Subdivision 1. General. A claimant is entitled to the damages provided for in this section.

Subd. 2. Reimbursement; monetary damages; attorney fees. (a) The claimant is entitled to reimbursement for all restitution, assessments, fees, court costs, and other sums paid by the claimant as required by the judgment and sentence. In addition, the claimant is entitled to monetary damages of not less than $50,000 for each year of incarceration, and not less than $25,000 for each year served on supervised release or as a registered predatory offender, to be prorated for partial years served. In calculating additional monetary damages, the panel shall consider:

(1) economic damages, including reasonable attorney fees, lost wages, reimbursement for costs associated with the claimant's criminal defense;

(2) reimbursement for medical and dental expenses that the claimant already incurred and future unpaid expenses expected to be incurred as a result of the claimant's incarceration;

(3) noneconomic damages for personal physical injuries or sickness and any nonphysical injuries or sickness incurred as a result of incarceration;

(4) reimbursement for any tuition and fees paid for each semester successfully completed by the claimant in an educational program or for employment skills and development training, up to the equivalent value of a four-year degree at a public university, and reasonable payment for future unpaid costs for education and training, not to exceed the anticipated cost of a four-year degree at a public university;

(5) reimbursement for paid or unpaid child support payments owed by the claimant that became due, and interest on child support arrearages that accrued, during the time served in prison provided that there shall be no reimbursement for any child support payments already owed before the claimant's incarceration; and

(6) reimbursement for reasonable costs of paid or unpaid reintegrative expenses for immediate services secured by the claimant upon exoneration and release, including housing, transportation and subsistence, reintegrative services, and medical and dental health care costs.

(b) The panel shall award the claimant reasonable attorney fees incurred in bringing a claim under sections 611.362 to 611.368 and in obtaining an order of eligibility for compensation based on exoneration under chapter 590.

Subd. 3. Limits on damages. There is no limit on the aggregate amount of damages that may be awarded under this section. Damages that may be awarded under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (4) to (6), are limited to $100,000 per year of incarceration and $50,000 per year served on supervised release or as a registered predatory offender.

Subd. 4. Notice and acceptance of award. A claimant who is awarded damages under this section must be provided with a written notice of the award, which must include an itemization of the total damage award calculation. A claimant's acceptance of an award, compromise, or settlement must be in writing and is final and conclusive on the claimant.

Subd. 5. Subsequent damage awards. Any future damages awarded to the claimant resulting from an action by the claimant against the state or a political subdivision of this state based on the same subject must be offset by the damage award received under this section.

Subd. 6. No offsets. The damage award must not be offset by:

(1) any expenses incurred by the state or any political subdivision of the state, including expenses incurred to secure the claimant's custody or to feed, clothe, or provide medical services for the claimant; or

(2) the value of any services or reduction in fees for services, or the value of services to be provided to the claimant that may be awarded to the claimant under this section.

Subd. 7. Survival of claim. A pending order issued under section 590.11, subdivision 7, or claim under sections 611.362 to 611.368, survives the death of the petitioner or claimant and the personal representative of the person may be substituted as the claimant or bring a claim.

History: 2014 c 269 s 6; 1Sp2019 c 5 art 2 s 22,23