Upper Midwest Law Center

08/20/2026

NEW: Federal Appeals Court Rules Minnesota Cannot Criminalize Political Speech About Voting

Minnesota Voters Alliance

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled today in favor of Minnesota Voters Alliance and its members in a First Amendment challenge to Minnesota’s election speech law. The case, Minnesota Voters Alliance, et al. v. Ellison, et al., challenges a state law that authorizes crim...

08/20/2026

A major election integrity win in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Minneapolis must use GOP/DFL pairs of properly trained election judges at early voting polling places before the 2026 general election. You would think this would be a given, but we had to step in!

Read more: https://www.umlc.org/minnesota-supreme-court-orders-minneapolis-to-use-balanced-election-judges-during-early-voting/

08/19/2026

Save the date for UMLC’s 2026 Fall Freedom Forum.

Join us Wednesday, October 14, at Olympic Hills Golf Club for an evening focused on freedom, accountability, and the rule of law.

This year’s featured speaker is John G. Malcolm, Vice President of Advancing American Freedom’s Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law.

Learn more: https://secure.anedot.com/upper-midwest-law-center/events/umlcfff2026

08/18/2026

“The city has, in its public statements, has not indicated anything to suggest that it is taking any steps to hire more officers or to stem the departure of currently employed officers,” UMLC Managing Attorney Rachel Paulose told Alpha News.

A judge has scheduled a jury trial for April 2027 in a lawsuit seeking to require Mayor Jacob Frey to comply with police staffing mandates.

08/18/2026

The Minnesota Supreme Court has made it clear: Minneapolis must use balanced election judges during early voting.

UMLC brought this case because early voting is still voting, and the safeguards required by Minnesota law should not disappear before Election Day.

Read more about the decision: https://www.umlc.org/minnesota-supreme-court-orders-minneapolis-to-use-balanced-election-judges-during-early-voting/

08/17/2026

Kaleidoscope Learning showed up in court this week to fight back after the Minnesota Department of Education approved a grant, then rescinded it without fair reason or warning.

UMLC is proud to stand with Kaleidoscope Learning in its appeal and push for the fair, impartial grant review process nonprofits deserve.

Pictured after a daylong hearing in St. Paul: Julia Kallmes, Jennie Lynch, Rachel Paulose, Andrew Gubash, and Rick Morgan.

08/14/2026

BREAKING: Minnesota Supreme Court Orders Minneapolis to Use Balanced Election Judges During Early Voting

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled today that Minneapolis must use properly balanced Republican and Democrat election judges at early voting polling.

08/13/2026

The biggest UMLC updates should not depend on the algorithm.

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08/11/2026

Mandamus is a court order that requires a government official or public body to do something the law already requires them to do.

In many UMLC cases, the issue is not whether officials have a good idea or bad idea. It is whether they are following the law.

08/07/2026

In case you didn’t hear, we have a new lawyer on our team!

The Upper Midwest Law Center is excited to announce Richard “Rick” Morgan has joined the organization as Senior Litigation Counsel, bringing more than 40 years of experience in trial litigation, federal prosecution, complex civil litigation, white collar investigations, and military justice. Mor...