Subject Matter Index

ALL UPDATES FALL UNDER ONE OF TEN HEADINGS:

I.     APPEALS & REMANDS

II.    CHILD SUPPORT & CONTEMPT

III.   CIVIL PRE-TRIAL PROCEDURES & HEARINGS (FOR TRIALS SEE #X)

IV.   CRIMINAL PRE-TRIAL PROCEDURES & SEARCH AND SEIZURE

V.    DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS

VI.   DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (INCLUDING OFP & HRO HEARINGS)

VII.  EVIDENTIARY ISSUES

VIII. JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY, RESOURCES & SAFETY ISSUES

IX.   PLEA OF GUILTY, SENTENCING, PROBATION  & EXPUNGEMENT

X.    TRIAL ISSUES (COURT OR JURY – CRIMINAL & CIVIL)

I.  APPEALS & REMANDS

1.  Appeal & Remands – Ten Common Triggers (11-11)

2.  Judicial Landmines – 20 Mistakes Every Judge Should Avoid (13-15)

3.  Fifteen Training Updates New Judges Should Use in Court (14-10)

4.  Evidentiary Rulings – Preserving the Record: 5 Rules Every Judge (and Attorney) Must Know (15-02)

II.  CHILD SUPPORT & CONTEMPT

1.  Contested Child Support Civil Constructive Contempt Hearings (10-05)

2.  Child Support: Five Tax Rules Every Judge Should KNow (13-04)

III. CIVIL PRE-TRIAL PROCEDURES AND HEARINGS (FOR TRIALS SEE #X)

1.  Partial Summary Judgment – Rule 54.02 (10-21)

2.  Evictions: 10 Basic Rules Every judge Must Know (11-07)

3.  Ex-Parte Temporary Restraining Order: Five “Dahlberg” Factors (11-13)

4.  Civil Judgments: Ten Questions Every Judge Should Know (12-02)

5.  Ordering Summary Judgment Sua Sponte the Morning of Trial (14-01)

6.  Conciliation Court – Proof of Service – Urban Myth (14-12)

7. Housing Court – Evictions: 12 basic rules every judge must know (14-22)

8.  District Court Review of Arbitration Awards – One Common Mistake (14-24)

9.  Transgender Name Change Petitions: Changing Gender Designation (15-05)

IV. CRIMINAL PRE-TRIAL PROCEDURES & SEARCH AND SEIZURE

1. Search Warrants: 3 Basic Rules That Every Judge Must Know: And 9  Additional Rules That Every Judge Should Know (10-03) (Replaced by 20-05)

2.  Grand Jury Proceedings: Everything A Judge Needs To Know (11-09)

3.  Warrantless Arrests & Detentions: 36 & 48 Hour Rules (11-12)

4.  Criminal Pre-Trial Checklist (11-18)

5.  Defendant’s Demand For Substitute Public Defender (12-03)

6.  Judges Handbook on Motor Vehicle Stops (12-05)

7.  Waiver of Extradition Advisory (13-01)

8.  Missouri v. McNealy and Telephonic Search Warrants – 7 steps (13-06)

9.  Warrantless Motor Vehicle Searches – Summary Chart (13-10)

10.  Bail Hearings in Felony Strangulation Cases – 7 Medical Facts (14-07)

11. MN Handbook on Motor Vehicle Stops & Warrantless Searches (14-09)

12.  Search of Cell Phones: Landmark Supreme Court Decision (14-11)

13.  Urine Drug Testing: The Risk of False Positives (14-20)

14.  Pro-Se Defendants at Trial: Everything that Judges Need to Know (15-03)

15.  Paradee Motions: What Judges Need to Know & Two Sample Orders (15-09)

16. Judge advises defendant “you have a constitutional right to be a dumb-ass” Welcome to the funniest and filthiest court transcript of all time. (16-05)

17. Search Warrants: Answers To 12 Core Questions Every Judge and Attorney Should Know. (20-05)

V.  DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS

1.  Rule 15 Type Questions to Finalize Divorce Proceedings (10-09)

2.  Divorce Trials – Distribution of Personal Property (10-17)

3.  Parenting Time Expeditor v. Parenting Consultant (12-01)

4.  Family Law Motions: Ten Basic Rules (12-09)

5.  Post-Decree Motions to Modify Custody Based on Endangerment (13-03)

6.  Child Support: Five (5) Tax Rules Every Judge Should Know (13-04)

7.  Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Reports: The Fool-Proof Hearsay Test (13-08)

8.  Urine Drug Testing: The Risk of False Positives (14-20)

9.  Spousal Maintenance & “Karon Waivers” (15-04)

 VI. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (INCLUDING OFP & HRO HEARINGS)

