Poverty Law: Public and Subsidized Housing, Due Process in Government Benefits Programs, Domestic Violence, and Homelessness (Formerly Poverty Law II) University of Minnesota Law School Mondale Hall Room 7 Spring 2026 (3 hours) - Thursdays, 9:05 a.m. -12:05 p.m. Professors Larry McDonough and Brianna Boone |
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Week |
Date |
First Half |
Second Half |
1 |
1/22 |
Introduction to Poverty Law Overview of Class and Materials Professor Larry McDonough Professor Brianna Boone |
Working with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Individuals Professor Brianna Boone Required Reading: Summary on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Language Access Ramsey County Language Access Plan, pages 14-23 DEED Language Access Plan (skim) Minnesota students speak nearly 300 different languages at home In Class Exercise: Language Access Issue Spotting Hypo (handed out) |
2 |
1/29 |
Unemployment Insurance - The Basics Professor Boone Required Reading: Minnesota Statute Chapter 268 (review table of sections) MN UI Website (explore the website) Eligibility Requirements (1 page) Information Handbook (28 pages - skim) In Class Exercise: UI Eligibility Hypos |
Unemployment Insurance - Common Issues for Low-Income Individuals Professor Boone In Class Exercise: UI Low-Income Issues Hypo |
3 |
2/5 |
Minnesota Background Studies Act - Disqualifications and Set Asides Professor Boone Guest Lecturer Russell Squire, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services Required Reading: Job Disqualifications (6 pages) Human Services Background Study Eligibility Task Force, Final Report to the Minnesota Legislature (43 pages) |
Criminal Record Expungements and Pardons Professor Boone Guest Lecturer Russell Squire, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services Required Reading: Public v. Private Information: Criminal Records (2 pages) Instructions for Expungement (7 pages) Petition for Expungement (6 pages) National Record Clearing Project (skim website) In Class Exercise: Issue Spotting Options for Client with Criminal Record; Racial Justice Discussion |
4 |
2/12 |
Due Process - Notice of Adverse Action and Benefits Pending Appeal Professor Boone Required Reading: Goldberg v. Kelly, 397 U.S. 254 (1970) (16 pages) In Class Exercise: Review and Discuss Termination/Reduction/Overpayment Notices |
Due Process - Appeals and Fair Hearings Professor Boone Required Reading: Minnesota Statute §§ 256.045 and 256.0451 (skim) Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319 (1976) (18 pages) Fosselman v. Commissioner, 612 N.W.2d 456 (Minn. Ct. App. 2000) (18 pages - skim) Sweet v. Commissioner, 702 N.W.2d 314 (Minn. Ct. App. 2005) (14 pages - skim) In Class Exercise: Excluding Evidence |
5 |
2/19 |
Post-Entitlement Issues - Overpayments Professor Boone Required Reading: MFIP, GA, MSA and SNAP Overpayments (3 pages) 7 C.F.R. § 273.18 (SNAP) (skim) Minn. Stat. § 256P.08 (MFIP, GA, MSA) (skim) Request for Waiver of Social Security Overpayment Recovery In Class Exercise: Social Security Overpayment Waiver Form |
Intentional Program Violations (AKA Welfare Fraud) Professor Boone Required Reading: Welfare Fraud Cases and Hearings (3 pages) Minn. Stat. § § 256P.07 (skim) Minn. Stat. § § 256.046, subds. 1 and 2 (skim) Notice of Intentional Program Violation and Waiver of ADH In Class Exercise: Discuss ADH Waiver Form; Welfare Fraud Hypo |
6 |
2/26 |
Civil Remedies for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence Professor Boone Required Reading: Power and Control Wheels (review wheel and watch videos) |
Working with Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence Professor Boone In Class Exercise: DV Legal Issue Spotting Hypo; Safety Plan with a Client Graded Paper Assignment #1 Handed Out |
7 |
3/5 |
Working with Unhoused Individuals: Common Issues, Emergency Shelter, and Encampments Professor Boone Guest Lecturer Ben Weiss, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services Required Reading: Tent City, USA - Executive Summary (pages 7-16); Section 5: Legal Standards (read pages 82-86, skim 86-95) Graded Paper Assignment # 1 Due at 9:05 a.m. via email to Professor Boone |
Housing Law: Introduction Professor McDonough Tenants' Rights in Minnesota, Minnesota Legal Services Coalition Come with questions! |
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3/12 |
Spring Break |
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8 |
3/19 |
Housing Law: Introduction Continued Professor McDonough Tenants' Rights in Minnesota, Minnesota Legal Services Coalition Come with questions! New Laws |
Housing Law: Introduction to Public and Subsidized Housing Programs Professor McDonough
● Read Skim Housing Link, Subsidized Housing |
9 |
3/26 |
Housing Law: Public and Subsidized Housing Evictions Professor McDonough Short Slide Show Rights of Tenants Facing Evictions from Public and Subsidized Housing (August 2025) |
Housing Law: Public and Subsidized Housing Evictions Professor McDonough Long Slide Show (Except Criminal Activity Eviction Cases Slides 126-146) |
10 |
4/2 |
Housing Law: Public and Subsidized Housing Evictions Professor McDonough Minnesota and Federal Defenses
● Read
● Skim |
Housing Law: Public and Subsidized Housing Evictions Professor McDonough Minnesota and Federal Defenses
● Read
● Skim |
11 |
4/9 |
Housing Law: Criminal Activity Claims in Private and Subsidized Housing Professor McDonough Wait a Minute: Slowing Down Criminal Activity Eviction Cases to Find the Truth in Minnesota (2024) |
Housing Law: Criminal Activity Claims in Private and Subsidized Housing Professor McDonough Wait a Minute: Slowing Down Criminal Activity Eviction Cases to Find the Truth in Minnesota (2024) |
12 |
4/16 |
Housing Law: Expungement Professor McDonough
● Read
● Skim Residential Eviction Defense in Minnesota, Chapter VIII, § E.5 (Needs updating) Other Landlord and Tenant Actions
● Read Read the forms for emergency tenant remedies actions, rent escrow actions, and tenant remedies actions
● Skim Residential Eviction Defense and Tenant Claims in Minnesota Chapter XII §§ B.0-3 (Needs updating) |
Housing Law: Security Deposits Professor McDonough Security Deposits in Minnesota (Needs updating) Graded Paper Assignment #2 Handed Out |
13 |
4/23 |
Poverty Law Work and Life Balance TBD Graded Paper Assignment# 2 Due at 9:05 a.m. via email Professor McDonough |
Complete surveys and provide class feedback |