Minnesota Supreme Court
| Minnesota Supreme Court |
|---|
| Court Information |
| Justices: 7 |
| Founded: 1858 |
| Location:Saint Paul |
| Salary |
| Associates: $214,935[1] |
| Judicial Selection |
| Method:Nonpartisan election |
| Term: 6 years |
| Active justices |
| Theodora Gaïtas,Sarah E. Hennesy,Natalie E. Hudson,Anne K. McKeig,Gordon Moore,Karl Procaccini,Paul Thissen |
Founded in 1858, theMinnesota Supreme Court is the state'scourt of last resort and has seven judgeships. The current chief of the court isNatalie Hudson.
As of May 2024, all seven judges on the court were appointed by a Democratic governor.
The court meets in the Minnesota Judicial Center inSt. Paul, Minnesota.[2]
In Minnesota, state supreme court justices are elected in nonpartisan elections. There are 13 states that use this selection method. To read more about the nonpartisan election of judges,click here.
Jurisdiction
The state supreme court hears appeals from theMinnesota Court of Appeals,Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals,Minnesota Tax Court, Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board and Board of Judicial Standards. The court also takes direct appeals for first degree murder and election contest appeals. Additionally, the supreme court has jurisdiction over the administration of the state's judicial system.[3]
The chief justice is the administrative head of the judicial branch and supervises the work of all courts and theMinnesota judicial council. The state court administrator is appointed by the chief justice and the judicial council. The following positions are also appointed by the court: supreme court commissioner, clerk of the appellate courts, and state law librarian.[4]
The court oversees regulation of the practice of law and it resolves petitions filed by thelawyers for professional responsibility board. It also oversees judicial and lawyer discipline. Finally, the court creates rules and procedures for all courts in the state.[5][6]
Justices
The table below lists the current judges of theMinnesota Supreme Court, their political party, when they assumed office, and the appointing governor.
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office | Appointed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice | Natalie E. Hudson | Nonpartisan | October 2, 2023 | Tim Walz (D) |
| Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 1 | Sarah E. Hennesy | Nonpartisan | May 13, 2024 | Tim Walz (D) |
| Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 2 | Theodora Gaïtas | Nonpartisan | August 1, 2024 | Tim Walz (D) |
| Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 3 | Gordon Moore | Nonpartisan | August 3, 2020 | Tim Walz (D) |
| Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 4 | Paul Thissen | Nonpartisan | 2018 | Mark Dayton (D) |
| Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 5 | Anne K. McKeig | Nonpartisan | September 15, 2016 | Mark Dayton (D) |
| Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 6 | Karl Procaccini | Nonpartisan | October 2, 2023 | Tim Walz (D) |
Salary
- See also:Minnesota court salaries and budgets
In 2025, the justices of the court received a salary of $214,935, according to the National Center for State Courts.[7]
Judicial selection
- See also:Judicial selection in Minnesota
Theseven judges of theMinnesota Supreme Court are chosen innonpartisan general elections to six-year terms. Sitting judges must run for re-election if they wish to serve additional terms. While party affiliation is not designated on the ballot, incumbency is.[8]
Qualifications
Judges of the supreme court are required to be "learned in the law" and under 70 years old. Sitting judges who reach the age of 70 while in office are allowed to serve until the last day of that month.[8]
Chief justice
The chief justice of theMinnesota Supreme Court is directly chosen by voters in anonpartisan election. He or she serves in that capacity for a full six-year term.[8]
Vacancies
Interim vacancies on the supreme court are filled viagubernatorial appointment. After serving for at least one year, the appointed judge can run for a full term in the next general election.[8] Other candidates may file to run against them in the election.[9]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
Elections
- See also:Minnesota Supreme Court elections
2024
The terms of threeMinnesota Supreme Court justices expired on January 7, 2025. The three seats were up fornonpartisan election on November 5, 2024. The primary was August 13, 2024. The filing deadline was June 4, 2024.
Candidates and results
Chief Justice: Hudson's seat
General election
General election for Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice
IncumbentNatalie E. Hudson defeatedStephen Emery in the general election for Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Natalie E. Hudson (Nonpartisan) | 63.4 | 1,529,063 | |
| Stephen Emery (Nonpartisan) | 36.2 | 872,720 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 9,023 | ||
Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 2,410,806 | |||
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. IncumbentNatalie E. Hudson andStephen Emery advanced from the primary for Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice.