1.   Battered Woman Syndrome (10-13)

2.  OFP & HRO Hearings: Right to Cross Exam & Present Witnesses (14-04)

3  Bail Hearings in Felony Strangulation Cases – 7 Medical & Legal Facts (14-07) Replaced by 18-01

4.  OFP Advisory to Respondents – Another Urban Myth (14-13)

5.  Domestic Abuse Counseling v. Anger Management (14-16)

6.  Court-Related Violence – 15 Facts That Every Judge Should Know (14-17)

7.  Minnesota’s 2014 Firearm Transfer or Surrender Act (14-21)

8.  “Safe at Home” Program – Important Facts that Judges Need to Know (14-23)

9.  Immigrant Crime Victims & The U-visa Certificate: Ten Rules That Every Judge (and attorney/officer) Should Know (15-13)

VII.  EVIDENTIARY ISSUES

1.  Determining Admissibility of Hearsay (Crawford vs. Washington) (10-08)

2.  Residual Hearsay Exception Rule: Minn. R. of Evid. 807 (10-12)

3.  Battered Woman Syndrome (10-13)

4.  Impeachment – Prior Felony Conviction (11-14)

5.  Rape Victim Myths – Expert Testimony: Supreme Court Clarification (11-15)

6.  Admissibility of Defendants Pre-Miranda Silence (11-16)

7.  Spriegl Evidence – 5 Step Process (12-04)

8.  Admissibility of Defendant’s Prior Bad Acts & Relationship Evidence (12-06)

9.  Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Reports: The Fool-Proof Hearsay Test (13-08) (Replaced see 20-01)

10. Admissibility of Electronic Evidence “Focus on Authenticity” (13-11)

11. Admissibility of Business Records – 5 Questions: Rule 803(6) (14-2)

12. Evidentiary Rulings – Preserving the Record: 5 Rules Every Judge (and Attorney Must Know (15-02)

13.  Impeachment – Prior Inconsistent Statements & Two Sample Impeachment scripts (15-10)

14. What every judge & attorney needs to know about handling evidence during trial – 10 basic rules (16-03)

15. SNAPCHAT as evidence: The smoking gun often overlooked (16-08)

16. Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Reports: How to overcome hearsay objections (20-01)

VIII. JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY, RESOURCES & SAFETY ISSUES

1.  A Judges Soliloquy on Judging (10-22)

2.  Judicial Resource: Prof. Simon’s “Online Judge’s Bench Book” (11-06)

3.  Official Court Reporters – 10 Basic Rules Every Judge Should Follow (13-02)

4.  “Judicial Landmines” 20 Common Mistakes Every Judge Should Avoid (13-15)

