Legislative Bills
Trusted Minnesota Family Law Advocacy
The proposals supported by Minnesota Family Law Reform seek to bring clarity, accountability, and fairness to Minnesota family law. They call for a clear harm analysis in custody cases involving domestic abuse, restraining orders, stronger enforcement and penalties for custodial interference, guaranteed restoration of parenting time when allegations are unsubstantiated, and firm timelines for court rulings. Overall, the goal is to protect children while ensuring due process and consistent, timely judicial decisions
Minnesota Child and Family Safety Act
Minnesota Statute 518.17 lacks a clear framework when restraining orders intersect with custody, leading to inconsistent harm determinations.
MNFLR supports:
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Clear harm analysis using a four-part evaluation
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Neutral findings when no harm is proven
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Protection of parenting time when findings are neutral
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Structured therapeutic pathways when harm is identified
Minnesota Interference Prevention Bill
Minnesota Statute 609.26 addresses custodial interference, but inconsistent enforcement allows repeat violations with limited consequences.
MNFLR supports:
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Graduated penalties for documented violations
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$500 fines for first and second offenses
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Felony designation for repeated interference
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Clear enforcement tracking and due-process hearings
Minnesota Parenting Time Restoration Act
Minnesota law does not guarantee restoration of parenting time lost due to investigations without substantiated findings, leaving families without remedy.
MNFLR supports:
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Mandatory make-up parenting time when allegations are unsubstantiated
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Equivalent restoration matching time denied
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Parent selection of restoration scheduling
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Fee waivers and reimbursement when time is wrongfully withheld
Timely Family Court Act
Minnesota family law lacks consistent timelines for judicial rulings, creating delays that impact children, families, and case stability.
MNFLR supports:
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Statutory deadlines for rulings within 10 business days
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Written justification for any extensions
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Statewide timeliness tracking and reporting
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Accountability measures for noncompliance
Minnesota Family Balance Standard
Minnesota family law lacks consistent custody outcomes and increases conflict between parents.
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A rebuttable presumption of equal parenting time for fit parents
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A minimum threshold of 45% parenting time to ensure meaningful involvement
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Clear and convincing evidence required to deviate from equal parenting time
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Written judicial findings when the presumption is rebutted to ensure accountability and consistency
Reunification Transparency
The Reunification Transparency and Accountability Act establishes:
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Therapist qualification standards
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Measurable benchmarks
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Court review timelines
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Financial transparency
Therapy must be child-focused and outcome-based.
ADR and Mental Health Oversight
Proposed reforms include:
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Conflict-of-interest disclosures
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Compliance standards
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Transparent fee structures
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Oversight reporting
ADR should resolve conflict, not deepen it.
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