Seat 5: McKeig's seat
General election
General election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 5
IncumbentAnne K. McKeig won election in the general election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 5 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Anne K. McKeig (Nonpartisan) | 98.7 | 1,888,791 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.3 | 24,247 | ||
Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,913,038 | |||
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. IncumbentAnne K. McKeig advanced from the primary for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 5.
Seat 6: Procaccini's seat
General election
General election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 6
IncumbentKarl Procaccini defeatedMatthew Hanson in the general election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 6 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Karl Procaccini (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 56.6 | 1,322,180 | |
Matthew Hanson (Nonpartisan) ![]() | 43.0 | 1,003,978 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 8,908 | ||
Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 2,335,066 | |||
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. IncumbentKarl Procaccini andMatthew Hanson advanced from the primary for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 6.
2022
The terms of twoMinnesota Supreme Court justices expired on January 2, 2023. The two seats were up fornonpartisan election on November 8, 2022.
Candidates and results
Seat 3: Moore's seat
General election
General election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 3
IncumbentGordon Moore won election in the general election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 3 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Gordon Moore (Nonpartisan) | 99.0 | 1,382,896 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 13,872 | ||
Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,396,768 | |||
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. IncumbentGordon Moore advanced from the primary for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 3.
Seat 6: Hudson's seat
General election
General election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 6
IncumbentNatalie E. Hudson won election in the general election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 6 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Natalie E. Hudson (Nonpartisan) | 99.1 | 1,372,369 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 12,723 | ||
Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,385,092 | |||
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. IncumbentNatalie E. Hudson advanced from the primary for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 6.
2020
The term of oneMinnesota Supreme Court justice expired on January 4, 2021. The seat was up fornonpartisan election on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for August 11, 2020.[10]
Candidates and results
Thissen's seat
General election
General election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 4
IncumbentPaul Thissen defeatedMichelle L. MacDonald in the general election for Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 4 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Paul Thissen (Nonpartisan) | 59.0 | 1,477,672 | |
| Michelle L. MacDonald (Nonpartisan) | 40.6 | 1,016,245 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 8,559 | ||
Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 2,502,476 | |||
= candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2018
The terms of fourMinnesota Supreme Court justices expired in 2019. Those justices stood fornonpartisan election by voters in 2018 in order to remain on the bench. The general election took place on November 6, 2018.
Candidates and results
Chief Justice: Gildea's seat
General election candidates
- Lorie Gildea (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
Seat 1: Anderson's seat
General election candidates
- Barry Anderson (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
Seat 2: Chutich's seat
General election candidates
- Margaret Chutich (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
- Michelle L. MacDonald (Nonpartisan)

= candidate completedBallotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Seat 5: McKeig's seat
General election candidates
- Anne K. McKeig (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
2016
General election candidates
Seat 6
■Natalie Hudson
(Incumbent)
■Michelle L. MacDonald
Election results
November 8 general election
IncumbentNatalie Hudson defeatedMichelle L. MacDonald in the general election for Seat 6 on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
| Minnesota Supreme Court, Seat 6, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| 58.81% | 1,266,827 | |
| Michelle L. MacDonald | 40.77% | 878,270 |
| Write-in votes | 0.42% | 8,945 |
| Total Votes (4073 of 4120 precincts reporting: 99%) | 2,154,042 | |
| Source:Minnesota Secretary of State | ||
August 9 primary election
Incumbent JusticeNatalie Hudson and challengerMichelle L. MacDonald were the top two finishers and advanced to the November 8 general election.
