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Minnesota Supreme Court
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the state of Minnesota and consists of seven members. The court was first assembled as a three-judge panel in 1849 when Minnesota was still a territory. The first members were lawyers from outside of the region who were appointed by President Zachary Taylor. The state court system was rearranged in 1858 when Minnesota became a state, and justices are now elected to six-year terms unless a mid-term vacancy occurs, in which case the governor appoints a replacement to finish the term.
In 1992, former Minnesota Vikings player and Pro Football Hall of Famer Alan Page was elected to an open seat on the court, he was sworn in January 1993.
Most appeals in the state district court system used to go directly to the Supreme Court, but the Minnesota Court of Appeals was created in 1983 to handle most of those cases. The court now considers about 900 appeals per year, although the number was about twice that high before the Court of Appeals was created. Only about 5 percent of those 900 appeals actually are accepted and heard before the court. Certain types of appeals can go directly to the Supreme Court, such as those involving taxes, first degree murder, and workers' compensation. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court's chamber of the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center.
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Minnesota Supreme Court rulings on ballot measures
| Year | Type | Ballot measure | Legal issue | Plaintiff | Defendant | Court ruling | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Current composition
The current members of the Court (as of December 11, 2006) and year they took office are:
- Chief Justice Eric Magnuson (2006)
- Justice Alan Page (1993)
- Justice Paul Anderson (1994)
- Justice Helen Meyer (2002)
- Justice Sam Hanson (2002)
- Justice Barry Anderson (2004)
- Justice Lorie Gildea (2006)
