Judge Stays Further Action In Lawsuit Over Sex Offender Program

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge has stayed further proceedings in a class-action lawsuit over Minnesota's sex offender treatment program while lawyers for the offenders ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review an appeals court finding that the program is constitutional.

U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank declared the program unconstitutional after phase one of the case in 2015 because only a handful of offenders had ever won provisional releases. However, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed him in January.

In a ruling Wednesday, Frank agreed with lawyers who represent more than 700 offenders in the program that it makes sense to put further proceedings for addressing the remaining legal issues on hold for at least 90 days while the Supreme Court considers whether to hear the case.