SONSTENG PRACTICUM MATTER · LAW

THE GOVERNING LAW

Law — In re Petition for Disciplinary Action against Delphine A. Karsgaard, a Minnesota Attorney

Actual Minnesota law — not editable here.

This matter sits in a real jurisdiction. Its law is rendered for reference only and is never editable — editors may edit only the Facts.

Name

State of Minnesota

Short name

Minnesota

Adjective

Minnesota

Used by shapes · #1

attorney_discipline (m12)

Used by shapes · #2

criminal_dwi (m15)

Policy note

This file is a STRUCTURAL research pointer for students, not a source of substantive law. It states only court-structure facts, citation-format templates, and links to official government research sites. It deliberately contains NO substantive statutory rules — student-facing packets are facts-only, and finding and reading the controlling law is the legal-research exercise. Chapter-level 'where to look' locators are navigational aids only. Instructor notes (separate files) may cite specific provisions, verified at publish.

Court structure · Trial court · Name

Minnesota District Court

Court structure · Trial court · Note

Court of general jurisdiction, organized into ten judicial districts by county. Handles civil, criminal, family, juvenile, and probate matters.

Court structure · Trial court · Criminal note

Hears DWI/impaired-driving prosecutions.

Court structure · Intermediate appellate · Name

Minnesota Court of Appeals

Court structure · Intermediate appellate · Note

Intermediate appellate court; three-judge panels.

Court structure · Highest court · Name

Minnesota Supreme Court

Court structure · Highest court · Note

Court of last resort; also has original/ultimate jurisdiction over attorney discipline and admission.

Court structure · Specialty divisions · Juvenile

Juvenile Division of the District Court

Court structure · Specialty divisions · Family

Family Court Division of the District Court

Court structure · Specialty divisions · Probate

Probate/Mental Health Division of the District Court

Attorney discipline · Regulator · Name

Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility

Attorney discipline · Regulator · Abbrev

OLPR

Attorney discipline · Regulator · Head title

Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility

Attorney discipline · Regulator · Note

Investigates and prosecutes attorney-misconduct complaints; the Director files a Petition for Disciplinary Action. This is the real-tier analog of the fictional MOLC.

Attorney discipline · Board · Name

Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board

Attorney discipline · Board · Abbrev

LPRB

Attorney discipline · Board · Note

Board of lawyers and public members; district ethics committees screen complaints; a referee (often a retired judge) is appointed to hold the hearing and make findings.

Attorney discipline · Ultimate authority

Minnesota Supreme Court

Attorney discipline · Process flow

Complaint -> OLPR investigation -> district ethics committee -> Director's Petition for Disciplinary Action -> referee hearing -> Minnesota Supreme Court

Attorney discipline · Rules of conduct name

Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct

Attorney discipline · Caption style

In re Petition for Disciplinary Action against <Respondent>, a Minnesota Attorney, Registration No. <#>

Citation formats · Statutes · Template

Minn. Stat. § <chapter>.<section>

Citation formats · Statutes · Example

Minn. Stat. § 481.15

Citation formats · Session laws · Template

<year> Minn. Laws ch. <n>

Citation formats · Rules · Civil procedure

Minn. R. Civ. P. <n>

Citation formats · Rules · Criminal procedure

Minn. R. Crim. P. <n>

Citation formats · Rules · Evidence

Minn. R. Evid. <n>

Citation formats · Rules · Appellate procedure

Minn. R. Civ. App. P. <n>

Citation formats · Rules · Professional conduct

Minn. R. Prof. Conduct <n.n>

Citation formats · Rules · Rules on lawyers discipline

Minn. R. Prof. Resp. (RLPR) <n>

Citation formats · Cases · Reporter

N.W.2d / N.W.3d (North Western Reporter)

Citation formats · Cases · Template

<Case Name>, <vol> N.W.<ed> <page> (Minn. <year>)

Citation formats · Cases · Appeals parenthetical

(Minn. Ct. App. <year>)

Research pointers · Note

Official government sources only. Use these to locate and read the controlling law yourselves.

Research pointers · Statutes official

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/

Research pointers · Court rules official

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/court_rules/

Research pointers · Judicial branch

https://www.mncourts.gov/

Research pointers · Legislature

https://www.leg.mn.gov/

Research pointers · Attorney discipline board

https://lprb.mncourts.gov/

Research pointers · Navigational code areas · #1

Impaired driving (DWI) offenses are collected in Minn. Stat. ch. 169A — a starting point for the m15 research exercise.

Research pointers · Navigational code areas · #2

Attorney licensing and discipline authority appears around Minn. Stat. ch. 481 and the Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility — a starting point for m12.

Disclaimer

Structural/navigational reference only, current as of 2026. Verify all law against the official sources above before relying on it; nothing here is legal advice.