Minn. Supreme Court Rules Spanking Kids Isn't Illegal

The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that spanking children isn't illegal. The court ruled in a 2005 case in which a father paddled his son's upper thighs 36 times in 12-blow increments. Justice Alan Page wrote the unanimous opinion upholding a state Court of Appeals ruling. However, the Supreme Court determined that the Court of Appeals too narrowly defined abuse as that which "constitutes the crime of malicious punishment of a child."The Supreme Court determined that physical abuse that causes only mental injury may qualify as abuse in terms of the child needing protective services. Justice Christopher Dietzen did not take part in the Supreme Court ruling. That's because he wrote the Court of Appeals decision before he was elevated to the high court.