Internal prototype — noindexed, not linked from public navigation yet.

Minn. Stat. § 3.16

This is the official text of Minn. Stat. § 3.16, part of Minnesota’s Stat — part of the compiled statutory law of Minnesota, published by the state as "Stat." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

§ 3.16 MEMBERS, OFFICERS, AND ATTORNEYS EXCUSED FROM COURT DUTY.

Official statutory text

No member or officer of, or attorney employed by, the legislature shall be compelled to attend as a witness in a court of this state during a session of the legislature, or while attending a meeting of a legislative committee or commission when the legislature is not in session unless the court in which the action is pending orders it, upon sufficient showing and with the consent of the presiding officer of the body of which the witness is an employee or the consent of the body of which the witness is a member. No cause or proceeding, civil or criminal, in court or before a commission or an officer or referee of a court or commission or a motion or hearing on the cause or proceeding, in which a member or officer of, or an attorney employed by, the legislature is a party, attorney, or witness shall be tried or heard during a session of the legislature or while the member, officer, or attorney is attending a meeting of a legislative committee or commission when the legislature is not in session. The matter shall be continued until the legislature or the committee or commission meeting has adjourned.

The member, officer, or attorney may, with the consent of the body of the legislature of which the person is a member, officer, or employee, waive this privilege. The cause or proceeding, motion, or hearing may then be tried or heard at a time that will not conflict with legislative duties.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

Need a lawyer in Minnesota?

Find a Minnesota lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.