April 2019: Bremer Financial receives inquiry from Great Western Bancshares for informal exploration of a merger of equals. Bremer Financial board authorizes further discussions.

June 2019: Trustees of Bremer Trust inform Bremer Financial board they dislike merger-of-equals structure, say outright sale will yield more value for trust. Board votes to end talks with Great Western.

August 2019: Bremer Trust trustees meet executives from two banks, but no offers for Bremer Financial materialize.

October 2019: Bremer Trust trustees publicly announce the trust's shares in Bremer Financial are for sale.

November 2019: Bremer Financial sues the trustees, accusing them of a "disloyal scheme" to seize control of the bank company.

September 2020: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sues to remove trustees from leadership of Otto Bremer Trust, announces plan to appoint three new trustees

October 2021: State District Judge Robert Awsumb presides over an evidentiary hearing that lasted 18 days.

January 2022: Attorneys file findings of fact with Awsumb and make closing arguments at one-day hearing.

April 2022: Awsumb orders the removal of Brian Lipschutz, the trustee who pushed the hardest in 2019 for a sale of Bremer Financial, and says separating the two Bremer entities might be in the best interests of both.