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HF 5029

Criminal penalties for bribing or corruptly influencing a juror provided.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Elliott Engen and 2 co-sponsors

The bill creates a standalone felony crime for bribing a juror, with up to 10 years or $20,000 fine, and extends similar penalties to corrupt influence of jurors.

Authors added Lawrence and Engen
#courts #crimesandcriminals #publicsafetydepartment
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Bill Summary · HF 5029

Summary of HF 5029 (Session 2025-2026) – Minnesota

Purpose and Intent

HF 5029 proposes to create strict criminal penalties for bribery or corrupt influence involving jurors in Minnesota courts. The legislation adds a dedicated statute to criminalize offering, giving, promising, or receiving bribes or other improper rewards aimed at influencing a juror’s vote or position on a matter before the court. It also updates existing penalties for corruptly influencing legislators or jurors to explicitly include jurors under the same framework.

Key aims:
- Deter bribery and improper influence of jurors.
- Clarify and strengthen penalties for actions that compromise the integrity of jury deliberations and verdicts.
- Align juror-related corruption provisions with other corrupt influencing offenses.

Key Provisions

Section 1. New Bribery of a Juror (Minnesota Statutes, proposed § 609.421)

  • Offense: Offering, giving, or promising any benefit, reward, or consideration directly or indirectly to a juror in any Minnesota court (impaneled or not) with the intent to influence the juror’s vote or position on a matter before the juror.
  • Classification: Felony.
  • Penalty (Subd. 3): Up to 10 years imprisonment, or a fine of up to $20,000, or both.

  • Effective Date: August 1, 2026, applying to crimes committed on or after that date.

  • Offense: Receiving bribery by a juror (juror summoned to any court in the state, impaneled or not) who requests, receives, or agrees to receive, directly or indirectly, any benefit, reward, or consideration in exchange for influencing the juror’s vote or position.

  • Classification: Felony.

  • Penalty (Subd. 3): Up to 10 years imprisonment, or a fine of up to $20,000, or both.

  • Effective Date: August 1, 2026, applying to crimes committed on or after that date.

Section 2. Amendment to § 609.425 (Corruptly Influencing Legislator or Juror)

  • Existing framework already criminalizes corruptly influencing a legislator or juror by menace, deceit, concealment of facts, or other corrupt means.
  • The bill amends § 609.425 to specify that the same prohibitions apply to attempts to influence:
    • a member or elected official of the legislature, or
    • a juror summoned to any court in the state (impaneled or not), with a maximum penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine up to $10,000, or both.

  • Effective Date: August 1, 2026, applying to crimes committed on or after that date.

  • Note: The revised § 609.425 consolidates corrupt influence provisions for jurors, potentially harmonizing penalties with existing corruption statutes, though it sets a separate cap (5 years, $10,000) for the modified section.

Who Is Affected

  • Jurors: Both those impaneled and those summoned, who are targeted by bribes or improper inducements.
  • Individuals who offer, give, promise, or receive such bribes or inducements (defendants, jurors’ associates, witnesses, etc.).
  • Legislators and other state-level public officials remain within the scope of corruptly influencing under the amended § 609.425, with updated references to jurors.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective Date: August 1, 2026. The statute applies to offenses committed on or after that date.
  • The measure was introduced (H.F. No. 5029) and referred to the Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee on April 20, 2026.
  • The bill includes a cross-referencing amendment to 609.425, ensuring consistency in penalties and procedures for corrupt influencing across both legislators and jurors.

Observations and Implications

  • The new § 609.421 establishes a distinct, standalone felony offense for bribing a juror, with a maximum penalty aligned with many other serious felony offenses (up to 10 years, $20,000 fine).
  • The changes to § 609.425 appear to broaden or clarify the applicability of corrupt influence statutes to jurors, potentially creating parallel enforcement pathways alongside § 609.421.
  • The August 1, 2026 effective date provides a runway for courts, law enforcement, and prosecutors to prepare for the new standards.
  • The bill emphasizes the integrity of the jury system by criminalizing both the act of bribing jurors and attempts to corruptly influence them.

If you’d like, I can compare these provisions to current Minnesota statutes or provide a brief impact assessment for prosecutors, defense counsel, or court administrators.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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