MINNESOTA BECOME A STATE IN 1858, BUT ITS SUPREME COURT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1849. AS THE STATE'S ONLY APPELLATE COURT, ITS 9 6-YEAR TERM JUSTICES HANDLED ALMOST 1,200 APPEALS IN 1978. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WERE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE LOWER COURTS. AT THE SUPREME COURT A CASE CAN HAVE THE GREATEST EFFECT ON LAW AND SOCIETY SINCE THE CASES SERVE AS PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE CASES. TO BRING A CASE TO THE SUPREME COURT, A LAWYER MUST FILE BRIEFS ACCOMPANIED BY ALL THE CASE RECORDS FROM THE TRIAL COURT. THE COURT COMMISSIONER REVIEWS EACH CASE FIRST, AND THEN, MAKES A DECISION ON INFORMATION FROM THE BRIEFS AND RECORDS OR REQUIRES ORAL HEARINGS BEFORE THE JUSTICES. THE COURT ALSO HOLDS PREHEARINGS IN MOST CIVIL CASES. IF A RULING OF THE LOWER COURT FOR A NEW TRIAL. THE SUPREME COURT DECISION IS FINAL AND MUST BE UPHELD BY THE LOWER COURTS. THE LAST POSSIBLE APPEAL WOULD BE TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, THIS POSSIBLE ONLY IF A QUESTION OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION IS INVOLVED. FEWER THAN HALF A DOZEN CASES TRAVEL FROM THE MINNESOTA SUPREME COURTS TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT EACH YEAR. BESIDES THE COURT COMMISSIONER, COURT PERSONNEL INCLUDES THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, COURT CLERK, LAW CLERKS, LEGAL SECRETARIES, AND THE COURT MARSHALL. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (JLF)