This document is made available electronically by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library as part of an ongoing digital archiving project. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/lrl.asp OFFICE OF THE REPORT CONCERNING CERTAIN OPINIONS OF THE REVISOR OF STATUTES SUPREME COURT AND COURT OF APPEALS Submitted to the Legislature of the State of Minnesota | November 2012 OFFICE OF THE REVISOR OF STATUTES Minnesota Legislature To: Minnesota Legislature From: Michele L. Timmons, Revisor of Statutes Date: November 15, 2012 Subject: Court Opinions Report Minnesota Statutes, section 3C.04, subdivision 3, requires the Office of the Revisor of Statutes to biennially report to the Legislature on statutory changes recommended or statutory deficiencies noted in opinions of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals of Minnesota. I am, therefore, pleased to present our report on opinions issued by those courts between October 1, 2010, and September 30, 2012. This report will also be displayed electronically on the Revisor’s office website. If you would like to discuss any issues raised in the report, or request that we prepare draft legislation, please feel free to contact us. 700 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-1297 Phone: (651) 296-2868 Fax: (651) 296-0569 TTY: 1-800-627-3529 2012 Office of the Revisor of Statutes Submitted to the Legislature of the State of Minnesota [REPORT CONCERNING CERTAIN OPINIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT AND COURT OF APPEALS] Covering Opinions Issued Between October 2010 and September 2012 Acknowledgements The Revisor of Statutes wishes to acknowledge the efforts of the following individuals in the production of this report: John McCullough Lead Reporters and Coordinators Cara Geffert Ryan Inman Paul M. Marinac Editorial Review Jeff Kase Kathleen Jents Production Coordinator Case Review Maryann Corbett Karen Lenertz Cindy K. Maxwell Sandra Glass-Sirany Production Assistance Amber Anderson Sally Ash Nathan Bergin Julie Campbell Robert Chenier Annie Fritz Dan Israel Jessica Kidd Rachel Taubert Patrick Tobin Printing and Binding Dan Olson Summary of Contents Page SUMMARY ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… i ACTIONS TAKEN ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ii 2012 COURT OPINIONS TABLE ………………………………………………………………………………….. iii Case notes: Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.328, subdivisions 1 and 3 1 o Hunting; baiting prohibited. (Full case - page A1) Minnesota Statutes, section 117.187 2 o Eminent domain; minimum compensation. (Full case - page A8) Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.40, subdivision 1 3 o Schools; employment; contracts; termination. (Full case - page A22) Minnesota Statutes, section 169.61, paragraph (b) 4 o Traffic regulations; motor vehicles; composite beams. (Full case - page A39) Minnesota Statutes, section 181.940, subdivision 2 5 o Employment; wrongful termination. (Full case - page A47) Minnesota Statutes, section 204C.20, subdivision 1 6 o Elections; counting the number of ballots. (Full case - page A60) Minnesota Statutes, section 206.86, subdivision 1 6 o Elections; counting the number of ballots. (Full case - page A60) Minnesota Statutes, section 260C.415, subdivision 1 7 o Juvenile courts; appeals. (Full case - page A70) Minnesota Statutes, section 302A.751, subdivision 1 8 o Business corporations; shareholder rights. (Full case - page A74) Minnesota Statutes, section 353.01, subdivision 10 9 o Retirement; determining salary. (Full case - page A94) Minnesota Statutes, section 462.357, subdivision 1e 10 o Property; rebuilding nonconforming property. (Full case - page A107) Minnesota Statutes, section 518.58, subdivision 2 11 o Marriage dissolution; division of non-marital property. (Full case - page A112) Minnesota Statutes, section 595.02, subdivision 1 12 o Witnesses; marital privilege. (Full case - page A122) Minnesota Statutes, section 604.02, subdivision 1 13 o Civil liability; apportionment of damages. (Full case - page A135) Minnesota Statutes, section 609.221, subdivision 2 14 o Criminal penalties; eligibility for supervised release. (Full case - page A154) Minnesota Statutes, section 609.2232 15 o Crimes; inmate of state correctional facility. (Full case - page A160) Minnesota Statutes, section 609.2241, subdivision 2 16 o Criminal law; knowing transfer of communicable disease. (Full case - page A167) Minnesota Statutes, section 609.505, subdivision 2 17 o Crimes; falsely reporting a crime. (Full case - page A179) Minnesota Statutes, section 626A.35, subdivision 2a 18 o Crimes; using a mobile tracking device. (Full case - page A215) 2012 Court Opinion Report Summary Minnesota Statutes, section 3C.04, subdivision 3, requires the Office of the Revisor of Statutes to biennially report to the Legislature “any statutory changes recommended or discussed or statutory deficiencies noted in any opinion of the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals of Minnesota.” This report highlights the Minnesota Supreme Court and Minnesota Court of Appeals opinions identifying ambiguous, vague, preempted, constitutionally suspect or otherwise deficient statutes. The 2012 court opinions report includes 18 cases — 8 from the Minnesota Supreme Court and 10 from the Minnesota Court of Appeals. The cases identify the following deficiencies: . 