Filed Date: 1992
Closed Date: 1996
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In April 1992, Plaintiff, the chief public defender for the Fourth Judicial District instituted a declaratory judgment action in the Hennepin County District Court pursuant to state law. Plaintiff alleged that the Minnesota statute establishing the funding system for the public defender's office does not provide sufficient funds for its operation. Plaintiff further alleged that the lack of funding violated indigent defendants constitutionally rights to effective counsel because of an arbitrary cap on state spending for public defender services. The District Court (Lindstrom, J.) found the statute unconstitutional. The defendants appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
On February 16, 1996 the Minnesota Supreme Court (Keith, C.J.) reversed the District Court's judgment. It found that the constitutional violations of ineffective assistance of counsel were too speculative since there was no evidence that any public defender was unable to effectively assist a client.
Summary Authors
Dayna Frenkel (2/25/2009)
Keith, A. M. (Minnesota)
Kennedy, William R. (Minnesota)
Murrin, David (Minnesota)
Humphrey, Hubert H. III (Minnesota)
Tiegel, Lisa (Minnesota)
Keith, A. M. (Minnesota)
Last updated Feb. 5, 2024, 3:15 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Minnesota
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: 1992
Closing Date: 1996
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiff is the chief public defender seeking a declaratory relief from a Minnesota statute that plaintiff says doesn't provide sufficient funds to the Public Defender's Office to allow it to provide effective counsel to indigent defendants.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Commissioner of Hennepin County, State
Treasurer Michael McGrath, State
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General: