The state parks may close, but the attorney general's office says the courts should stay open.
Attiorney General Lori Swanson filed a petition with the Ramsey County District Court Friday asking that if Minnesota's state government shuts down July 1, that funding continue flowing to the courts system.
Her argument: "A functioning court system is needed to protect the basic rights of all Minnesota citizens." Plus, the petition argues, the "state treasury contains ample funds" for the court system to continue operating past the end of the fiscal year on June 30.
Swanson's appeal mirrors one made in 2001, when a government shutdown was dodged at the last minute. A court directed that the money keep flowing a decade ago.
Here's a copy of the petition:
