Notice of Appearance - Minnesota

NOTICE OF APPEARANCE

State of Minnesota District Court -- Civil Division

1. COURT IDENTIFICATION

Judicial District: [________________________________]
(Minnesota has 10 judicial districts)

County: [________________________________]

2. CASE CAPTION

STATE OF MINNESOTA                               DISTRICT COURT
[________________________________] JUDICIAL DISTRICT
COUNTY OF [________________________________]

                                                  Court File No.: [________________________________]
                                                  Case Type: [________________________________]

[________________________________],
     Plaintiff(s),

v.

[________________________________],
     Defendant(s).

3. DOCUMENT TITLE

NOTICE OF APPEARANCE OF COUNSEL FOR [________________________________]

4. PARTY INFORMATION

Party Represented: [________________________________]

Party's Role in This Action:

☐ Plaintiff
☐ Defendant
☐ Third-Party Plaintiff
☐ Third-Party Defendant
☐ Cross-Claimant
☐ Cross-Defendant
☐ Counter-Claimant
☐ Counter-Defendant
☐ Intervenor
☐ Petitioner
☐ Respondent
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Party's Address:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Party's Telephone: [________________________________]

5. ATTORNEY INFORMATION AND APPEARANCE STATEMENT

Pursuant to Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.01 and Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14, the undersigned attorney hereby enters an appearance on behalf of [________________________________] ("Client"), the [☐ Plaintiff / ☐ Defendant / ☐ Other: ____________________] in the above-captioned matter. All future pleadings, motions, notices, and orders should be served on the undersigned in accordance with Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02 and Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.

Attorney Name: [________________________________]

Minnesota Attorney License Number: [________________________________]

Law Firm Name: [________________________________]

Mailing Address:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Street Address (if different):
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Telephone: [________________________________]

Facsimile: [________________________________]

eService Email Address: [________________________________]

Secondary Email: [________________________________]

Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.01 Note: A party appears when that party serves or files any document in the proceeding. Every pleading, written motion, notice, appearance, and similar document shall be served upon each of the parties.

6. TYPE OF APPEARANCE

☐ General Appearance -- The undersigned enters a general appearance for the above-named party in all aspects of this civil action.

☐ Appearance as Co-Counsel -- The undersigned enters this appearance as co-counsel with [________________________________], MN Atty. No. [________________________________]. The undersigned shall serve as:
☐ Lead Counsel
☐ Associate Counsel
☐ Local Counsel

☐ Substitution of Counsel -- The undersigned enters this appearance as substitute counsel for [________________________________], MN Atty. No. [________________________________].
☐ Stipulation for substitution of counsel filed simultaneously
☐ Prior counsel's motion to withdraw has been granted
☐ Client's written consent is attached / on file

☐ Limited Scope Appearance -- See Section 8 below.

7. ELECTRONIC SERVICE THROUGH EFILE & ESERVE

Pursuant to Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.03, the undersigned:

☐ CONSENTS to electronic service through the Minnesota eFile & eServe System.

eService Email Address: [________________________________]

Additional eService Email (if any): [________________________________]

☐ DOES NOT CONSENT to electronic service and requests service by traditional means under Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02.

eFile & eServe Registration

☐ The undersigned is a registered user of Minnesota eFile & eServe (eFS).
eFS User Account: [________________________________]

☐ The undersigned will register within [____] days.

☐ The undersigned claims exemption from mandatory e-filing because: [________________________________]

Mandatory E-Filing: Effective July 1, 2016, attorneys, government agencies, and guardians ad litem ("Select Users") in all cases throughout Minnesota must file all documents electronically through the E-Filing System and must serve documents electronically through the E-Filing System as required under Rule 14.03(d). When a document is both eFiled and eServed together, the records of the E-Filing system indicating transmittal to the Registered User recipient constitute sufficient proof of service for all purposes.

8. LIMITED SCOPE APPEARANCE

(Complete this section only if filing a limited scope appearance)

Pursuant to Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 115.04 (Limited Scope Representation):

Scope of Limited Representation:

☐ Specific motion or hearing: [________________________________]

☐ Specific issue: [________________________________]

☐ Discovery phase only

☐ Trial only

☐ Mediation or ADR proceedings

☐ Settlement negotiations

☐ Appeal only

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Detailed Description of Limitation:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Anticipated Duration:

From: [__/__/____] To: [__/__/____]

☐ Through the conclusion of the specified proceeding(s)

Client Acknowledgment:

☐ The Client has provided written informed consent to the limited scope of this representation.
☐ A written limited scope agreement has been executed and is on file with counsel.
☐ Client understands that the attorney will seek to withdraw upon completion of the specified scope.

Termination of Limited Scope Representation:

Upon conclusion of the limited scope matter, the undersigned will file a Notice of Completion of Limited Scope Representation or a Motion to Withdraw, as appropriate under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 105 and 115.04.

Rule 115.04 Note: Attorneys providing limited scope representation must clearly define the scope of the representation. The attorney remains counsel of record for the limited purposes until the court approves withdrawal. The termination procedure requires compliance with Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 105.

