Mitchell Hamline School of Law

The Quadriga
Law Journal of Public Policy and Practice

The Quadriga

A blog highlighting policy issues facing everyday Minnesotans and practical advice for attorneys regarding a myriad of appellate decisions. Topics include essays and posts on education, opioid usage, gun laws, elder care, public safety, and more.

The Quadriga has contributions from practicing attorneys and policy leaders and is intended to be a resource for attorneys as well as citizens.

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Political Mischief and the Single-Subject Rule: Why the Minnesota Supreme Court got it Wrong and Why it Matters

Posted: April 9, 2019
capitol at night
Introduction When it comes to policing the Minnesota legislative process, the current Minnesota Supreme Court has gotten it wrong. Separately in Ninetieth Minnesota State Senate v Dayton,[i] and in Otto v. Wright County,[ii] the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that there was no state constitutional violation either when the governor line-item vetoed the state legislature’s funding …

Political Mischief and the Single-Subject Rule: Why the Minnesota Supreme Court got it Wrong and Why it Matters

An Overview: The Impact of Rideshare Insurance on the Role of Liability Insurance in Motor Vehicle Accident Cases

Posted: April 3, 2019
Rideshare Insurance Graphic
Introduction Before Uber and Lyft, the framework for approaching the run-of-the-mill motor vehicle accident (“MVA”) case remained unchanged for decades. Traditionally, MVA cases center around three primary issues: fault, damages, and who pays for the damages. The fault and damages components are allocated amongst the individuals involved in the accident. In the vast majority of …

An Overview: The Impact of Rideshare Insurance on the Role of Liability Insurance in Motor Vehicle Accident Cases

Tips from Appellate Jurists

Posted: March 26, 2019
Introduction On March 15, 2019, the Appellate Practice Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association held the annual Appellate Practice Institute in conjunction with Minnesota CLE. A panel consisting of Justice Natalie Hudson, Judge Matthew Johnson, and Judge Peter Reyes discussed tips for appellate practitioners. This article outlines tips that were shared by the appellate …

Tips from Appellate Jurists

Legislative Efforts to Silence Dissent: The Rise and Fall of Minnesota’s Anti-Protest Bill

Posted: March 26, 2019
Introduction During the 2017 and 2018 legislative sessions, the Minnesota Legislature debated H.F. 390, a bill that would increase criminal penalties for protesters that block highways, public transit, or airport access.[i] Introduced to deter the disruptive tactics of Black Lives Matter protests in Minnesota, the bill was highly controversial, highlighted by a partisan political divide …

Legislative Efforts to Silence Dissent: The Rise and Fall of Minnesota’s Anti-Protest Bill

Some History Behind the “Tax vs. Fee” Issue in Phone Recovery Services

Posted: February 12, 2019
The Minnesota Supreme Court, in Phone Recovery Services v. Qwest Corporation, 919 N.W.2d 315 (2018), held that fees and surcharges imposed by statute for 911 services,[i] the Telecommunications Access Minnesota (TAM) program,[ii] and the Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) program,[iii] were “portions of Minnesota Statutes relating to taxation,” within the meaning of the “tax bar” of …

Some History Behind the “Tax vs. Fee” Issue in Phone Recovery Services

In 2019, The Minnesota Legislature Must Strengthen Protections for Seniors and Vulnerable Adults

Posted: February 12, 2019
Over a year ago, the Minneapolis Star Tribune published a high-profile series of articles highlighting pervasive abuse, neglect, assault, theft, and other reprehensible actions taking place in Minnesota senior care facilities.[i] Prior to this, I had heard accounts from constituents of this taking place, with few options for recourse.

In 2019, The Minnesota Legislature Must Strengthen Protections for Seniors and Vulnerable Adults