HF 3970
2nd Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 05/08/2026 08:16 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to civil law; establishing a remedy to extinguish a joint interest in a contract
for deed of a perpetrator of domestic abuse or sexual assault; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2024, section 559.21, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new
law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 559.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
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[559.206] ACTION TO TERMINATE A PARTIAL INTEREST IN A
CONTRACT FOR DEED BY A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end
new text begin Definitions. new text end
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(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
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(b) "Contract for deed" has the meaning given in section 507.235, subdivision 1a,
paragraph (e).
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(c) "Criminal sexual assault" means conduct described in sections 609.342 to 609.3451.
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(d) "Domestic abuse" has the meaning given under section 518B.01, subdivision 2.
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(e) "Harassment" means the conduct described under sections 609.748, subdivision 1,
paragraph (a), clause (1), and 609.749, subdivision 2, paragraph (c).
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(f) "Qualified third party" means a person, acting in an official capacity, who has provided
professional services to a petitioner or a child who resides with the petitioner and is:
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(1) a licensed health care professional operating within the scope of the license;
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(2) a domestic abuse advocate, as that term is defined in section 595.02, subdivision 1,
paragraph (l); or
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(3) a sexual assault counselor, as that term is defined in section 595.02, subdivision 1,
paragraph (k).
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(g) "Qualifying document" means:
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(1) a valid order for protection issued under chapter 518B;
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(2) a no contact order currently in effect, issued under section 629.75 or chapter 609;
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(3) a writing produced and signed by a court official, acting in an official capacity,
documenting that the petitioner, or a child who resides with the petitioner, is a victim of
domestic abuse, criminal sexual assault, sexual extortion, or harassment and naming the
perpetrator, if known;
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(4) a writing produced and signed by a city, county, state, or Tribal law enforcement
official, acting in an official capacity, documenting that the petitioner, or a child who resides
with the petitioner, is a victim of domestic abuse, criminal sexual assault, sexual extortion,
or harassment and naming the perpetrator, if known; or
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(5) a sworn written certification.
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(h) "Petitioner" means a person who has a partial interest as a vendee in a contract for
deed for the purchase of residential real property with the respondent and is seeking to have
the respondent's interest terminated, and:
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(1) is a victim of domestic abuse, criminal sexual assault, sexual extortion, or harassment;
or
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(2) resides with a child who is the victim of domestic abuse, criminal sexual conduct,
sexual extortion, or harassment.
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(i) "Respondent" means a person who has a partial interest as a vendee with the petitioner
in a contract for deed for the purchase of residential real property and whose interest in the
contract for deed is the subject of a petition under this section.
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(j) "Sexual extortion" means the conduct described under section 609.3458.
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(k) "Sworn written certification" means a statement by a qualified third party, in the
following form:
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"CERTIFICATION BY QUALIFIED THIRD PARTY
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I, (name of qualified third party), do hereby verify as follows:
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1. I am a licensed health care professional; domestic abuse advocate, as that term is
defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 595.02, subdivision 1, paragraph (l); or sexual assault
counselor, as that term is defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 595.02, subdivision 1,
paragraph (k), who has provided professional services to ..................... (name of petitioner)
or a child who resides with the petitioner.
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2. I have a reasonable basis to believe ..................... (name of petitioner) or a child who
resides with the petitioner is a victim of domestic abuse, criminal sexual assault, sexual
extortion, or harassment by ..................... (name of respondent).
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3. I understand that the petitioner listed above may use this document as a basis for
seeking a court order terminating the interest in the contract for deed of the respondent in
a court action initiated by the petitioner pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 559.206.
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I attest that the foregoing is true and correct.
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(Printed name of qualified third party)
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(Signature of qualified third party)
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(Business address and business telephone number)
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(Date)"
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(l) "Vendee" means a person or entity who has entered into a contract for deed to purchase
residential real property under a contract for deed.
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(m) "Vendor" means a person or entity selling residential real property under a contract
for deed. Vendor includes the vendor's successor and assignees.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end
new text begin Petition to terminate respondent's interest. new text end
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(a) A petitioner who is unmarried
may petition the court for an order to terminate the respondent's interest in the contract for
deed. The petition must allege that
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the petitioner or a child who resides with the petitioner
has been subjected to domestic abuse, criminal sexual assault, sexual extortion, or harassment
by the respondent, and the respondent has abandoned the respondent's interest in the contract
for deed. A respondent has abandoned their interest in the contract for deed if
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the respondent
has not physically occupied the property that is subject to the contract for deed for at least
six consecutive months immediately preceding the commencement of the action under this
section, and
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the petitioner has made all payments due on the contract for deed for at least
six consecutive months immediately preceding the commencement of the action under this
section.
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(b) The petitioner must serve a summons and petition that include the legal description
of the property subject to the contract for deed on:
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(1) the respondent;
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(2) the holder or holders of the vendor's interest;
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(3) state and federal tax lienholders;
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(4) any judgment lienholders; and
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(5) any other persons known or appearing of record to have any right or title to, estate
or interest in, or lien on the property that is subject to the contract for deed.
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(c) The summons must be served in the manner provided to commence a civil lawsuit
under Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure. The respondent shall have 21 days after service
of the summons to answer.