| Minnesota Supreme Court Primary, Seat 6, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| 64.96% | 173,884 | |
| 20.49% | 54,853 | |
| Craig Foss | 14.55% | 38,960 |
| Total Votes (4110 of 4120 Precincts Reporting) | 267,697 | |
| Source:Minnesota Secretary of State Official Results | ||
- Election history, 2008-2014 (click to expand)
2014
- See also:Minnesota judicial elections, 2014
- For more in-depth information, see:Minnesota Supreme Court elections, 2014
Seat 3Candidate Incumbency Primary Vote Election Vote HancockJohn Hancock No 42.9%
DWrightWilhelmina Wright
AYes 56.8%
ACandidate Incumbency Primary Vote Election Vote MacDonaldMichelle L. MacDonald No 46.5%
DLillehaugDavid Lillehaug
AYes 53.2%
A2012 - See also:Minnesota judicial elections, 2012
Chief justice
Candidate Incumbency Place Primary Vote Election Vote GriffithDan Griffith No Chief Justice 29.4%
A39.59%
AClarkJill Clark (Minnesota) No Chief Justice 21% GildeaLorie Gildea
AYes 49.7%
A60.0%
APlace 1
Candidate Incumbency Place Primary Vote Election Vote AndersonBarry Anderson (Minnesota)
AYes Seat 1 58.94%
ABarkleyDean Barkley No Place 1 40.65%
APlace 4
Candidate Incumbency Place Primary Vote Election Vote NelsonAlan Nelson No Place 4 21.7% StrasDavid Stras
AYes 48.8%
A55.95%
ATingelstadTim Tingelstad No Place 4 29.4%
A43.62%
A2010 - See also:2010 State Supreme Court elections
IncumbentHelen Meyer defeated challengerGreg Wersal.
Minnesota Supreme Court
2010 General election resultsCandidates Votes Percent Helen Meyer (D) 
n/a 58% Greg Wersal (R) n/a n/a IncumbentAlan Page defeated challengerTim Tingelstad.
Minnesota Supreme Court
2010 General election resultsCandidates Votes Percent Alan Page 
n/a 63.3% Tim Tingelstad n/a n/a Christopher Dietzen ran unopposed to retain his seat.
Minnesota Supreme Court
2010 General election resultsCandidates Votes Percent Christopher Dietzen 
n/a n/a 2008 - See also:State Supreme Court elections, 2008
Incumbent Paul H. Anderson defeated challengerTim Tingelstad.
Minnesota Supreme Court
2008 General election resultsCandidates Votes Percent Paul H. Anderson 
n/a 60.4% Tim Tingelstad n/a 39.2% IncumbentLorie Skjerven Gildea defeated challengerDeborah Hedlund.
Minnesota Supreme Court
2008 General election resultsCandidates Votes Percent Lorie Skjerven Gildea 
n/a 55% Deborah Hedlund n/a 45%
Appointments
2024
Justice Anderson vacancy
GovernorTim Walz appointedSarah Hennesy to theMinnesota Supreme Court on April 22, 2024. She took office on May 13, 2024.[11]
Hennesy replaced JusticeBarry Anderson, who retired on May 11, 2024. Anderson's replacement isGovernorWalz's (D) fourth nominee to the seven-member supreme court.
In Minnesota, state supreme court justices are elected in nonpartisan elections. There are 13 states that use this selection method. To read more about the nonpartisan election of judges,click here.
Interim vacancies on the supreme court are filled viagubernatorial appointment. After serving for at least one year, the appointed judge can run for a full term in the next general election.[8] Other candidates may file to run against them in the election.[9]
Justice Chutich vacancy
GovernorTim Walz (D) appointedTheodora Gaïtas to theMinnesota Supreme Court on April 22, 2024. She took office on August 1, 2024.[11]
Gaïtas replaced JusticeMargaret Chutich, who retired on July 31, 2024. Gaïtas isGovernorWalz's fifth nominee to the seven-member supreme court.
In Minnesota, state supreme court justices are elected in nonpartisan elections. There are 13 states that use this selection method. To read more about the nonpartisan election of judges,click here.
Interim vacancies on the supreme court are filled viagubernatorial appointment. After serving for at least one year, the appointed judge can run for a full term in the next general election.[8] Other candidates may file to run against them in the election.[9]
2023
Justice Hudson vacancy
Minnesota governorTim Walz (D) appointedKarl Procaccini to theMinnesota Supreme Court. Procaccini replaced JusticeNatalie Hudson, who ascended to the Chief Justice position on October 2, 2023. Hudson's replacement wasGovernorWalz's (D) third nominee to the seven-member supreme court.
In Minnesota, state supreme court justices are elected in nonpartisan elections. There are 13 states that use this selection method. To read more about the nonpartisan election of judges,click here.
Interim vacancies on the supreme court are filled viagubernatorial appointment. After serving for at least one year, the appointed judge can run for a full term in the next general election.[8] Other candidates may file to run against them in the election.[9]
Chief Justice Gildea vacancy
Minnesota governorTim Walz (D) appointedNatalie Hudson to the chief justiceship of theMinnesota Supreme Court. She had previously served as an associate justice of the court from 2015 until her ascension in 2023.
