Latest news with #MinnesotaJudicialBranch
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Brooklyn Center lawyer in Big Lie cases suspended by Minnesota Supreme Court
Chambers of the Minnesota Supreme Court. Courtesy Minnesota Judicial Branch. The Minnesota Supreme Court suspended Susan Shogren Smith from practicing law after finding she named plaintiffs in Big Lie election cases without their consent in 2020, according to a June 5 order. The state's highest court filed the order following a petition for disciplinary action from the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board. The board, which oversees the state's lawyer disciplinary system, alleged Shogren Smith, now 57, committed professional misconduct. '[Shogren Smith's] misconduct is serious,' the court order stated. 'Her misconduct involved not just a lack of competence and failure to communicate with clients, but dishonesty to the courts and disregard for the discipline process.' Shogren Smith did not respond to a phone message. In 2020, the Brooklyn Center attorney represented the conservative group Minnesota Election Integrity Team in five cases that challenged election results. Shogren Smith named Secretary of State Steve Simon and Democratic House candidates as defendants. President Donald Trump and his allies were busy at the time fostering unfounded claims of election fraud in what became known as the Big Lie, i.e., that President Joe Biden didn't actually win the election. The claims were rejected by Trump's own attorney general and dozens of judges. Ramsey County District Court Judge Leonardo Castro presided over four cases, and one was sent to a three-judge panel. The cases, which Smith filed on behalf of 14 plaintiffs, were dismissed with roughly $18,000 in monetary judgement filed against the plaintiffs. The state Supreme Court found that Shogren Smith enlisted the plaintiffs without their consent or even any communication with them. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Shogren Smith selected the 14 people out of a group who had returned affidavits to an email soliciting people to contest Minnesota election results. She drafted the affidavit, and then tacked the responders' names onto lawsuits she filed the next day, according to the order. 'Indeed, at no time either prior to or during the litigation did [Shogren Smith] have any conversations or communications, of any kind, with any of the 14 plaintiffs, none of whom even knew [Shogren Smith's] name,' the court order stated. The plaintiffs didn't speak with the attorney until February 2021. According to the court order, one plaintiff had 'fortuitously discovered through other means' that she was listed as a party in a lawsuit and had a monetary judgement against her. That plaintiff — identified in news reports as Corinne Braun — alerted local authorities and the presiding district court judge. Between a hearing and a decision from the three-judge panel, Shogren Smith was charged $25,000. Once other plaintiffs were aware, nine of the 14 asked to be removed from the proceedings. Shogren Smith became a licensed Minnesota lawyer in 2004, according to state records. In addition to practicing law, she operates a licensed foster home and has been involved in a number of nonprofits, political and otherwise. Among those is Picture A Hero, which delivers family portraits to military personnel who are preparing to deploy. Social media posts from Shogren Smith show her posing in Trump merch and assisting in storm clean-ups with the group We the People are Coming to Save America. The Minnesota Supreme Court determined Shogren Smith's suspension based on four factors: the nature of the misconduct; the cumulative weight of the violations of the rules of professional conduct; harm to the public; and harm to the legal profession. The suspension takes effect 14 days after it was filed, and it also bars Shogren Smith from petitioning for reinstatement for six months. She cannot be reinstated until she pays $25,000 in sanctions she received in 2021, and upon reinstatement she would face two years of probation.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Over a St. Paul Valentine's Day lunch hour, judges married 21 couples for free in Ramsey County
Show Caption1 of 9 Gloria and Robert Watson seal their wedding vows with a kiss in front of family and friends during a wedding ceremony at the Ramsey County Courthouse in St. Paul on Valentine's Day, Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. The St. Paul couple were one of 21 couples married by local, state and federal judges at the courthouse Friday during a lunchtime event hosted by the Ramsey County District Court. They chose Valentine's Day because it was the one-year anniversary of their first date. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Expand The Ramsey County Courthouse was a happy place on Friday. Or, a corner of it was happy, filled to overflowing with Valentine's Day cheer. Because while other people paid parking tickets or attended court hearings, 21 couples were married — for free! — on Valentine's Day in Rooms 40, 41 and 42 in the lower level of the building off Kellogg Boulevard in downtown St. Paul. (While the couples still paid for their marriage licenses, which typically cost $115, the 16 judges on Friday waived the fees they usually charge.) Judges throughout Minnesota married couples for free on Valentine's Day — 72 in total, according to a spokesperson with the Minnesota Judicial Branch. This is the second year that the Ramsey County Courthouse was one of the sites participating in the freebie court weddings — and the joy was not limited to the betrothed: The judges and staff who volunteered their time over the lunch hour (also including a judge's spouse who made heart-shaped cookies for the treats table) were beaming during the event. From St. Paul City Hall, which shares the building with the courthouse, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter also stopped by to join the festivities. 'We're celebrating love,' the mayor said in between shaking hands and posing for selfies with the newlyweds. Austin Pappas, 28, and Matthew Pappas, 25, were certainly celebrating love — their love. The St. Paul newlyweds ate slices of wedding cake — provided courtesy of this event — along with their witness, Ben Killian. They wondered if the cake had a lemon filling. Whatever it was, they loved it. As they ate, they listened to an accordion player's romantic music. In the background, the room's angular lines were softened by pink, white and red balloons. Why a Valentine's Day wedding? 'It makes a good anniversary,' Austin said. The couple smiled at each other, their gold rings shining with that newlywed shine. Inside the largest room, tables were set up for each of the judges. Ceremonies were held here and there, with a special backdrop decorated with streamers and balloons for the couples to pose in front of for their just-married photos. Those couples included Robert Watson, 52, and Gloria Watson, 36. He wore a blue suit, she wore a white dress. Theirs is a Minnesota love story. 'We got engaged at the Minnesota State Fair,' Robert said. 'At the Grandstand.' With 187 days to go before the 2025 Minnesota State Fair, Friday was a perfect day to get married. 'It's Valentine's Day — and it's our anniversary,' Gloria said. The couple said they appreciated the staff and judges who took time out of their regular schedules to make this event happen — including Ramsey County District Judge Jessica Bierwerth, who officiated at their wedding. 'I think it's fantastic for people to come to the courthouse for a celebratory reason,' Bierwerth said. 'It's just great to see all the collective love and happiness in one day.' It was the judges' Valentine's Day gift to the community. 'It's one day in the year we get to provide love and smiles,' said Ramsey County District Judge Sophia Vuelo, who is the chief organizer of the now annual event. Local News | Name a Bug fundraiser turns political — and profitable — for the Minnesota Zoo Local News | St. Paul investigates possible second exposure death; Salvation Army opens daytime warming centers Local News | Fairview Health opposes merger with UMN, Essentia Local News | Frozen funding, federal uncertainty leave St. Paul nonprofits reeling Local News | St. Paul: Hallie Q. Brown Center shutters what may be state's oldest early learning program (They're already planning next year, so lovebirds should save the date.) The judges of Ramsey County District Court got some help on Friday from a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge as well as their appellate level colleagues, including Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Karl Procaccini. In a way, the event was a Valentine's Day gift for everyone, the justice opined, including witnesses and judges as well as the couples. 'It's always fun to see people smiling as they leave court — both parties,' he said. 'This is a wonderful thing.' John Autey contributed to this report.
