1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to judiciary finance; appropriating money for the courts, public 
1.3 	defenders, Board on Judicial Standards, and Uniform Laws Commission; adding 
1.4 	new judgeships; correcting an unintentional repeal and resuming the payment 
1.5 	of certain bail proceeds to the municipalities and subdivisions of government in 
1.6 	Hennepin County;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 2.722, subdivision 
1.7 	1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 484.
1.8 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9 | Section 1.  SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS.
1.10 	The amounts shown in this section summarize direct appropriations, by fund, made 
1.11 	in this act.

1.12 | | | 2008 | | 2009 | | Total
1.13 | General | $ | 370,750,000 | $ | 382,644,000 | $ | 753,394,000

1.14 | Sec. 2. JUDICIARY APPROPRIATIONS.

1.15 | (a) General | | | |
1.16 	The sums shown in the columns marked "Appropriations" are appropriated to the 
1.17 	agencies and for the purposes specified in this act. The appropriations are from the general 
1.18 	fund, or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated for each 
1.19 	purpose. The figures "2008" and "2009" used in this act mean that the appropriations 
1.20 	listed under them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, or June 30, 2009, 
1.21 	respectively. "The first year" is fiscal year 2008. "The second year" is fiscal year 2009. 
1.22 	"The biennium" is fiscal years 2008 and 2009. Appropriations for the fiscal year ending 
1.23 	June 30, 2007, are effective the day following final enactment.

1.24 | (b) Compensation | | | |
2.1 	These appropriations, and any statutory appropriations from which state employee 
2.2 	compensation is paid from any fund, include an amount sufficient to fund compensation 
2.3 	increases of at least 3.25 percent of the 2007 compensation base for the first year, 
2.4 	compounded at the rate of 3.25 percent for the second year. This amount must be used for 
2.5 	that purpose and no other. As used in this paragraph, "state employee" includes Supreme 
2.6 	Court justices and Court of Appeals and district court judges.

2.7 | | | | APPROPRIATIONS
2.8 | | | | Available for the Year
2.9 | | | | Ending June 30
2.10 | | | | | 2008 | | 2009

2.11 | Sec. 3. SUPREME COURT | | | |

2.12 | Subdivision 1.Total Appropriation | $ | 44,277,000 | $ | 44,902,000
2.13 	The amounts that may be spent for each 
2.14 	purpose are specified in the following 
2.15 	subdivisions.

2.16 | Subd. 2.Supreme Court operations | | 30,457,000 | | 31,082,000
2.17 	Contingent account. $5,000 each year is for 
2.18 	a contingent account for expenses necessary 
2.19 	for the normal operation of the court for 
2.20 	which no other reimbursement is provided.

2.21 | Subd. 3.Civil legal services | | 13,820,000 | | 13,820,000
2.22 	Legal services to low-income clients in 
2.23 	family law matters. Of this appropriation, 
2.24 	$877,000 each year is to improve the 
2.25 	access of low-income clients to legal 
2.26 	representation in family law matters. This 
2.27 	appropriation must be distributed under 
2.28 	Minnesota Statutes, section 480.242, to 
2.29 	the qualified legal services programs 
2.30 	described in Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.31 	480.242, subdivision 2, paragraph (a). Any 
2.32 	unencumbered balance remaining in the first 
2.33 	year does not cancel and is available in the 
2.34 	second year.

3.1 | Sec. 4. COURT OF APPEALS | $ | 9,706,000 | $ | 10,537,000
3.2 	Caseload increase. $1,285,000 the first 
3.3 	year and $1,876,000 the second year are 
3.4 	for caseload increases. This money must 
3.5 	be used for three additional judge units, an 
3.6 	additional staff attorney, 2.67 additional 
3.7 	full-time equivalent law clerk positions, and 
3.8 	for retired judges.

