Many people hear “grandparents’ rights” and assume grandparents have an automatic right to spend time with their grandchildren. In Minnesota, there is no inherent right to visitation. Grandparents—and certain nonparents—have the right to ask a court for visitation, but they must meet specific statutory criteria and a heightened evidentiary burden before a court can order it.
Minnesota Guardianship Changes in 2024 and 2025: What You Need to Know
Minnesota enacted significant revisions to its guardianship statutes in 2024 and 2025. These changes directly impact guardians – who now face greater potential personal liability – as well as individuals subject to guardianships.
Key Tax Changes Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)
On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) became law as President Trump penned the final required signature. The OBBBA extends several provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) and includes other changes affecting the taxes of individuals and businesses. Below are summaries of selected tax law provisions.
Minnesota Adopts Changes to Trust and Estate Law, Including 500-Year Dynasty Trusts
In May 2025, substantial amendments to Minnesota’s trust and estate statutes were enacted. Some of these changes include changes to the Uniform Trust Code, the Uniform Probate Code, the Power of Appointment Act, and to modernize Minnesota’s statutory Rule Against Perpetuities. These revisions update the legal framework governing trusts and estates in Minnesota and enhance planning opportunities for multi-generation estate planning.
Congratulations to Christopher J. Burns, Joseph T. Dixon, Jr., Kathryn A. Graves, Scott A. Neilson, David Bradley Olsen, and Clark D. Opdahl for being recognized as 2014 North Star Lawyers. This year, the Minnesota State Bar Association certified pro bono service for over 950 attorneys and will celebrate with a full page recognition in the…
Four Henson Efron attorneys were featured on the list of “Top Women Attorneys in Minnesota” in the April print edition of Mpls/St. Paul Magazine. Attorneys were selected from the 2013 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists, which uses a patented multiphase selection process in which peer nominations and evaluations are combined with third party research….
Estate planning, trust and probate attorney Christopher J. Burns announced he will be running for re-election to the Woodbury City Council. He was first elected in 2010 and currently chairs the Woodbury Street Rehabilitation Task Force. If re-elected, it would be his second and final term. Read the full article from the Woodbury Bulletin here.
Business law attorney Rochelle L. Hauser represents and advises companies and individuals on a wide variety of corporate and business matters. With extensive legal experience in areas including business formation, reorganizations, and general contract matters, she co-presents a series of legal seminars on different topics for small business owners in collaboration with WomenVenture, an organization…
Letters of Intent: How They Go Awry
As a deal lawyer, I love getting the phone call from a client about a new transaction. My heart sinks, however, when the client happily tells me how simple it will be because they have signed a letter of intent—without a lawyer reviewing it. A letter of intent (“LOI”) is not necessarily a bad thing,…
The Minnesota Legislature recently passed, and the Governor has signed, House Bill 1777 (the “tax bill”). The Henson Efron Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Administration attorneys would like to highlight a few provisions that may be of interest. 2014 Minnesota Tax Law Changes (PDF)