1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to landlord tenant; modifying provisions 
  1.3             relating to removal and disposal of a tenant's 
  1.4             personal property left on the premises after 
  1.5             abandonment or eviction; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.6             1996, sections 566.07; 566.09, by adding a 
  1.7             subdivision; 566.16, by adding a subdivision; and 
  1.8             566.17, subdivision 2; and Minnesota Statutes 1997 
  1.9             Supplement, section 566.05. 
  1.10  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.11     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 
  1.12  566.05, is amended to read: 
  1.13     566.05 [COMPLAINT AND SUMMONS.] 
  1.14     (a) The person complaining shall file a complaint with the 
  1.15  court, stating the full name and date of birth of the person 
  1.16  against whom the complaint is made, unless it is not known, 
  1.17  describing the premises of which possession is claimed, stating 
  1.18  the facts which authorize the recovery, and praying for 
  1.19  restitution thereof.  The lack of the full name and date of 
  1.20  birth of the person against whom the complaint is made does not 
  1.21  deprive the court of jurisdiction or make the complaint invalid. 
  1.22  The court shall issue a summons, commanding the person against 
  1.23  whom the complaint is made to appear before the court on a day 
  1.24  and at a place stated in the summons.  The appearance shall be 
  1.25  not less than seven nor more than 14 days from the day of 
  1.26  issuing the summons, except as provided by paragraph (b).  A 
  1.27  copy of the complaint shall be attached to the summons, which 
  2.1   shall state that the copy is attached and that the original has 
  2.2   been filed. 
  2.3      (b) In an unlawful detainer action brought under section 
  2.4   504.181 or on the basis that the tenant is causing a nuisance or 
  2.5   other illegal behavior that seriously endangers the safety of 
  2.6   other residents, their property, or the landlord's property, the 
  2.7   person filing the complaint shall file an affidavit stating 
  2.8   specific facts and instances in support of why an expedited 
  2.9   hearing is required.  The complaint and affidavit shall be 
  2.10  reviewed by a referee or judge and scheduled for an expedited 
  2.11  hearing only if sufficient supporting facts are stated and they 
  2.12  meet the requirements of this paragraph.  The appearance in an 
  2.13  expedited hearing shall be not less than five days nor more than 
  2.14  seven days from the date the summons is issued.  The summons, in 
  2.15  an expedited hearing, shall be served upon the tenant within 24 
  2.16  hours of issuance unless the court orders otherwise for good 
  2.17  cause shown.  If the court determines that the person seeking an 
  2.18  expedited hearing did so without sufficient basis under the 
  2.19  requirements of this paragraph, the court shall impose a civil 
  2.20  penalty of up to $500 for abuse of the expedited hearing process.
  2.21     (c) In an unlawful detainer action brought under section 
  2.22  504.181 or on the basis that the tenant is causing a nuisance, 
  2.23  as defined in section 617.81, subdivision 2, clause (1), (4), or 
  2.24  (7), or other illegal behavior that seriously endangers the 
  2.25  safety of other residents, their property, or the landlord's 
  2.26  property, in order for the plaintiff to ask the court to 
  2.27  authorize immediate disposal of the defendant's property after 
  2.28  the defendant has vacated the premises, as provided in section 
  2.29  566.17, subdivision 2, paragraph (c), the complaint must state 
  2.30  clearly that the plaintiff is seeking this relief. 
  2.31     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 566.07, is 
  2.32  amended to read: 
  2.33     566.07 [ANSWER; TRIAL.] 
  2.34     Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL PROCEDURE.] After the return of 
  2.35  the summons, at the time and place appointed therein, the 
  2.36  defendant, on appearing, may answer the complaint, and all 
  3.1   matters in excuse, justification, or avoidance of the 
  3.2   allegations thereof shall be set up in the answer; and thereupon 
  3.3   the court shall hear and determine the action, unless it shall 
  3.4   adjourn the trial as provided in section 566.08, but either 
  3.5   party may demand a trial by jury.  The proceedings in such 
  3.6   action shall be the same as in other civil actions, except as in 
  3.7   this chapter otherwise provided.  
  3.8      Subd. 2.  [PRIORITY CASES.] The court, in scheduling 
  3.9   appearances and hearings under this section, shall give priority 
  3.10  to any unlawful detainer brought under section 504.181, or on 
  3.11  the basis that the tenant is causing a nuisance or seriously 
  3.12  endangers the safety of other residents, their property, or the 
  3.13  landlord's property.  
  3.14     Subd. 3.  [PRIORITY CASES; EVIDENCE REQUIRED.] If the 
  3.15  plaintiff asks for authority to immediately dispose of the 
  3.16  defendant's property left on the premises after restitution of 
  3.17  the premises to the plaintiff, as provided in section 566.17, 
  3.18  subdivision 2, paragraph (c), the court must make the specific 
  3.19  findings required in this subdivision before the court can enter 
  3.20  a judgment authorizing immediate disposal.  The court must find 
  3.21  that:  
  3.22     (1) restitution of the premises is based on a violation of 
  3.23  section 504.181, or on the basis that the tenant is causing a 
  3.24  nuisance, as defined in section 617.81, subdivision 2, clause 
  3.25  (1), (4), or (7), or other illegal behavior that seriously 
  3.26  endangers the safety of other residents, their property, or the 
  3.27  landlord's property; 
  3.28     (2) the complaint stated clearly the plaintiff's request 
  3.29  for this relief, as required by section 566.05, paragraph (c); 
  3.30  and 
  3.31     (3) the plaintiff has presented other evidence sufficient 
  3.32  to justify granting this relief. 
