PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING AMICUS APPEARANCE BY MDLA:

The MDLA Amicus Curiae Committee will consider requests for the MDLA to appear as amicus curiae in cases where the legal issue on appeal will be of substantial interest to the MDLA and its members.  We normally will only appear in the Minnesota Supreme Court or Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals cases except in rare circumstances where a Minnesota Court of Appeals appearance may be appropriate.

The procedure for requesting consideration of an amicus appearance is as follows:

The requesting lawyer should send a letter or e-mail to the Chair of the Amicus Committee (see below) and Debra K. Hatlestad, Executive Director, at the MDLA office, briefly explaining the nature of the case, the legal issue involved, and a reasoned statement of why the MDLA should be interested in appearing amicus curiae in the case.  That letter or e-mail should be relatively short and should specifically state the pertinent deadline dates for the appeal (see Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 129).  The letter or e-mail should enclose/attach copies of the order or opinion appealed from and any other materials from the case that would be helpful to the Amicus Committee in deciding whether to recommend an amicus appearance (e.g., excerpts from briefs on the pertinent legal issues, etc.).

After the Amicus Committee members have reviewed the materials from the requesting lawyer, they will communicate with each other by e-mail and decide whether to recommend an amicus appearance.  That decision will be promptly communicated to the requesting lawyer.  If the MDLA decides to appear, the case will be assigned to an MDLA Amicus Committee member or other designee for handling.

Committee Chair:
William M. Hart
Meagher & Geer, PLLP
33 South Sixth Street, Suite 4400
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 338-0661  Fax: 338-8384
whart@meagher.com