Minnesota Agencies

The State Board of Civil Legal Aid shall work to ensure access to high-quality civil legal services in every Minnesota county. The board shall: approve and recommend to the legislature a budget for the board and the civil legal services grants distributed subject to Minn. Stat. 480.242; establish procedures for distribution of funding under Minn. Stat. 480.242; and establish civil program standards, administrative policies, or procedures necessary to ensure quality advocacy for persons unable to afford private counsel. The board may propose statutory changes to the legislature and rule changes to the supreme court that are in the best interests of persons unable to afford private counsel. The board shall not interfere with the discretion or judgment of civil legal services programs in their advocacy. The State Board of Civil Legal Aid is a part of but is not subject to the administrative control of the judicial branch of government.

The State Board of Civil Legal Aid shall report to the Legislature on data related to the cases and individuals and families serviced by each of the grant recipients providing legal services with funds received pursuant to Minn. Stat. 480.242. The data shall be provided for each individual organization and, when possible, for each geographic region the organization works in, and provided in the aggregate to protect the privacy of the individuals and families served by the organization. These reports shall be submitted by July 15 each year.

The Legislature created the State Board of Civil Legal Aid in 2024 to replace the Legal Services Advisory Commission. The board plans to submit its first report to the Legislature under Minn. Stat. 480.243, subd. 3 in July 2026. 

The board shall consist of 11 members as follows: six members appointed by the supreme court; and five members appointed by the governor.

All candidates shall have demonstrated a commitment in maintaining high-quality civil legal services to people of low or moderate means. The appointing entities shall seek board members who reflect the diverse populations served by civil legal aid through attorney and nonattorney members. The appointing entities may not appoint an active judge to be a member of the board, but may appoint a retired judge. The appointing entities may not appoint a person who is closely affiliated with any entity awarded funding pursuant to Minn. Stat. 480.242 or any entity seeking funding pursuant to Minn. Stat. 480.242.

The board may set term limits for board members. An appointing authority may not make an appointment that exceeds the term limits established by the board.

The terms, compensation, and removal of board members shall be as provided in Minn. Stat. 15.0575, except that the board may establish a per diem in excess of the amount provided in law. The members shall elect the chair from among the membership for a term of two years.