Bloomington police officers on duty at the Mall of America thought that Michael Jointer, an African American male, was someone else. They thought that he was another African American male named Leon Combs, who was on trespass at the mall. So they stopped Jointer and asked for his ID. (more…)
By Ashwin Madia, Attorney, on October 3, 2019
Aaron Benner started teaching at St. Paul Public Schools in 1995 and earned immediate praise for his outstanding results and devotion to students. He earned tenure in 1999 and was nominated for Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2005. He was the only black male teacher at Johnson Elementary during the 2014-15 school year.
By Ashwin Madia, Attorney, on September 30, 2019
Mark Henderson was a hostage held at gunpoint in a room at the Woodbury Red Roof Inn on August 30, 2012. He fled the room and approached Woodbury police officers with his hands raised. He complied with their commands to get on the ground. As he lay unarmed in a prone position approximately 10-12 feet in front of them, the officers shouted conflicting and contradictory commands that even they couldn’t hear or understand. Within seconds, they opened fire and killed him.
By Ashwin Madia, Attorney, on September 23, 2019
Dr. Robert Roswick worked as a family practice physician at Mid Dakota Clinic in Bismarck, North Dakota. He felt that Mid Dakota’s CEO and Board of Directors were racially discriminating against an Indian-American colleague of his by pushing forward with termination without allowing the colleague the same due process rights afforded to other shareholders at the Clinic.
By Joshua A. Newville, Attorney, on March 7, 2019
(Minneapolis; March 7, 2019)—Alice James will join Attorney General Keith Ellison and Department of Human Rights (MDHR) Commissioner Rebecca Lucero in suing a plasma collection company for its discriminatory ban on donations by transgender persons.
In 2011, Ms. James began donating plasma at CSL Plasma locations in Minnesota. For nearly four years, CSL refused to acknowledge Ms. James’ gender identity. In 2015, CSL stopped allowing Ms. James to donate plasma, citing a company policy barring transgender persons from making such donations. That policy violates the Minnesota Human Rights Act. In 2016, Ms. James filed a discrimination complaint with the MDHR. That complaint led to the lawsuit filed this week by the MDHR and Attorney General.
By Madia Law, on January 28, 2019
Madia Law’s Joshua Newville has been selected to serve on the Federal Practice Committee for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. The Federal Practice Committee works with the Court to improve the administration of justice in Minnesota’s federal courts. Newville was nominated to the Committee in 2018 by United States District Court Judge Patrick J. Schiltz. Newville will serve on the Committee from January 2019 to December 2021.
By Cody J. Blades, Attorney, on October 15, 2018
Before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers were free to discriminate against employees for almost any reason – whether it be their race, religion, or, of course, their gender. Even after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, employers continued to post gender- (and race-) specific help-wanted ads:
By Benjy Schirm, Super Lawyers, on June 11, 2018
The cases brought in the names of Philando Castile, Terence Crutcher, Tamir Rice and Freddie Gray never made it to trial. Each was brought to a halt earlier in the civil court process. This is an all-too-common occurrence, says Joshua Newville, a civil rights attorney in Minneapolis.
By Benjy Schirm, Super Lawyers, on June 6, 2018
The paths to take, or perhaps reconsider, in Minnesota
If you’re in the unfortunate position of feeling victimized by the police, Minnesota has guidelines of how to file a complaint and the process through which that complaint should go.
The traditional route begins with the procedure outlined by that police department, including filing any evidence or documentation you may have of what transpired. The Minneapolis Police Department publishes complaints, their results and the nature of the complaint, stating there are civilian investigators looking into these claims. You can even track complaints and search for similar complaints by category.
By Cody J. Blades, Attorney, on May 25, 2018
Here at Madia Law, a huge number of the clients we serve are people that have been injured while at work.
In Minnesota, your employer must pay for your care if you are injured at work. Employers in Minnesota are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance and use that insurance when an employee has been injured on the job.
By Ashwin Madia, Attorney, on November 10, 2019