9. PRO HAC VICE ADMISSION

(Complete this section only if appearance involves an out-of-state attorney)

Out-of-State Attorney:

Name: [________________________________]

Bar Admission(s):
| State | Bar Number | Status |
|-------|-----------|--------|
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | ☐ Active ☐ Inactive |
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | ☐ Active ☐ Inactive |

Pro Hac Vice Requirements Checklist:

☐ Motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice filed

☐ Verified Statement / Application for Pro Hac Vice Admission filed

☐ Certificate of Good Standing from the attorney's home jurisdiction attached

☐ Pro hac vice fee paid (confirm current fee with the Court Administrator)

☐ Disclosure of prior pro hac vice admissions in Minnesota

☐ Minnesota sponsoring attorney identified:

Name: [________________________________]
MN Atty. No.: [________________________________]
Firm: [________________________________]

☐ Order Granting Pro Hac Vice Admission entered on: [__/__/____]

Minnesota Requirement: An out-of-state attorney must be sponsored by a Minnesota-licensed attorney who will be responsible for the conduct of the case and who must enter an appearance as co-counsel.

10. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on [__/__/____], this Notice of Appearance was served upon all parties and counsel of record by the following means consistent with Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02:

☐ Minnesota eFile & eServe System (electronic service on all registered users)

☐ Electronic mail (email) with consent of recipient

☐ First-class United States mail, postage prepaid

☐ Hand delivery

☐ Facsimile transmission

to the following:

11. SIGNATURE BLOCK

Dated: [__/__/____]

[________________________________]
(Law Firm Name)


By: ____________________________________________
    [________________________________]
    Minnesota Attorney License No. [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    [________________________________]
    Telephone: [________________________________]
    Facsimile: [________________________________]
    eService Email: [________________________________]

    Attorney for [________________________________]

12. EFILING AND PROCEDURAL INSTRUCTIONS

Minnesota eFile & eServe (eFS) System

1. Mandatory E-Filing: Since July 1, 2016, all attorneys, government agencies, and guardians ad litem must file and serve documents electronically through the eFS system in all 87 Minnesota counties.

2. MNCIS Integration: The Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS) is the statewide case management system. eFile & eServe integrates with MNCIS for case tracking and document management.

3. Self-Represented Litigants: Self-represented litigants may choose to use eFS but are not required to do so.

4. Proof of Service: When a document is both eFiled and eServed, the eFS records constitute sufficient proof of service. No separate certificate of service is required for eServed documents, but practitioners commonly include one as a best practice.

5. Filing Fees: Filing fees are payable through the eFS system. Confirm the current fee schedule with the Court Administrator.

District-Specific Considerations

Fourth Judicial District (Hennepin County)

• Hennepin County may require a separate scheduling information statement (e.g., Form CIV117) filed concurrently with the appearance.
• The Fourth District has specific case management procedures and ADR requirements.
• Complex litigation may be assigned to a dedicated judge at the initial case management conference.

Second Judicial District (Ramsey County)

• Ramsey County has specific local rules regarding courtesy copies and scheduling.
• Verify local motion practice requirements.

All Districts

• Check for district-specific local rules and standing orders.
• Some districts require additional forms or information sheets with the appearance.
• Contact the Court Administrator's office for district-specific requirements.

Service Requirements Under Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02

• Service upon a represented party must be made upon the attorney.
• Service may be made through eFS, by mail, by hand delivery, or by other means authorized by the court.
• Email service is authorized through the eFS system for registered users.

Important Practice Considerations

• Appearance vs. Answer: Filing a Notice of Appearance does not constitute an answer or responsive pleading. The 20-day period to answer (Minn. R. Civ. P. 12.01) continues to run.
• Withdrawal: Withdrawal of counsel requires court approval under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 105. The withdrawing attorney must provide notice to the client and file a motion to withdraw.
• ADR Requirements: Minnesota has robust ADR requirements. Under Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 114, most civil cases are subject to ADR. Be prepared to select an ADR process and neutral.
• Case Type Codes: Minnesota uses specific case type codes in the caption. Common civil case type codes include: Contract, Tort, Property, and Other Civil.

13. PRACTITIONER NOTES -- MINNESOTA-SPECIFIC

Court Structure

• Minnesota has a unified court system with District Courts as the trial courts of general jurisdiction.
• 10 Judicial Districts encompassing all 87 counties.
• The Fourth Judicial District (Hennepin County) and Second Judicial District (Ramsey County) are the largest and have the most specialized procedures.

Attorney License Number

• Minnesota attorneys are identified by their Attorney License Number, assigned by the Minnesota Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility.
• This number must appear on all court filings.

ADR Requirements (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 114)

• Most civil cases are subject to mandatory ADR.
• The court will issue an ADR order early in the case.
• ADR processes include: mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation, summary jury trial, mini-trial, and other processes.
• Parties may select a process and neutral by agreement; if not, the court will assign.

Case Management Procedures

• Initial Case Management Conferences are scheduled in many districts.
• Scheduling information statements may be required with the appearance or shortly after.
• Discovery and trial deadlines are typically set at the initial case management conference.

Filing Fees (Subject to Change)

• Civil filing fees vary by case type. Confirm with the Court Administrator.
• Fees are payable through eFile & eServe.
• Fee waiver (In Forma Pauperis) may be filed for qualifying indigent litigants.

Key Differences from Federal Practice

• Minnesota uses "Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure" (Minn. R. Civ. P.) and "General Rules of Practice" (Minn. Gen. R. Prac.).
• The eFile & eServe system is the statewide platform, comparable to CM/ECF in federal courts.
• Minnesota's ADR requirements under Rule 114 are more comprehensive than typical federal requirements.
• Discovery rules under Minn. R. Civ. P. 26-37 are similar but not identical to the Federal Rules.
• Minnesota uses "Court File Number" rather than "Case Number" in the caption.

This template is designed for use in Minnesota District Courts. Verify all rule citations and district-specific requirements before filing. Court rules and general rules of practice are subject to change.