3.9 | Sec. 5. TRIAL COURTS | $ | 244,507,000 | $ | 252,259,000
3.10 	Guardian ad litem services. $1,260,000 the 
3.11 	first year and $1,629,000 the second year are 
3.12 	for guardian ad litem services.
3.13 	Interpreter services. $606,000 the first 
3.14 	year and $777,000 the second year are for 
3.15 	interpreter services.
3.16 	Psychological services. $1,531,000 the first 
3.17 	year and $2,151,000 the second year are for 
3.18 	psychological services.
3.19 	In forma pauperis services. $178,000 each 
3.20 	year is for in forma pauperis services.
3.21 	New judge units. $1,792,000 the first year 
3.22 	and $3,241,000 the second year are for an 
3.23 	increase in judge units, including one trial 
3.24 	court judge unit in the First Judicial District, 
3.25 	one trial court judge unit in the Third Judicial 
3.26 	District, one trial court judge unit in the 
3.27 	Seventh Judicial District, two trial court 
3.28 	judge units in the Ninth Judicial District, 
3.29 	and two trial court judge units in the Tenth 
3.30 	Judicial District. These new judge units 
3.31 	begin on January 1, 2008. Each judge unit 
3.32 	consists of a judge, law clerk, and court 
3.33 	reporter.
4.1 	Maintain existing problem-solving courts.
4.2 	$1,948,000 each year is to maintain existing 
4.3 	problem-solving courts. Of this amount, 
4.4 	$654,000 each year is for local justice partner 
4.5 	grants.
4.6 	Expansion of problem-solving courts.
4.7 	$648,000 the first year and $649,000 
4.8 	the second year are to establish new 
4.9 	problem-solving courts. Of this amount, 
4.10 	$388,000 each year is for local justice partner 
4.11 	grants. 
4.12 	Expanded resources for pro se litigants.
4.13 	$311,000 each year is to expand resources 
4.14 	for pro se litigants by providing a virtual 
4.15 	self-help center on the state court Web site, 
4.16 	public workstations in each courthouse for 
4.17 	accessing the site, interactive software for 
4.18 	completing forms, and telephone access to 
4.19 	self-help staff.

4.20 | Sec. 6. TAX COURT | $ | 796,000 | $ | 828,000

4.21 | Sec. 7. UNIFORM LAWS COMMISSION | $ | 58,000 | $ | 52,000

4.22 | Sec. 8. BOARD ON JUDICIAL STANDARDS | $ | 451,000 | $ | 461,000
4.23 	Investigative and hearing costs. $125,000 
4.24 	each year is for special investigative and 
4.25 	hearing costs for major disciplinary actions 
4.26 	undertaken by the board. This appropriation 
4.27 	does not cancel. Any encumbered and 
4.28 	unspent balances remain available for these 
4.29 	expenditures in subsequent fiscal years.

4.30 | Sec. 9. BOARD OF PUBLIC DEFENSE | $ | 70,955,000 | $ | 73,605,000
4.31 	Appellate office caseload increase.
4.32 	$588,000 the first year and $572,000 the 
5.1 	second year are for continuing operations 
5.2 	of the appellate office. This money must 
5.3 	be used for four attorney positions and 
5.4 	one secretarial position. Of this amount, 
5.5 	$200,000 each year is for transcript costs.
5.6 	Shortfall. $2,660,000 the first year and 
5.7 	$3,803,000 the second year are to address 
5.8 	the board's district public defense shortfall. 
5.9 	This money must be used for past personnel 
5.10 	cost increases, filling vacation positions, 
5.11 	mandated increases in the employer 
5.12 	retirement contribution, and increased costs 
5.13 	for rent, mileage, and overhead expenses for 
5.14 	part-time public defenders.
5.15 	District public defense caseload increase.
5.16 	$3,391,000 the first year and $3,384,000 
5.17 	the second year are for 34 new full-time 
5.18 	equivalent attorneys and 11 new full-time 
5.19 	equivalent support staff positions to address 
5.20 	caseload increases.
5.21 	Problem-solving courts. $362,000 each 
5.22 	year is for five new full-time equivalent 
5.23 	attorneys to be assigned to problem-solving 
5.24 	courts.
5.25 	Part-time public defenders; data entry.
5.26 	$531,000 the first year and $522,000 the 
5.27 	second year are for 11 data entry clerks 
5.28 	for multicounty districts to assist part-time 
5.29 	public defenders with opening and closing 
5.30 	case files and entering time and case data into 
5.31 	the board's record-keeping system.
5.32 	Public defense corporations. $176,000 the 
5.33 	first year and $223,000 the second year are 
5.34 	for the public defense corporations.

