During Minnesota's territorial period, and for several years after statehood, a law authorizing the legislature to request advisory opinions from the supreme court was in effect. It provided:
"Either house may, by resolution, request the opinion of the supreme court, or any one or more of the judges thereof upon a given subject, and it shall be the duty of such court or judges when so requested, respectively, to give such opinion in writing."
In response to resolutions of the House and Council seeking advice, individual territorial justices issued six opinions between 1852 and 1854. One justice refused, while three others issued a total of five opinions. After statehood, the court declined three times, finally declaring the advisory opinion law unconstitutional in 1865.
The supreme court's advisory opinions of are posted in this article.
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