Hudson replaced Chief JusticeLorie Gildea, who retired on October 1, 2023. Gildea's replacement isGovernorWalz's (D) second nominee to the seven-member supreme court.
In Minnesota, state supreme court justices are elected in nonpartisan elections. There are 13 states that use this selection method. To read more about the nonpartisan election of judges,click here.
Interim vacancies on the supreme court are filled viagubernatorial appointment. After serving for at least one year, the appointed judge can run for a full term in the next general election.[8] Other candidates may file to run against them in the election.[9]
2020
MinnesotaGovernorTim Walz (D) appointedGordon Moore to theMinnesota Supreme Court on May 15, 2020. Moore succeeded JusticeDavid Lillehaug, who retired on July 31, 2020. Lillehaug announced in June 2019 that he would not seek re-election in 2020, citing his diagnosis with Parkinson's Disease.[12] Moore was Gov. Walz's first nominee to the seven-member supreme court.
At the time of the appointment, interim vacancies were filled viagubernatorial appointment.
Caseloads
The table below details the number of cases filed with the court and the number of dispositions (decisions) the court reached in each year.[13][14]
| Minnesota Supreme Court caseload data | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Filings | Dispositions |
| 2023 | 83 | 142 |
| 2022 | 100 | 127 |
| 2021 | 88 | 124 |
| 2020 | 95 | 148 |
| 2019 | 95 | 157 |
| 2018 | 112 | 146 |
| 2017 | 108 | 109 |
| 2016 | 117 | 131 |
| 2015 | 143 | 136 |
| 2014 | 115 | 99 |
| 2013 | 107 | 142 |
| 2012 | 135 | 104 |
| 2011 | 122 | 95 |
| 2010 | 98 | 114 |
| 2009 | 111 | 127 |
| 2008 | 148 | 126 |
| 2007 | 132 | 126 |
Analysis
Ballotpedia Courts: Determiners and Dissenters (2021)
In 2020, Ballotpedia publishedBallotpedia Courts: Determiners and Dissenters, a study on how state supreme court justices decided the cases that came before them. Our goal was to determine which justices ruled together most often, which frequently dissented, and which courts featured the most unanimous or contentious decisions.
The study tracked the position taken by each state supreme court justice in every case they decided in 2020, then tallied the number of times the justices on the court ruled together. We identified the following types of justices:
- We considered two justicesopinion partners if they frequently concurred or dissented together throughout the year.
- We considered justices adissenting minority if they frequently opposed decisions together as a -1 minority.
- We considered a group of justices adetermining majority if they frequently determined cases by a +1 majority throughout the year.
- We considered a justice alone dissenter if he or she frequently dissented alone in cases throughout the year.
Summary of cases decided in 2020
- Number of justices: 7
- Number of cases: 106
- Percentage of cases with a unanimous ruling: 74.5%% (79)
- Justice most often writing the majority opinion: Justice McKeig (78)
- Per curiam decisions: 13
- Concurring opinions: 8
- Justice with most concurring opinions: Justice Thissen (4)
- Dissenting opinions: 16
- Justice with most dissenting opinions: Justice Gildea and Anderson (5)
For the study's full set of findings in Minnesota, clickhere.
Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship (2020)
Last updated: June 15, 2020
In 2020, Ballotpedia publishedBallotpedia Courts: State Partisanship, a study examining the partisan affiliation of all state supreme court justices in the country as of June 15, 2020.
The study presentedConfidence Scores that represented our confidence in each justice's degree of partisan affiliation, based on a variety of factors. This was not a measure of where a justice fell on the political or ideological spectrum, but rather a measure of how much confidence we had that a justice was or had been affiliated with a political party. To arrive at confidence scores we analyzed each justice's past partisan activity by collecting data on campaign finance, past political positions, party registration history, as well as other factors. The five categories ofConfidence Scores were:
- Strong Democrat
- Mild Democrat
- Indeterminate[15]
- Mild Republican
- Strong Republican
We used the Confidence Scores of each justice to develop a Court Balance Score, which attempted to show the balance among justices with Democratic, Republican, and Indeterminate Confidence Scores on a court. Courts with higher positive Court Balance Scores included justices with higher Republican Confidence Scores, while courts with lower negative Court Balance Scores included justices with higher Democratic Confidence Scores. Courts closest to zero either had justices with conflicting partisanship or justices with Indeterminate Confidence Scores.[16]
Minnesota had a Court Balance Score of-3.57, indicatingDemocratic control of the court. In total, the study found that there were 15 states with Democrat-controlled courts, 27 states with Republican-controlled courts, and eight states with Split courts. The map below shows the court balance score of each state.
