Minn. R. Civ. P. 53.07 (2026)
Action on Master's Order, Report, or Recommendations
(a)Action.
In acting on a master's order, report, or recommendations, the court must afford an opportunity to be heard and may receive evidence, and may: adopt or affirm; modify; wholly or partly reject or reverse; or resubmit to the master with instructions.
(b)Time to Object or Move.
A party may file objections to - or a motion to adopt or modify - the master's order, report, or recommendations no later than 21 days from the time the master's order, report, or recommendations are served, unless the court sets a different time.
(c)Fact Findings.
The court must decide de novo all objections to findings of fact made or recommended by a master unless the parties stipulate with the court's consent that:
(1) the master's findings will be reviewed for clear error, or
(2) the findings of a master appointed under Rule 53.01(a)(1) or (3) will be final.
(d)Legal Conclusions.
The court must decide de novo all objections to conclusions of law made or recommended by a master.
(e)Procedural Matters.
Unless the order of appointment establishes a different standard of review, the court may set aside a master's ruling on a procedural matter only for an abuse of discretion.
(Added effective January 1, 2006; amended effective January 1, 2020.)
Advisory Committee Comment - 2019 Amendments
Rule 53.07(b) is amended as part of the extensive amendments made to the timing provisions of the rules. These amendments implement the adoption of a standard "day" for counting deadlines under the rules - counting all days regardless of the length of the period and standardizing the time periods, where practicable, to a 7-, 14-, 21- or 28-day schedule. The only change to this rule changes the 20-day period to file a response to a master's decision to 21 days. This change affects only the time limit, and is not intended to have any other effect.