Who We Are

1,000 Supporters is a group of more than 1,000 attorneys working to secure adequate funding for Minnesota’s justice system, including funding for the courts, legal aid, and public defenders. It is an initiative of the Minnesota State Bar Association and involves legal professionals throughout the state, including public defenders, judges, private practice attorneys, prosecutors, in-house counsel, and legal aid attorneys in an effort to assure that Minnesota maintains an adequate level of funding for administering justice.
Please take a moment to register. Doing so will allow us to alert you as developments occur, and to let you know when we need your help. Please also provide your legislative district numbers, so that we can identify constituents of key legislators at important points in the process. If you don’t know what district you reside in, you can find out quickly and easily by clicking the “Join Us” button at the top of this page.

The Courts

STATE OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH
Due to several biennia of underfunding the Judicial Branch faces significant fiscal challenges. We are aggressively employing strategies to contain costs:

  • Instituted hiring freeze, voluntary separation program and leave without pay, layoffs, voluntary furloughs—now operating nearly 10% short staffed—delays in case processing are building.
  • Negotiated 0% merit and ATB increases for FY10-11
  • Public counters in over half of the districts are closed up to 1/2 day per week.
  • In the 8th District all employees have taken reduction in work hours (40 to 37.5) which is a 6.25% reduction in compensation.
  • Holding open all judicial vacancies for minimum of four months. Cut retired judge funding, mandated services budgets, and operating budgets.
  • Cancelled most judicial and staff educational conferences.
  • Applied for $ 3.9 federal stimulus funding for drug courts—We were unsuccessful in this effort. The future of many of the drug courts is in doubt. (more…)

Public Defense

Board of Public Defense FY 2012-2013

Due to several biennia of underfunding the Board of Public Defense faces significant fiscal challenges.

  • Already reduced staffing by 60 F.T.E. attorney positions since 2008- 15% of the attorney staff, and 200,000+ hours of attorney time.
  • Caseloads nearly double American Bar Association Standards.
  • In 2009 Part-Time Defenders provided 40,000 uncompensated hours.
  • Public defenders and staff agreed to two year salary freeze.
  • Have had three episodes of voluntary leaves, early retirement incentive, and employee buyouts in the last 18 months.
  • Counter-cyclical as economic conditions worsen more people are eligible for services.
  • For the 2012-2013 biennium, with the loss of temporary funding, expiration of employee leaves and mandated costs of insurance and retirement the Board could lose an additional 55-65 attorney positions. (more…)

Civil Legal Services

Civil Legal Services 

A Core Government Service –

Supporting Access to Justice & Economic Recovery; Reducing the Cost of Government Services

A Statewide Resource: An essential part of Minnesota’s justice system delivering service through seven regional programs and two dozen community and specialty practice programs.

Assuring Access to Justice: Providing open, affordable and understandable services to all, regardless of income

Direct Legal Assistance: Representing Minnesota families in 52,900 cases

(more…)