Minnesota State Law Library 2014 CLE Archive

• Civil Forfeiture in Minnesota 
  Dec. 22, 2014
  CLE CREDIT: One standard CLE credit has been approved (#199073). The sponsor for this CLE is the Institute for Justice - Minnesota Chapter. 
  Description:   
  The speaker is Lee McGrath, Managing Attorney for the Minnesota Office of the Institute for Justice. Mr. McGrath will speak about the history of civil forfeiture in Anglo-American law, recent Minnesota case law, and his work to get SF0874 bill passed during the last legislative session. This bill, which significantly changed Minnesota's forfeiture laws, was signed into law on May 6, 2014 and was effective August 1, 2014. 
  

• Echoes of War: The Combat Veteran in Criminal Court 
  Nov. 5, 2014
  CLE CREDIT:  One Elimination of Bias CLE credit has been approved (#198205). 
  Description:   
  The speaker is Brock Hunter. Brock is a former U.S. Army Recon Scout who focuses his practice on defending psychologically injured veterans in the criminal courts. Brock is the lead editor and co-author of the just-released book, The Attorney's Guide to Defending Veterans in Criminal Court. He is also the co-founder and President of the Veterans Defense Project - a non-profit dedicated to advocating and educating for veterans in the justice system. 
  
  Historical research reveals that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common side effect of war and always has been. More than 2.6 million Americans have now served in Iraq and Afghanistan. A recently-release government study reported up to 20%, over a half-million, are suffering from PTSD. Many believe those numbers will ultimately be higher. Government studies of Vietnam veterans determined that between a third and a half suffered some long-term psychiatric issues related to their service. 
  
  Just as PTSD is a natural side effect of war, research also reveals veteran-committed crime waves in the wake of every major American conflict, particularly Vietnam. Even today, 40 years after that war, hundreds of thousands of psychologically injured Vietnam veterans are incarcerated, chronically addicted and/or homeless across our country. 
  
  This program will explore the history of PTSD and its ties to criminal behavior. It will then explore the ways in which America and its criminal justice system can learn lessons from history and avoid mistakes made with past generations of troubled returning war veterans. In many cases, a criminal charge can serve as an opportunity to intervene with a troubled veteran and help them get the help they need to get back on their feet and return to their communities as an asset, rather than a liability. The veterans receive the help they need and, at the same time, public safety is enhanced. 
  

• Administrative Appeals 
  Oct. 1, 2014
  CLE CREDIT:  One standard CLE credit has been approved (#196833). 
  Description:   The speaker is Hon. Eric Lipman, Administrative Law Judge, Office of Administrative Hearings. 
  Judge Lipman will speak about the process of administrative appeals and how they differ from judicial appeals. 
  

• Sexual Violence 
  June 4, 2014
  CLE CREDIT:  One standard CLE credit has been approved (#192081). 
  Description:   The speaker is Caroline Palmer, MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault. 
  Ms. Palmer will discuss the trauma response to sexual violence, some of the common issues that come up in the courts around sexual assault, and an online resource that is available related to intimate partner sexual abuse.

• History of the Suffrage Movement in Minnesota 
  May 1, 2014 (Law Day)
  CLE CREDIT:  One standard CLE credit has been approved (#189953). 
  Description:   The speaker is Dr. William Green, Augsburg College. 
  The 2014 Law Day topic is "American Democracy and the Rule of Law: Why Every Vote Matters". Dr. Green, a professor of history and author of many texts on civil rights in Minnesota, will speak about the history of suffrage for women, blacks, immigrants and Indians, as well as the "special" quandary of the French during the 19th century.

• Minnesota Beer and Wine Law 
  Feb. 19, 2014
  CLE CREDIT:  One standard CLE credit has been approved (#188393). 
  Description:   The speaker is Joe Bagnoli, McGrann Shea Carnival Straughn & Lamb. 
  Mr. Bagnoli will cover the current state of beer and wine law in Minnesota, as well as the development of liquor laws in the United States.