewed in 56-CV-13-3379, 56-CV-14-1514, and 56-CV-15-2560.
Craig Stevenson is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Justice-Denied.org. He is President and CEO of Stevenson Technical Services, Inc. (STSI), which traces its roots to Craig’s Radio & TV, founded in 1979 and renamed STSI in 1989. He also founded and operated C&R Cable Company, Inc. from 1981 until its sale in 1989. Craig and his wife, Marie, have been married for more than 36 years and are the parents of two adult daughters.