Bonica and Woodruff campaign finance scores (2012)
In October 2012, political science professors Adam Bonica and Michael Woodruff of Stanford University attempted to determine the partisan outlook of state supreme court justices in their paper, "State Supreme Court Ideology and 'New Style' Judicial Campaigns." A score above 0 indicated a more conservative-leaning ideology while scores below 0 were more liberal. The state Supreme Court ofMinnesota was given a campaign finance score (CFscore), which was calculated for judges in October 2012. At that time,Minnesota received a score of-0.07. Based on the justices selected,Minnesota was the 22nd most liberal court. The study was based on data from campaign contributions by judges themselves, the partisan leaning of contributors to the judges, or—in the absence of elections—the ideology of the appointing body (governor or legislature). This study was not a definitive label of a justice but rather an academic gauge of various factors.[17]
Noteworthy cases
The following are noteworthy cases heard before the Minnesota Supreme Court. For a full list of opinions published by the court, clickhere. Know of a case we should cover here? Let us know byemailing us.
| • Limit of search and property seizure power (2014) | Click for summary→ |
|---|---|
On August 20, 2014, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled on two cases where defendants sought to suppress evidence on the grounds of illegal searches and seizures of property. This decision ensured the constitutional protection of unreasonable search and seizure in civil, and not just criminal, matters.[18]
| |
Ethics
Judicial conduct
TheMinnesota Code of Judicial Conduct sets forth ethical guidelines and principles for the conduct of judges and judicial candidates inMinnesota. It is composed of four canons:
- Canon 1: "A Judge Shall Uphold and Promote the Independence, Integrity, and Impartiality of the Judiciary, and Shall Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety"
- Canon 2: "A Judge Shall Perform the Duties of Judicial Office Impartially, Competently, and Diligently"
- Canon 3: "A Judge Shall Conduct the Judge's Personal and Extrajudicial Activities to Minimize the Risk of Conflict with the Obligations of Judicial Office"
- Canon 4: "A Judge or Candidate for Judicial Office Shall Not Engage in Political or Campaign Activity that is Inconsistent with the Independence, Integrity, or Impartiality of the Judiciary"[20]
The full text of theMinnesota Code of Judicial Conduct can be foundhere.
Removal of justices
Judges inMinnesota may be removed in one of three ways:
- By the supreme court, after a public hearing and on the recommendation of the board on judicial standards
- Impeached by a majority vote of theMinnesota House of Representatives and convicted by a two-thirds vote of theSenate
- By recall via a popular vote[21]
History of the court
Minnesota was part of the Northwest Territory from 1787-1800. Afterward, parts of Minnesota were in the Indiana Territory, Illinois Territory, Michigan Territory, Wisconsin Territory, and Iowa Territory before becoming the Minnesota Territory in 1849. The Minnesota territorial supreme court was established by the1849 Organic Act, which also created district courts, probate courts, and justices of the peace. The first three justices were appointed by PresidentZachary Taylor (U.S. president). The justices, who were all from the east coast, oversaw trials in a district court within a territory and then convened to review decisions of those district courts, thus reviewing their own decisions. The territorial supreme court had no courthouse, so they met where there was meeting space available, including first in a hotel called the American House, and also in churches, stores, and other locations in St. Paul.[22][23][24]
The 1858 statehoodMinnesota Constitution, still in use today, provids for a supreme court, district courts, probate courts, and justice courts. Other courts could be formed with legislative enactment. The justices would be elected to serve seven-year terms and must be "men learned in the law."[25] The sole purpose of the court was to decide appeals.[26] In 1881 a fourth justice was added to the court due to the increased number of cases the court was hearing. The justice's terms were also reduced to six years, where they remain today. The 1930 constitutional amendmentMinnesota Replace Court Commissioners, Amendment 1 (1930) increased the number of justices by two, bringing the total to six.
