Guns banned from state Supreme Court, Appeals Court
Jill Burcum and Rochelle Olson, Star Tribune
Published June 3, 2003 GUNS03
Guns are now in essence banned from the offices and courtrooms of the Minnesota Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.
A legal order signed Monday by Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz comes on the heels of Minnesota's new gun permit law, which took effect May 28 and eases restrictions on wearing a weapon.
Blatz's order prohibits firearms in the Minnesota Judicial Center in St. Paul, where the courts hear appeals and also have their administrative offices. It also prohibits firearms in rooms at the State Capitol where official court business is sometimes held.
On-duty law enforcement officers authorized to carry a weapon may bring their firearms into court facilities, the court order said. Blatz can also authorize other exceptions to the no-firearms rule.
Wendy Burt, spokeswoman for the Minnesota Supreme Court, said Blatz invoked the court's ability to maintain order and safety in courtrooms when issuing the order.
Minnesota's new gun law prohibits firearms from being carried into schools, airports, jails, federal courts and state hospitals. It contains no such prohibitions on bringing a weapon into many public buildings, such as courthouses or city halls.
District judges in Hennepin and Ramsey counties have issued similar orders preventing firearms in their courthouse complexes.
© Copyright 2003 Star Tribune.
