1998 Minnesota Statutes

     484.013 Housing calendar consolidation program. 

    Subdivision 1.    Establishment.  A program is 
 established in the second and fourth judicial districts to 
 consolidate the hearing and determination of matters related to 
 residential rental housing and to ensure continuity and 
 consistency in the disposition of cases. 

    Subd. 2.    Jurisdiction.  The housing calendar program 
 may consolidate the hearing and determination of all proceedings 
 under chapters 504 and 566; criminal and civil proceedings 
 related to violations of any state, county or city health, 
 safety, housing, building, fire prevention or housing 
 maintenance code; escrow of rent proceedings; landlord-tenant 
 damage actions; and actions for rent and rent abatement.  A 
 proceeding under sections 566.01 to 566.17 may not be delayed 
 because of the consolidation of matters under the housing 
 calendar program.  

    Subd. 3.    Referee.  The chief judge of district court 
 may appoint a referee for the housing calendar program.  The 
 referee must be learned in the law.  The referee must be 
 compensated according to the same scale used for other referees 
 in the district court.  Section 484.70, subdivision 6, applies 
 to the housing calendar program. 

    Subd. 4.    Referee duties.  The duties and powers of 
 the referee in the housing calendar program are as follows: 

    (1) to hear and report all matters within the jurisdiction 
 of the housing calendar program and as may be directed to the 
 referee by the chief judge; and 

    (2) to recommend findings of fact, conclusions of law, 
 temporary and interim orders, and final orders for judgment. 

    All recommended orders and findings of the referee are 
 subject to confirmation by a judge. 

    Subd. 5.    Transmittal of court file.  Upon the 
 conclusion of the hearing in each case, the referee shall 
 transmit to the district court judge, the court file together 
 with the referee's recommended findings and orders in writing.  
 The recommended findings and orders of the referee become the 
 findings and orders of the court when confirmed by the district 
 court judge.  The order of the court is proof of the 
 confirmation. 

    Subd. 6.    Confirmation of referee orders.  Review of a 
 recommended order or finding of the referee by a district court 
 judge may be had by notice served and filed within ten days of 
 effective notice of the recommended order or finding.  The 
 notice of review must specify the grounds for the review and the 
 specific provisions of the recommended findings or orders 
 disputed, and the district court judge, upon receipt of the 
 notice of review, shall set a time and place for the review 
 hearing. 

    Subd. 7.    Procedures.  The chief judge of the district 
 must establish procedures for the implementation of the program, 
 including designation of a location for the hearings.  The chief 
 judge may also appoint other staff as necessary for the program. 

    Subd. 8.    Evaluation.  The state court administrator 
 may establish a procedure in consultation with the chief judge 
 of each district, each district administrator, and an advisory 
 group for evaluating the efficiency and the effectiveness of 
 consolidating the hearing of residential rental housing 
 matters.  An advisory group, appointed by the state court 
 administrator, may be established to provide ongoing oversight 
 and evaluation of the housing calendar consolidation program.  
 The advisory group must include representatives of the second 
 and fourth judicial districts and must be composed of at least 
 one representative from each of the following groups:  the state 
 court administrator's office; the district court administrator's 
 office; the district judges; owners of rental property; and 
 tenants. 

    HIST: 1993 c 265 s 6; 1993 c 317 s 16