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(d) A notice of lis pendens must be recorded in the office of the county recorder or filed
in the office of the registrar of titles in the county in which the real property that is subject
to the contract for deed is located.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end
new text begin Content of summons. new text end
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In addition to the requirements set forth under the
Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure, the summons must contain the following information:
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(1) the date the contract for deed was executed;
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(2) the street address of the property that is subject to the contract for deed;
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(3) the name of the vendor;
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(4) the names of the vendees;
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(5) the date of recordation of the contract for deed, the document number, and the county
in which it was recorded;
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(6) the case name;
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(7) the court file number;
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(8) the judicial district in which the real property is located;
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(9) the legal description of the real property subject to the contract for deed;
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(10) a statement that the action seeks to terminate the respondent's partial interest in the
contract for deed;
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(11) a statement that failure to respond to the summons and petition within the time
allowed may result in a judgment that permanently terminates an interest in the contract for
deed; and
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(12) a statement that the action may affect any right or title to, estate or interest in, or
lien on the real property described in the summons.
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new text begin Subd. 4. new text end
new text begin Jurisdiction. new text end
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(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), the district court has
jurisdiction over petitions seeking termination of the interest of the respondent.
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(b) Unless otherwise provided by applicable law, nothing in this section infringes upon
the jurisdiction of a Tribal court in the matter of a petition to terminate the interest of a
respondent in a contract for deed.
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new text begin Subd. 5. new text end
new text begin Procedure. new text end
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(a) Except when a case proceeds by default, if an answer is filed
and the petition is contested, the court must hold a hearing. The court must grant the petition
if the petitioner demonstrates by a preponderance of the evidence that
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the petitioner or a
child who resides with the petitioner has been subjected to domestic abuse, criminal sexual
assault, sexual extortion, or harassment by the respondent, and the respondent has abandoned
their interest in the contract for deed as described in subdivision 2, paragraph (a).
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(b) A petitioner demonstrates that the petitioner or a child who resides with the petitioner
has been subjected to domestic abuse, criminal sexual assault, sexual extortion, or harassment
by the respondent if:
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(1) the petitioner presents a qualifying document; or
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(2) the respondent has been convicted of or received a stay of adjudication for a violation
of section 518B.01, 609.27, 609.282, 609.322, 609.342 to 609.3451, 609.3458, 609.527,
or 609.749 where the victim was the petitioner or a child who resides with the petitioner.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end
new text begin Defense; prejudice to the vendor. new text end
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A vendor may contest a petition filed under
this section by demonstrating by a preponderance of the evidence that granting the petition
to terminate the respondent's interest will prejudice the vendor. A court must not grant the
petition if the court finds that the vendor will be prejudiced by a termination of the
respondent's interest.
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new text begin Subd. 7. new text end
new text begin Order. new text end
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If the court grants the petition, the court shall issue an order terminating
the interest of the respondent and finding that the petitioner has met the burden of showing
that
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the petitioner or a child who resides with the petitioner has been subjected to domestic
abuse, criminal sexual assault, sexual extortion, or harassment by the respondent, and the
respondent has abandoned the respondent's interest in the contract for deed as described in
subdivision 2, paragraph (a).
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new text begin Subd. 8. new text end
new text begin Contract for deed termination judgment. new text end
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(a) A court granting the requested
relief shall prepare, or direct the petitioner or the petitioner's legal counsel to prepare and
submit to the court, a proposed contract for deed termination judgment, which must provide
that the respondent's interest is terminated and of no further force or effect. Upon approval
by the court and filing of the contract for deed termination judgment with the court
administrator, the court administrator must provide to any party upon request certified copies
of the contract for deed termination judgment. The contract for deed termination judgment
must contain the following information:
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(1) the date of execution of the contract for deed;
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(2) the date of recordation of the contract for deed and the county in which it was
recorded;
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(3) the date of entry of the judgment terminating the respondent's interest in the contract
for deed;
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(4) the names of the parties' attorneys or if any or all appeared pro se;
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(5) whether and when the summons and petition were served upon the respondent and
holder or holders of the vendor's interest in the manner provided to commence a civil lawsuit
under the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure;
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(6) the name of the judge who signed the order;
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(7) whether the judgment and decree resulted from a stipulation, a default, or a trial and
the appearances at the default or trial;
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(8) any former name of either party;
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(9) the street address and legal description of the property that is the subject of the
contract for deed;
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(10) if recorded, the document number of the contract for deed;
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(11) if the real property is registered land, the certificate of title number of the real
property;
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(12) the name or names of the person or persons awarded an interest in the real property
and a description of the interest awarded;
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(13) liens, mortgages, encumbrances, or other interests in the real estate described in
the judgment and decree;
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(14) the signature of the judge and the date signed;
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(15) the signature of the court administrator and the date signed; and
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(16) if the judgment and decree resulted from a default, whether the petition contained
the legal description of the real property and whether disposition was made in accordance
with the request for relief.
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(b) Notwithstanding any provision contained in the contract for deed, a respondent whose
interest has been terminated has no interest as a vendee in the contract for deed.
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(c) The petitioner must record the contract for deed termination judgment with the county
recorder or the registrar of titles, as applicable.
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(d) A contract for deed termination judgment is binding on the interest of the vendor
and all vendees under the contract for deed.
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new text begin Subd. 9. new text end
new text begin Effect of termination. new text end
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(a) The termination of the respondent's interest in the
contract for deed does not terminate or invalidate any other provision of the contract for
deed. The respondent's interest that has been terminated shall be transferred to the petitioner
by operation of law upon entry of the court's order without the necessity of any further act
or conveyance.
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(b) A respondent whose interest has been terminated under this section has no further
liability on the contract for deed and a vendor shall have no cause of action against the
respondent for damages or performance.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
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This section is effective July 1, 2026, and applies to contracts
for deed entered into on or after that date.
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Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 559.21, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
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new text begin Applicability to section 559.206. new text end
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Nothing in this section shall apply to a
vendee whose interest was terminated under section 559.206.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
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This section is effective July 1, 2026, and applies to contracts
for deed entered into on or after that date.
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