6.1 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 2.722, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
6.2 		Subdivision 1.Description. Effective July 1, 1959, the state is divided into ten 
6.3 	judicial districts composed of the following named counties, respectively, in each of which 
6.4 	districts judges shall be chosen as hereinafter specified:
6.5 	1. Goodhue, Dakota, Carver, Le Sueur, McLeod, Scott, and Sibley; ~~33~~34 judges; 
6.6 	and four permanent chambers shall be maintained in Red Wing, Hastings, Shakopee, and 
6.7 	Glencoe and one other shall be maintained at the place designated by the chief judge 
6.8 	of the district;
6.9 	2. Ramsey; 26 judges;
6.10 	3. Wabasha, Winona, Houston, Rice, Olmsted, Dodge, Steele, Waseca, Freeborn, 
6.11 	Mower, and Fillmore; ~~23~~24 judges; and permanent chambers shall be maintained in 
6.12 	Faribault, Albert Lea, Austin, Rochester, and Winona;
6.13 	4. Hennepin; 60 judges;
6.14 	5. Blue Earth, Watonwan, Lyon, Redwood, Brown, Nicollet, Lincoln, Cottonwood, 
6.15 	Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock, Faribault, Martin, and Jackson; 16 judges; and 
6.16 	permanent chambers shall be maintained in Marshall, Windom, Fairmont, New Ulm, 
6.17 	and Mankato;
6.18 	6. Carlton, St. Louis, Lake, and Cook; 15 judges;
6.19 	7. Benton, Douglas, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Clay, Becker, 
6.20 	and Wadena; ~~27~~28 judges; and permanent chambers shall be maintained in Moorhead, 
6.21 	Fergus Falls, Little Falls, and St. Cloud;
6.22 	8. Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Meeker, Renville, Swift, Yellow Medicine, 
6.23 	Big Stone, Grant, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, and Wilkin; 11 judges; and permanent 
6.24 	chambers shall be maintained in Morris, Montevideo, and Willmar;
6.25 	9. Norman, Polk, Marshall, Kittson, Red Lake, Roseau, Mahnomen, Pennington, 
6.26 	Aitkin, Itasca, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Beltrami, Lake of the Woods, Clearwater, Cass and 
6.27 	Koochiching; ~~22~~24 judges; and permanent chambers shall be maintained in Crookston, 
6.28 	Thief River Falls, Bemidji, Brainerd, Grand Rapids, and International Falls; and
6.29 	10. Anoka, Isanti, Wright, Sherburne, Kanabec, Pine, Chisago, and Washington; ~~43~~
6.30 	45 judges; and permanent chambers shall be maintained in Anoka, Stillwater, and other 
6.31 	places designated by the chief judge of the district.

6.32 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2008.

6.33 	Sec. 11. [484.843] ABANDONMENT OF NONFELONY BAIL; DISPOSITION 
6.34 	OF FORFEITED SUMS; FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT.
7.1 		Subdivision 1.Abandonment of deposits and bail. (a) Any bail deposited with the 
7.2 	court administrator of the Fourth Judicial District on a nonfelony case and not forfeited by 
7.3 	court order shall be deemed abandoned and forfeited if the person entitled to refund does 
7.4 	not file a written demand for refund with the court administrator within six months from 
7.5 	the date when the person became entitled to the refund.
7.6 	(b) Any judge may order any sums so forfeited under paragraph (a) to be reinstated 
7.7 	for cause and the court administrator shall then refund accordingly. The receipting 
7.8 	municipality or subdivision of government shall reimburse the court administrator if the 
7.9 	court administrator refunds the deposit upon such an order and obtains a receipt to be 
7.10 	used as a voucher.
7.11 		Subd. 2.Disposition of forfeited sums. All sums collected on any bail, bond, or 
7.12 	recognizance forfeited by court order or under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), for the Fourth 
7.13 	Judicial District on a nonfelony case shall be paid to Hennepin County to be applied to the 
7.14 	support of the law library of the county. The receipt of the county treasurer to the court 
7.15 	administrator shall be a sufficient voucher. When the sums so forfeited, minus refunds, 
7.16 	during any calendar year equal $2,500, all sums in excess of that amount shall be paid 
7.17 	to the municipality or subdivision of government in which the violation occurred. The 
7.18 	payments shall be made periodically but not before six months from the date of the order 
7.19 	for forfeiture. During that six-month period, but not thereafter, any judge may set aside 
7.20 	the forfeiture order upon proper showing of cause. No obligation to pay sums so ordered 
7.21 	forfeited exists unless the forfeiture is not set aside within the six-month period. For the 
7.22 	purpose of determining when the $2,500 shall have accrued to the county law library, the 
7.23 	final forfeiture shall be deemed to occur at the end of the six-month period.

7.24 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2007.

7.25 	Sec. 12. JUDGES' SALARIES.
 7.26 	Effective July 1, 2009, and July 1, 2010, the salaries of justices of the Supreme 
7.27 	Court, and judges of the Court of Appeals and district court are increased by the average of 
7.28 	the percentage increase in total compensation for state employees provided in negotiated 
7.29 	collective bargaining agreements, arbitration awards, or other pay plans for fiscal year 
7.30 	2010 and fiscal year 2011 approved by the Legislative Coordinating Commission before 
7.31 	the 2009 regular legislative session. The commissioner of employee relations shall 
7.32 	calculate the new salaries, which shall be based on all compensation increases, including 
7.33 	general salary adjustments, merit-based increases, and any other benefit increase provided 
7.34 	to state employees, except insurance.
8.1 	The commissioner shall calculate the new salaries, which must be expressed as 
8.2 	percentages rounded to the nearest one-tenth of one percent, and shall report them to the 
8.3 	governor and the chief justice of the Supreme Court.