Court Opinion

ID: 9700469
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 21:30:28.883033+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:09.543141
License: Public Domain

ANDERSON, Justice
(dissenting).
I join in the dissent of Justice Coyne.
TOMLJANOVICH, Justice
(dissenting).
I join Justice Coyne’s dissent.
I write to comment on several aspects of the majority decision. The majority notes that the victim’s mother felt the court should “let it end” without prosecution. It is incredible that the victim’s mother has given “her blessing” to the relationship to preserve her good relationship with her daughter. This law is designed to protect the minor victim from her own immature judgment and that of her mother if necessary.
I am at a loss to understand how the court can put a person on probation and order jail time when the court has not accepted a guilty plea and adjudged the person guilty. Minnesota Statutes § 152.18 does permit the court to impose conditions when adjudication of guilt is stayed; however, that statute does not apply to the criminal sexual conduct charge in this case.
Finally, it is important that “front line” judges have discretion to do their jobs. But when judicial discretion conflicts with the constitutional separation of powers, separation of powers wins. Our system of government works because each of the three branches respects the authority of the other — even when we think we could do their job better than they do. The majority has permitted the courts to encroach into an area reserved to the executive branch by the Constitution.