In May 1893, Frank P. Dufresne, a St. Paul book seller and publisher, began publishing "The Minnesota Law Journal." The first volume covering May through December 1893 is posted here. In the index to that year's articles, the publisher explains his mission:
The Minnesota Law Journal.
The Courts and the Bar of Minnesota have long recognized the urgent need of "Practice Reports", giving the decision of the Nisi Prius courts of the state, similar to the system in vogue in New York, which has been so popular and useful.
It is a well known fact that but a small percentage of even the more important cases tried are appealed to the Supreme Court, and for this reason the decisions not appealed from, do not become generally known, and their usefulness in establishing practice, and important propositions of law are practically lost to the Bar.
THE MINNESOTA LAW JOURNAL came into existence expressly to supply the Courts and the Bar with this valuable fund of information, which has heretofore been hidden away among musty files, and wholly inaccessible for general use. THE JOURNAL will devote itself to furnishing the Bar of Minnesota with all the decisions of interest rendered in the District and Municipal Courts of the State.
The importance of such a publication is already vouched for by the generous support of the Bar in the way of a large and constantly increasing subscription list.
Terms of Subscription to The Minnesota Law Journal.
$2.00 per year. $1.00 for six months.
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Posted MLHP: August 20, 2016.
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