MN Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea
It was unusual if not unprecedented when the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court appeared Thursday afternoon before a House/Senate conference committee, asking lawmakers to fully fund the budget request of the judicial branch. Chief Justice Lorie Gildea told legislators, “When everything else breaks down, the courts are where the people come… and they come seeking justice.” Gildea says Minnesota courts are facing challenges that threaten their ability to process cases in a timely manner and ensure access to justice. She says without adequate funding, there could be a shortage of court interpreters and psychological exams for defendants, plus drug courts could close and court records be put at risk without cybersecurity improvements.