Minnesota Statutes § 253D.11 - STATEWIDE JUDICIAL PANEL

§ Subdivision 1.Establishment. The supreme court may establish a panel of district judges with statewide authority to preside over commitment proceedings of sexually dangerous persons or persons with sexual psychopathic personalities. Only one judge of the panel is required to preside over a particular commitment proceeding. Panel members shall serve for one-year terms. One of the judges shall be designated as the chief judge of the panel, and is vested with the power to designate the presiding judge in a particular case, to set the proper venue for the proceedings, and to otherwise supervise and direct the operation of the panel. The chief judge shall designate one of the other judges to act as chief judge whenever the chief judge is unable to act. § Subd. 2.Petitions. If the supreme court creates the judicial panel authorized by this section, all petitions for civil commitment of sexually dangerous persons or persons with sexual psychopathic personalities brought under section 253D.07 shall be filed with the supreme court instead of with the district court in the county where the proposed patient is present, notwithstanding any provision of section 253D.07 to the contrary. Otherwise, all of the other applicable procedures contained in this chapter and sections 253B.07 and 253B.08 apply to commitment proceedings conducted by a judge on the panel.