Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Re: citing court opinions

Minnesota courts are not bound by California Rules of Court. They have their own rules.

Re: citing court opinions

The California Rules of Court do not apply to courts of other states. However, I believe every state forbids citations to unpublished opinions. Some states may make exceptions here and there, so you should check with a Minnesota lawyer to see whether the case might be citable there.

Re: citing court opinions

Probably not. It has no weight anywhere.

Re: citing court opinions

As I understand the rule in Minnesota, you can cite anything you want - but if it is an unpublished opinion, you have to provide the opposition with a copy of whatever you are citing. You have to provide a complete copy of the case either along with the document in which you cite it or within no less than 48 hours before you use it in court.

This is in Minnesota Statutes Sec. 480A.08. Strictly speaking this statute applies only to the MN court of appeals - but I bet any MN court would follow the rule with a CA case as well.

Good luck.

I should comment that I am not sure how seriously a MN judge would take a case from CA. There is an adage that you can find a California case to support almost any proposition. They have lots and lots of decisions to choose from, and besides that they're a little nuts.

This response is for general information purposes only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. You are advised to consult the attorney of your choice concerning the details of your case.