13 court opinions relating to ambiguity in the state statutes; . 1 court opinion relating constitutional considerations; . 1 court opinion relating to federal preemption; . 1 court opinion relating to clarity; . 1 court opinion relating to implementation issues; and . 1 court opinion relating to a conflict with the juvenile court rules. The report provides a summary of each deficiency noted by the Minnesota Supreme Court or the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Each summary includes the text of the applicable deficient statutory provision, a statement of the deficiency, and a brief discussion of the deficiency. Where possible, the words or phrase identified as deficient have been underlined. Additionally, the court opinion discussing each respective deficiency can be found in the appendix. i Actions Taken The Minnesota Legislature responded to a recent statutory deficiency raised by the Minnesota Court of Appeals. In State v. Retzlaff, 807 N.W.2d 437 (Minn. App. 2011), the Court of Appeals considered the effect of a “plain-language ‘loophole’” in Minnesota Statutes, section 169A.24, subdivision 1. In 2007, the legislature renumbered section 609.21, subdivision 2a, to section 609.21, subdivision 1, clause (3). At the same time, the legislature amended section 169A.24, enhancing to a first-degree felony a DWI offense committed subsequent to a conviction under section 609.21, subdivision 1. Section 169A.24 did not, however, include a reference to the same conviction as it was previously codified under section 609.21, subdivision 2a (2006). The result was that any driver convicted of criminal vehicular operation by injuring another person before section 609.21, subdivision 2a, was renumbered in 2007 was exempt from the enhancement provision. In Laws of Minnesota 2012, chapter 222, section 3, the legislature addressed this issue directly and amended Minnesota Statutes, section 169A.24, subdivision 1, to include the offense of criminal vehicular operation both as it is currently numbered and as it was numbered before 2007. ii 2012 Court Opinions Table This table lists sections, subdivisions, paragraphs, and clauses that have been held deficient by the Minnesota Supreme Court or the Minnesota Court of Appeals between October 1, 2010 and September 30, 2012. Statute Citation Deficiency Court Opinion 97B.328, subd. 1 Ambiguity State of Minnesota v. Hansen, 805 N.W.2d 915 (Minn. App. 2011). (NO. A11-546) 97B.328, subd. 3 Ambiguity State of Minnesota v. Hansen, 805 N.W.2d 915 (Minn. App. 2011). (NO. A11-546) 117.187 Ambiguity County of Dakota v. Cameron, 812 N.W.2d 851 (Minn. App. 2012). (NO. A11-1273) 122A.40, subd. 1 Ambiguity Emerson v. School Board of Independent School District 199, 809 N.W.2d 679 (Minn. 2012). (NO. A09-1134) 169.61, para. (b) Ambiguity Sarber v. Commissioner of Public Safety, 819 N.W.2d 465 (Minn. App. 2012). (NO. A12-0110) 181.940, subd. 2 Ambiguity Hansen v. Robert Half Intern., Inc., 813 N.W.2d 906 (Minn. 2012). (NO. A10-1558) 204C.20, subd. 1 Implementation issues In re Petition regarding 2010 Gubernatorial Election, 793 N.W.2d 256 (Minn. 2010). (NO. A10- 2022) 206.86, subd. 1 Implementation issues In re Petition regarding 2010 Gubernatorial Election, 793 N.W.2d 256 (Minn. 2010). (NO. A10- 2022) 260C.415, subd. 1 Conflicts with Court Rule In the Matter of the Welfare of the Child of T.L.M. and M.J.S., 804 N.W.2d 374 (Minn. App. 2011). (NO. A11-1323) 302A.751, subd. 1 Clarity U.S. Bank N.A. v. Cold Spring Granite Co., 802 N.W.2d 363, (Minn. 2011). (NO. A10-0252) 353.01, subd. 10 Ambiguity In the Matter of the PERA Salary Determinations Affecting Retired and Active Employees of the City of Duluth, 820 N.W.2d 563 (Minn. App. 2012). (NO. A11-1330) 462.357, subd. 1e, para. Ambiguity Ortell v. City of Nowthen, 814 N.W.2d 40 (Minn. (a), clause (2) App. 2012). (NO. A11-1155) 518.58, subd. 2 Preemption Angell v. Angell, 791 N.W.2d 530 (Minn. 2010). (NO. A09-349) 595.02, subd. 1, para. (a) Ambiguity State v. Zais, 790 N.W.2d 853 (Minn. App. 2010). (NO. A10-1020) 604.02, subd. 1 Ambiguity Staab v. Diocese of St. Cloud, 813 N.W.2d 68 (Minn. 2012). (NO. A09-1335) 609.221, subd. 2, para. Ambiguity State v. Leathers, 799 N.W.2d 606 (Minn. 2011). (b) (NO. A09-0926, A09-0934) 609.2232 Ambiguity Johnson v. State, 820 N.W.2d 24 (Minn. App. 2012) (NO. A11-2226) 609.2241, subd. 2, Ambiguity State v. Rick, Not reported in N.W.2d, 2012 WL clause (2) 5752 (Minn. App. 2012). (NO. A12-0058) 609.505, subd. 2 Constitutional considerations State v. Crawley, 819 N.W.2d 94 (Minn. 2012). (NO. A09-1795) 626A.35, subd. 2a Ambiguity State v. Hormann, 805 N.W.2d 883 (Minn. App. 2011) (NO. A10-1872) iii Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.328, subdivisions 1 and 3 Subject: Hunting; baiting prohibited.