The case hinged on the fact defendant Stacy Stranne repeatedly opened the coffee shop and restaurant for business after the revocation of her food and beverage license by the health department.
The petition asked the state’s highest court to reconsider an earlier ruling by the Minnesota Court of Appeals, which found the Ramsey County District Court did not abuse its discretion in issuing a temporary injunction and contempt of court order against Stacy Stranne for operating the Lake Shore coffee shop without a license.
Attorney Richard Dahl, who represents the previous operator of Iron Waffle Coffee Co., delivered a scathing rebuke of the Minnesota Department of Health, its counsel from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office and the judicial system itself during oral arguments in the virtual hearing in Ramsey County District Court.
In a ruling filed Monday, Feb. 28, the state appeals court rejected the business’ arguments seeking to invalidate findings of the Ramsey County District Court as part of an ongoing civil lawsuit of the Minnesota Department of Health against the coffee shop. The lawsuit came after months of inspections, fines and other administrative actions failed to prevent the business from disobeying pandemic-driven executive orders concerning mask usage and indoor dining restrictions while continuing to operate.
Arguing on behalf of the Iron Waffle Coffee Co., Attorney Richard Dahl sought to make the case the Minnesota Department of Health lacked the authority to revoke food and beverage licenses in response to violations of Gov. Tim Walz’s executive orders in the first place, citing a number of state statutes he said collectively define emergency enforcement.