Minnesota was the 32nd state admitted to the Union, on May 11, 1858. It is the 12th largest state by area, and with just over 5.5 million inhabitants, the 22nd most populous state in the US. Known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” the state is prominently known for this feature. With nearly 60% of residents living in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, or “Twin Cities”, it is a predominant area in the state for tourism, development, and the state’s economy. The center of transportation, educational institutions, business, and government offices are primarily situated in this region of the state.

Today the state’s economy is highly driven by the finished products and services sector. It is home to many well-known corporations including Target, 3M, Hormel, Land O’Lakes, Valspar, Best Buy, and General Mills, among other major corporations. With a 3.1% unemployment rate in 2017, it was among the lowest in the country.

Minnesota’s government, like the federal government, is divided into three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. 

• The Executive Branch is led by the governor of the state, who leads a cabinet that consists of leaders of state agencies.  These leaders are called commissioners.  Other elected offices are the secretary of state, attorney general and the state auditor. 
• The Legislative Branch of Minnesota is broken into two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives.  The state is broken into districts and each district has one senator and two representatives.  The districts are comprised of about 67,000 people.
• For the state’s judicial branch, the court system has three levels.  Additionally, there are two specialized courts:  the tax court and a workers compensation court.  The District courts, which are the courts of general jurisdiction, and the state has ten districts.  Appeals are heard by the Minnesota Court of Appeals, which has 19 judges that hear cases in three-judge panels.  The Supreme Court of the state has seven judges, and it hears all appeals from the tax court and workers’ compensation court of appeals, as well as first-degree murder convictions.  The Minnesota Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over election disputes.

Minnesota is known for the Twin Cities, however, there are several popular destinations in the state, including the largest indoor mall in the US, the Mall of America. Minnesota also held title as the most literate US state in 2015, and is home to several major universities including the University of Minnesota, Walden University, and over 37 public education institutions throughout the state.

Visitors to the National Law Review will find the latest news and stories from the state. Employment law, wage and hourly discrimination, biofuel and environmental news, educational news, and government agency stories, are among those covered by the National Law Review. Visitors to the site will find news coverage updated regularly, and will always find the latest stories, legislation, and litigation throughout the state, through the online site.