Minnesota Statutes

Minn. Stat. § 645.27 (2026)

State Bound By Statute; When

✓ current as of May 2026
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The state is not bound by the passage of a law unless named therein, or unless the words of the act are so plain, clear, and unmistakable as to leave no doubt as to the intention of the legislature.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 25 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1958–2026 · leading case: Nichols v. State, 858 N.W.2d 773 (Minn. 2015).
Nichols v. State, 858 N.W.2d 773 (Minn. 2015). · cites it 31× “65, see Minn.Stat. § 645.27 (2014), we hold that Nichols may not sue the State under those provisions.”
Nichols v. State, Off. of the Sec'y, 842 N.W.2d 20 (Minn. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 15× “492, § 27, at 914 (codified at Minn.Stat. § 645.27). Since 1941, the supreme court’s caselaw has followed the statute by continuing to recognize that the doctrine of sovereign immunity protects the state from statutory claims unless the immunity is waived, and by recognizing…”
Star Tribune Co. v. Univ. of Minnesota Bd. of Regents, 683 N.W.2d 274 (Minn. 2004). · cites it 4× “Using Minn.Stat. § 645.27, a rule of statutory construction which provides that "the state is not bound by the passage of a law unless named therein," the University, which is itself a constitutional arm of the state, would not be bound by the Veterans Preference Act unless…”
AFSCME Councils 6, 14, 65 & 96, AFL-CIO v. Sundquist, 338 N.W.2d 560 (Minn. 1983). · cites it 4× “022 (1982) (state retirement fund); see also Minn.Stat. § 645.27 (1982) (state not bound by statute unless statute expressly provides).”
City of Brainerd v. Brainerd Investments P'ship, 827 N.W.2d 752 (Minn. 2013). · cites it 3× “" Minn.Stat. § 645.27 (2012). Appellants assert that because the State is not named in Minn.”
Meriwether Minnesota Land & Timber, LLC v. State, 818 N.W.2d 557 (Minn. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 6× “” Minn.Stat. § 645.27 (2010). The district court did not find a contractual right in the SFIA.”
Christina Berrier v. Minnesota State Patrol, 9 N.W.3d 368 (Minn. 2024). · cites it 110× “at 428 (quoting Minn. Stat. § 645.27 ) (internal quotation marks omitted).”
Kimberly-Clark Corp. & Subsidiaries, Relators/Cross-Respondents v. Comm'r of Revenue, Respondent/Cross-Appellant., 880 N.W.2d 844 (Minn. 2016). · cites it 2× “See Minn.Stat. § 645.27 (2014) (“The state is not bound by the passage of a law unless named therein, or unless the words of the act are so plain, clear, and unmistakable as to leave no doubt as to the intention of the legislature.”
Lienhard v. State, 431 N.W.2d 861 (Minn. 1988). · cites it 2× “27 (1986), lies in the doctrine of sovereign immunity, there is little reason to extend its application to the construction of a statute subjecting the State to liability for tort claims as if it were a private person.”
Marriage of Holmberg v. Holmberg, 588 N.W.2d 720 (Minn. 1999). · cites it 2× “2d 770 , 771 (1947) (holding that statute allowing costs on appeal did not apply to the state acting in its sovereign capacity without specific indication that it applied to the state); see also Minn.Stat. § 645.27 (1998).”
City of Minneapolis Com'n v. Univ. Of Minn., 356 N.W.2d 841 (Minn. Ct. App. 1984). · cites it 4× “1 of Minneapolis and any commission, board or department of city government created by the charter of the city of Minneapolis or by statute or ordinance are subject to the existing civil rights ordinance and any hereafter enacted. The State of Minnesota is not mentioned in the…”
Breaker v. Bemidji State Univ., 899 N.W.2d 515 (Minn. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “” Minn. Stat. § 645.27 (2016). When a state is sued by its own citizens for damages under a federal act, sovereign immunity bars relief.”
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