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Northfield News
Northfield attorney faces possible 2nd suspension over eviction case
A Minnesota Supreme Court-appointed referee has recommended suspending a prominent Northfield attorney for at least 60 days after finding he violated professional conduct rules while pursuing a 2024 eviction case in Faribault. Referee Jon A. Maturi concluded in September that David Ludescher filed a frivolous eviction complaint and a subsequent frivolous motion for a new trial. However, Maturi determined that the filings were not malicious and that the misconduct was substantially less serious than violations that led to Ludescher’s previous suspension in 2023. Ludescher, a former Northfield city councilor and frequent voice in local political discussions, disputes the findings. The case began when a woman acquired a Faribault rental property whose previous owner had leased it without obtaining the required city rental license. The new owner retained Ludescher to evict two tenants, citing concerns about property damage, access to the home and potential civil or criminal penalties for continuing to rent without a license. Although the city of Faribault prohibits renting property without a license, its ordinance does not specify whether such a violation invalidates an existing lease. Ludescher maintained that the previous owner’s failure to obtain a license made the agreement unenforceable against the new owner, who should not
CBS Minnesota
