The hearing shall be conducted by a court without a jury. A certified copy of an inspection report meets the requirements of rule 803(8) of the Minnesota Rules of Evidence as an exception to the rule against hearsay, and meets the requirements of rules 901 and 902 of the Minnesota Rules of Evidence as to authentication.
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Subd. 7.Release of rent prior to hearing.
If the residential tenant gives written notice to the court administrator that the violation has been remedied, the court administrator must release the rent to the landlord and, unless the hearing has been consolidated with another action, must cancel the hearing. If the residential tenant and the landlord enter into a written agreement signed by both parties apportioning the rent between them, the court administrator must release the rent in accordance with the written agreement and cancel the hearing.
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Subd. 8.Consolidation with an eviction action.
Actions under this section and eviction actions which involve the same parties must be consolidated and heard on the date scheduled for the eviction action.
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Subd. 9.Judgment.
(a) Upon finding that a violation exists, the court may, in its discretion, do any or all of the following:
(1) order relief as provided in section 504B.425, including retroactive rent abatement;
(2) order that all or a portion of the rent in escrow be released for the purpose of remedying the violation;
(3) order that rent be deposited with the court as it becomes due to the landlord or abate future rent until the landlord remedies the violation; or
(4) impose fines as required in section 504B.391.