Annual Reports
MSBA Family Law Section
Annual Report
2010-11
Section Membership
As of June 22, 2011, the Family Law Section has 1081 members. This reflects a 5% increase in Section membership since July 1, 2010. The Section unanimously approved another tier of membership dates for members whose annual incomes are less than $35,000. Dues for such members will be $15 per year.
Financial Status
The Family Law Section had an account balance of $28,067.22 as of April 30, 2011. The Section’s reserves have steadily decreased over the past two years. The Strategic Planning Committee will be developing a Section Budget in the coming year.
Continuing Legal Education Programs and Social Events
The Section hosted seven CLE programs in fiscal year 2010-11. In addition to the monthly Saturday CLE programs, the Family Law Section co-sponsored the Family Law Institute with Minnesota CLE, at which 728 attorneys, judicial officers and family court specialists were present. On June 6, 2011, and June 7, 2011, the Family Law Section co-sponsored with Minnesota CLE a two-day clinical training program by Dr. Jennifer McIntosh on Child Informed Mediation.
To encourage outstate participation in the Section and fostering networking for attorneys outside the metro, the Section offers satellite locations which teleconference into the meeting/CLE that is held at the MSBA. All programs are offered at no cost to Section members. Skype technology in the MSBA conference rooms would allow increased participation.
Program Date |
Program Title |
CLE Event Code and Credit |
# of Attendees |
9/11/2010 |
Using Facebook to market your firm and win your family law cases" |
148325; 1.0 Law Office Management |
54 |
10/9/2010 |
What the Family Law Attorney Needs to Know About Real Estate |
148868; 1.0 Standard |
53 |
11/13/2010 |
Identifying Domestic Abuse, Lethality Factors and Dangerousness: Having the Difficult Conversations with Clients |
149847; 1.0 Standard |
28 |
1/8/2011 |
Convergence of the Ethics and Malpractice Areas and How They Affect the Family Law Practice |
151747; 1.0 Standard |
42 |
2/11/2011 |
How to Market Your Family Law Firm and Make Friends on LinkedIn |
152355; 1.0 Law Office Management |
47 |
4/9/2011 |
Personality Disorders: Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! |
154232; 1.0 Standard |
31 |
5/14/2011 |
Minnesota General Rules of Practice for the District Courts |
155958; 1.0 Standard |
16 |
Legislation and Amicus Briefs
The Family Law Section’s Legislative Committee worked on the following legislation in the 2011 session:
Bill |
Status (as of 6/2011) |
Family Law Section’s Position |
HF473/SF1334 Child support calculated before spousal maintenance |
Included in HF1023, which passed the House, but the bill was removed when HF1023 passed the Senate. Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. |
Drafted and supported by the Family Law Section. |
HF322/SF1402 Joint physical custody presumption established, Children’s Equal and Shared Parenting Act created, and parenting plans required. |
Passed the House Civil Law Committee. Heard but not voted on in the House Judiciary Committee. Offered as an amendment to another bill on the House floor but the amendment was withdrawn. Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee. |
Opposed by the Family Law Section. |
HF292/SF498 Marriage dissolution parenting plan requirement. |
Passed House Civil Law Committee; referred to House Judiciary Committee. Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee. |
Opposed by the Family Law Section. |
HF1135/SF1161 Mandatory marriage dissolution education program. |
Referred to House Civil Law Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee. |
Opposed by the Family Law Section. |
SF344/HF436 Collaborative law process evidence availability limitation. |
Referred to House Judiciary Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee. |
Supported by the Family Law Section. |
HF644/SF727 Paternity and maternity determination provisions modified. |
Referred to House Civil Law Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee. |
Drafted and supported by the Family Law Section. |
HF1198/SF1175 Updates to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act. |
Passed the House Civil Law Committee; referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. |
Vetted and supported by the Family Law Section. |
Upon request by the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Amicus Committee drafted and submitted a Brief and Appendix of Amicus Curiae on behalf of the Family Law Section in: In Re the Marriage of Loretta Marie Angell and Guardian William Angell, Jr. on May 7, 2010. Decision was rendered by the Court on December 9, 2010.
The Family Law Section reviewed, revised, and made public comment by letter dated June 1, 2011 on the proposed changes to the Minnesota Family Court Rules to the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the General Rules of Practice for the District Courts.
Annual Meeting and Election Results
The Family Law Section’s annual meeting and elections were held in conjunction with the Section’s monthly Saturday CLE on May 14, 2011.
The following individuals were unanimously elected to serve as officers in 2011-12:
Chair: Steve Snyder
Vice Chair: Karen Kugler
Treasurer: Ryan Anderson
Secretary: Margaret Erickson
Publications Committee Chair: Linda Wold
Publications Committee Vice Chair: Tiffane Wolter
Greater Minnesota Members: Brad Frago
Sara Runchey
Laura Weintraub
The following individuals will serve as the Section’s MSBA Assembly representative in 2011-12:
Representative: Pamela J. Waggoner
Other Section Accomplishments
The Publications committee published four issues of the Family Law Forum from the Summer 2010 to the Summer of 2011. Each issue provided practitioners with substantive legal articles pertinent to the practice of Family Law.
Submitted By:
Pamela J. Waggoner, Section Chair
- Last
Updated
003/08/2010
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