MINNESOTA COURT RULES

MISCELLANEOUS

Legal Services Advisory CommitteeRules

Rule 2.Legal Services Advisory Committee

A.Composition.

The Legal Services Advisory Committee shall consist of:

1. A chair and ten additional committee members.

a. The chair appointed by the Court for such time as it designates and serving at the pleasure of this Court but not more than six years as chair; and

b. Ten members appointed by the Court for three year terms or until their successors are appointed, except that shorter terms shall be used where necessary to assure that as nearly as may be possible one third of all terms expire each June 30th. No persons may serve more than two three-year terms in addition to any additional shorter terms to which they were originally appointed to fill a vacancy and any period served as chair.

2. The members specified in subdivision 1a and 1b shall be constituted as follows: seven attorneys at law who are well acquainted with the provision of legal services in civil matters, four of whom shall be nominated by the state bar association in a manner determined by it; two public members who are not attorneys and two persons who could qualify as eligible clients ("client eligible members"). In making the appointments of the attorney-at-law members the Court shall not be bound by the nominations prescribed above.

B.Vacancy.

In the event of a vacancy, the Court shall fill the vacancy from same constituency represented by the member being replaced. Any member who misses three consecutive regularly scheduled meetings will be deemed to have resigned from the committee and the Court will appoint a new member to fill the vacancy and complete the term.

C.Members Expenses.

1. The members shall be reimbursed their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties when requested.

2. Client eligible members shall receive additional per diem compensation when requested, pursuant to operational guidelines published by the Legal Services Advisory Committee, which are subject to review by the Court.

D.Duties.

The committee shall have general supervisory authority over the administration of these rules, shall advise the Court on the distribution of funds to qualified legal services programs, alternative dispute resolution programs, and other programs as directed by the Court after a review of applications which meet the eligibility criteria established by the committee and perform such other duties as the Court may direct.

E.Staff.

The State Court Administrator or designee(s) shall serve as staff to the Legal Services Advisory Committee. When authorized by the Court, the State Court Administrator may employ such additional personnel as necessary with funds appropriated for this purpose to administer these rules.

F.Guidelines.

The committee may adopt operational guidelines not inconsistent with these rules.

(Amended effective January 1, 2009; amended effective July 3, 2023.)