Minnesota State Law Library
Minnesota State Law Library
Walking into the Special Collections Room, the first thing you see is the table in the center. On it are the most precious items in the collection: Natura Brevium, Rules of Court, 1849, and the Attorney Roll Books.
The collection is kept in Library of Congress Call Number order, based on the alphabet, and the left wing of shelving holds the first part of the alphabet. Kept in this area are volumes on Minnesota history and materials on the U. S. Constitution.
On the left wall panel hangs a framed reproduction of the Bill of Rights.
This section of shelving holds general legal books, items related to England, famous cases and several dictionaries.
The portrait hanging in the center of the room is of Chief Justice Peter Popovich. He was the first Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals and was later the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He is the only person to hold the position of Chief in both of the appellate courts of Minnesota.
This is a stamper used by the Minnesota Supreme Court on court documents. It can still make an impression, but it is worn. It was donated to the library when it was no longer usable.
In the right wing of shelves are kept the materials related to the U. S. Supreme Court as well as some of the states at the beginning of the alphabet.
A decorated copy of the U. S. Constitution hangs on the right wall panel.
This part of the shelving holds the materials from the states, including Minnesota.
A number of the decorations and furnishings in the Special Collection room were provided by Judge R. A. Randall.