  3.33     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 566.09, is 
  3.34  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  3.35     Subd. 3.  [DISPOSAL OF DEFENDANT'S PROPERTY.] If the court 
  3.36  or jury makes the findings required in section 566.07, 
  4.1   subdivision 3, to authorize the plaintiff to immediately dispose 
  4.2   of the defendant's property that is left on the premises after 
  4.3   the plaintiff is granted restitution of the premises, the court 
  4.4   shall state this relief in the judgment entered and in the writ 
  4.5   of restitution. 
  4.6      Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 566.16, is 
  4.7   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  4.8      Subd. 3.  [DISPOSAL OF DEFENDANT'S PROPERTY.] The court 
  4.9   shall identify a writ of restitution that authorizes the 
  4.10  immediate disposal of the defendant's property that is left on 
  4.11  the premises after the plaintiff is granted restitution of the 
  4.12  premises, as provided in section 566.09, subdivision 3. 
  4.13     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 566.17, 
  4.14  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  4.15     Subd. 2.  [REMOVAL AND STORAGE OF PROPERTY.] (a) In cases 
  4.16  where the defendant's personal property is to be stored in a 
  4.17  place other than the premises, the officer shall remove all 
  4.18  property of the defendant at the expense of the plaintiff.  
  4.19     The plaintiff shall have a lien upon all of the goods upon 
  4.20  the premises for the reasonable costs and expenses incurred for 
  4.21  removing the personal property and for the proper caring and 
  4.22  storing the same, and the costs of transportation of the same to 
  4.23  some suitable place of storage, in case defendant shall fail or 
  4.24  refuse to make immediate payment for all the expenses of such 
  4.25  removal from the premises and plaintiff shall have the right to 
  4.26  enforce such lien by detaining the same until paid, and, in case 
  4.27  of nonpayment for 60 days after the execution of the writ, shall 
  4.28  have the right to enforce the lien and foreclose the same by 
  4.29  public sale as provided for in case of sales under sections 
  4.30  514.18 to 514.22. 
  4.31     (b) In cases where the defendant's property is to be stored 
  4.32  on the premises, the officer shall enter the premises, breaking 
  4.33  in if necessary, and the plaintiff may remove the defendant's 
  4.34  personal property.  The provisions of section 504.24 apply to 
  4.35  property removed under this paragraph.  The plaintiff must 
  4.36  prepare an inventory and mail a copy of the inventory to the 
  5.1   defendant's last known address or, if the defendant has provided 
  5.2   a different address, to the address provided by the defendant.  
  5.3   The inventory must be prepared, signed, and dated in the 
  5.4   presence of the peace officer.  The inventory must include the 
  5.5   following: 
  5.6      (1) a listing of the items of personal property and a 
  5.7   description of the condition of the property; 
  5.8      (2) the date, the signature of the plaintiff or the 
  5.9   plaintiff's agent, and the name and telephone number of a person 
  5.10  authorized to release the personal property; and 
  5.11     (3) the name and badge number of the peace officer. 
  5.12     The peace officer shall retain a copy of the inventory.  
  5.13  The plaintiff is responsible for the proper removal, storage, 
  5.14  and care of the defendant's personal property and is liable for 
  5.15  damages for loss of or injury to the defendant's personal 
  5.16  property caused by the plaintiff's failure to exercise care in 
  5.17  regard to it as a reasonably careful person would exercise under 
  5.18  like circumstances. 
  5.19     The plaintiff shall notify the defendant of the date and 
  5.20  approximate time the officer is scheduled to remove the 
  5.21  defendant, family, and the defendant's personal property from 
  5.22  the premises.  The notice must be sent by first-class mail.  In 
  5.23  addition, the plaintiff must make a good faith effort to notify 
  5.24  the defendant by telephone.  The notice must be mailed as soon 
  5.25  as the information regarding the date and approximate time the 
  5.26  officer is scheduled to enforce the writ is known to the 
  5.27  plaintiff, except that the scheduling of the peace officer to 
  5.28  enforce the writ need not be delayed because of the notice 
  5.29  requirement.  The notice must inform the defendant that the 
  5.30  defendant and the defendant's property will be removed from the 
  5.31  premises if the defendant has not vacated the premises by the 
  5.32  time specified in the notice. 
  5.33     (c) If the writ of restitution authorizes the plaintiff to 
  5.34  immediately dispose of the defendant's property remaining on the 
  5.35  premises, the plaintiff may have the defendant's property 
  5.36  removed by the means identified in paragraph (a) or (b), but the 
  6.1   plaintiff has no obligation to store the defendant's property.  
  6.2   The plaintiff may immediately dispose of the property by 
  6.3   whatever means convenient to the plaintiff, except that if the 
  6.4   plaintiff sells the property, the plaintiff shall remit to the 
  6.5   defendant, if claimed within 60 days of the sale, the proceeds 
  6.6   of the sale, less costs incurred in removing, storing, and 
  6.7   selling the property, and less any other obligation of the 
  6.8   defendant to the plaintiff, including the reasonable value of 
  6.9   the work required to restore the premises to rentable condition.