5.  Handling Your 1st Electronic Calendar – Ten Simple Steps to Follow (14-06)

6.  Fifteen (15) Updates that New Judges Should Use in Court (14-10)

6.  Court-Related Violence: 15 Facts That Every Judge Should Know (14-17) 

7.  Top Ten Funny Judicial Quotes (15-08)

8. Judicial Decision-Making: “Implicit Bias” & “Decision Fatigue” (15-12) (Replaced by 20-03)

9. Judicial & Legal Writing: The #1 Rule for Improving = CUTTING (15-14) (Replaced by 20-02)

10. Warning signs for judges & attorneys – ten habits of chronically unhappy people (15-17)

11. The five most common regrets that people have at the end of their lives (15-19)

12. The Rise, Fall & Resurrection of Judge Pendleton (16-01)

13. Changing the name of the Blog (16-02)

14. The depressed lawyer – why are so many lawyers so unhappy? (16-07)

15. Ten tips that every new attorney should know (17-02)

16. The power of gratitude – improving your life & legal practice (17-05).

17. Judicial & legal writing: The Number #1 Rule For Improvement – CUTTING (20-02)

18. Judicial Decision-Making Fatigue: Can hunger and fatigue affect judicial fairness?  YES  (20-03)

19. Introduction to Minnesota’s most convenient and simple legal research library (20-04)

IX.   PLEA OF GUILTY, SENTENCING, PROBATION & EXPUNGEMENT

1.  Use of Leading Questions in Guilty Pleas (10-01)

2.  Felony Sentencing: Two Common Misunderstandings (10-02)

3.  Lothenbach Plea: A Potential Judicial Landmine (10-11)

4.  Acceptance of Guilty Plea – When? (10-18)

5.  Probation Revocations: The “Austin” Findings – Clarification (11-08)

6.  Jail Credit Calculation – New Supreme Court “Clarkin” Rule (12-07)

7.  Consecutive Sentencing – A Common Judicial Mistake (12-08)

8.  Minnesota Jail Credit Manual (12-10)

9. Sentencing Oversight: Inadvertent Deprivation of Lawful Jail Credit (13-07)

10. Dimler Amendment, Speeding Tickets &Your Driving Record (13-9)

11. Immigration: 5 Facts Every Judge (and attorney) Should Know (13-13)

12. Restitution vs. Fines, What Gets Paid First – New Rule (13-14)

13.  Alford (Defendant Denies Guilt) Plea of Guilty (14-18)

14.  Minnesota’s New Expungement Law – A Step by Step Guide (15-01)

15.  Minnesota’s New Expungement Law – Part Two (15-01A)

16. Felony Sentencing & Probation Violation Hearings: The one thing a judge should never say or promise (15-15)

17. Norgaard Plea of Guilty (Unable to Recall Facts) (15-16)

18. Time spent in jail while on probation: Urban myth – The 12 month limit (15-18)

X.    TRIAL ISSUES (COURT OR JURY – CRIMINAL & CIVIL)

1.  Courtroom Closure: Full or Partial Exclusions (10-06)

2.  Manual on Prosecutorial Misconduct (10-14)

3.  Cautionary Jury Instructions During Trial (11-02)

4.  Judicial Guidelines for Voir Dire (11-03)

5.  Criminal Voir Dire Questions Asked by the Court (11-04)

6.  Judicial Mistake #1: When Defendants Stipulate to Element of Offense (11-05)

7.  Impeachment – Prior Felony Conviction (11-14)

8.  Admissibility of Defendants Pre-Arrest Silence (11-16)

9. Rape Victim Myths – Expert Testimony: Supreme Court Clarification (11-15)

10. Criminal Pre-Trial Checklist (11-18)

11. Spriegl Evidence – 5 Step Process (12-04)

12. Jury Selection “Batson” Challenge (13-02)

13. Ordering Defendants to Wear Restraints During Trial (13-05)

14. Official Court Reporters – 10 Basic Rules Every Judge Should Follow (13-12)

15. Weapons & Hazardous Exhibits in the Courtroom Policy (14-03)

16. Courtroom Interpreters – 6 Procedural Steps to Follow (14-05)

17. Cross-Examination: Judicial Checklist for Mentoring Attorneys (14-08)

18. Hearsay vs. Non-Hearsay: The Fool-Proof Hearsay Test (14-15)

19. Civil Jury Trials: 10 Trial Issues Judges Should be Prepared For (14-19)

20. Pro-Se Defendants at Trial: Everything that Judges Need to Know (15-03)

21.  Judge’s On-Line Jury Trial Bench Book (15-06)

22.   Criminal Motions for Judgment of Acquittal  (15-07)

23. Use of Audio Recordings & Transcripts at Trial – The “Olkon” Cautionary Jury Instruction & Protecting Your Court Reporter (15-11)

24. What every judge & attorney needs to know about handling evidence during trial – 10 basic rules (16-03)

25. In a jury trial how can you tell if your presiding judge is inexperienced, incompetent or simply lazy? (16-04)

26. Question: What is one of the most common mistakes made by trial attorneys when cross examining an expert witness? (16-06)

27. The “Rule of Primacy”, The cornerstone to effective trial advocacy: Plus some bonus acting tips (17-01)

28. Exposing implicit racial bias during jury selection…How? (17-03)

29. Criminal Jury Trial Judges Manual “A step by step guide from the beginning of trial thru the return of verdict (17-04)

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 responses to “Subject Matter Index”

  1. Michael - Criminal immigration lawyer in New York's avatar Can a jury trial be appealed? | April 14, 2025 at 4:08 am | Reply

    Thank you for this insightful article on the subject matter index. I found the overview of its importance in organizing content particularly useful, especially for those of us who manage sizable repositories of information. 

    To expand on this topic, it’s fascinating to note how subject matter indices have evolved alongside digital platforms. For instance, many modern content management systems now integrate AI algorithms that not only assist in categorizing content but also suggest related topics based on user engagement.

    This approach not only streamlines the retrieval of information but can enhance the user experience by making relevant content more accessible, something that traditional indices often overlook. Additionally, incorporating user-generated tags or categories could foster community engagement, allowing users to contribute their perspectives and insights. This could lead to a more dynamic and evolving index that reflects current trends and interests among users. 

    What are your thoughts on the potential of leveraging AI in subject matter indexing, and do you believe it could replace traditional methods in the near future?

    Like

  2. Pingback: Judge Alan Pendleton: Judges Handbook on Motor Vehicle Stops – Wright County Watch MN

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