The 1972Minnesota Reorganize State Judicial System, Amendment 2 (1972) constitutional amendment again modified the number of justices, providing that there could be 6-9 justices. The same 1972 amendment also authorized the discipline and removal of judges. In 1982 theMinnesota Create Court of Appeals, Amendment 1 (1982) took effect, creating a court of appeals and stipulating that there is to be seven supreme court justices, where the number remains today. The court of appeals reviews appeals of final decisions from district courts, state agencies, and local government.[27]
Noteworthy firsts
- 1977: Rosalie Wahl became the first female justice to serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court.[28]
- 1992: The first African-American justice to serve on the supreme court,Alan Page, was elected in 1992, and took office in January 1993.[29]
- 2012:Wilhelmina M. Wright became the first African-American female on the court following her appointment by GovernorMark Dayton on August 20, 2012.[30]
Courts in Minnesota
- See also:Courts in Minnesota
InMinnesota, there is a single federal district court, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through Minnesota's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Party control of Minnesota state government
Astate government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. A state supreme court plays a role in the checks and balances system of a state government.
Minnesota has a divided government where neither party holds atrifecta. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor and the upper chamber of the state legislature. Control of the lower chamber of the state legislature is split between parties.
State profile
| Demographic data for Minnesota | ||
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 5,482,435 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 79,627 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 84.8% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 5.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 4.4% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.7% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 5% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 92.4% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 33.7% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $61,492 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Source:U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Clickhere for more information on the 2020 census andhere for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Minnesota. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
Minnesotavoted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Minnesota coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Minnesota
- United States congressional delegations from Minnesota
- Public policy in Minnesota
- Endorsers in Minnesota
- Minnesota fact checks
- More...
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑The salary of the chief justice may be higher than an associate justice.
- ↑Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Minnesota Supreme Court," accessed September 4, 2021
- ↑Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Overview: Minnesota Supreme Court," accessed October 8, 2015
- ↑Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State,"State Judiciary," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State,"State Judiciary," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑Minnesota Judicial Branch,"Minnesota Supreme Court," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑National Center for State Courts, "2025 Salaries and Rankings," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑8.08.18.28.38.48.58.68.7National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection," accessed September 4, 2021
- ↑9.09.19.29.39.4The Office of the Revisor of Statutes, "Constitution of the State of Minnesota," accessed August 8, 2016
- ↑Minnesota Secretary of State, "Elections Calendar," accessed July 26, 2019
- ↑11.011.1Minnesota Reformer, "Walz appoints two Supreme Court justices, solidifying an all DFL-appointed court ," April 22, 2024
- ↑Minnesota Public Radio, "Lillehaug says he has Parkinson's, leaving Minnesota Supreme Court," June 12, 2019
- ↑Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Annual Report 2021," accessed October 5, 2022
- ↑Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Annual Report 2023," accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑An Indeterminate score indicates that there is either not enough information about the justice’s partisan affiliations or that our research found conflicting partisan affiliations.
- ↑The Court Balance Score is calculated by finding the average partisan Confidence Score of all justices on a state supreme court. For example, if a state has justices on the state supreme court with Confidence Scores of 4, -2, 2, 14, -2, 3, and 4, the Court Balance is the average of those scores: 3.3. Therefore, the Confidence Score on the court is Mild Republican. The use of positive and negative numbers in presenting both Confidence Scores and Court Balance Scores should not be understood to that either a Republican or Democratic score ispositive ornegative. The numerical values represent their distance from zero, not whether one score is better or worse than another.
- ↑Stanford University, "State Supreme Court Ideology and 'New Style' Judicial Campaigns," October 31, 2012
- ↑MPR News, "Minn. Supreme Court limits property seizures," August 21, 2014
- ↑19.019.1Star Tribune, "Minnesota Supreme Court rulings curb search and seizure authority," August 20, 2014
- ↑The Office of the Revisor of Statutes,Minnesota Courts Rules: Code of Judicial Conduct, adopted July 1, 2009, accessed July 11, 2015
- ↑JUSTIA US Law, "Minnesota Supreme Court Decisions," accessed August 18, 2025
- ↑Minnesota State Law Library,"History of the Minnesota Supreme Court," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑Minnesota Judicial Branch',"Minnesota Supreme Court," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑Minnesota State Law Library,"History of the Minnesota Supreme Court," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑Minnesota Legislature,"Constitution of the State of Minnesota," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑Minnesota State Law Library,"The Law, Courts, and Lawyers in the Frontier Days of Minnesota: An Informal Legal History of the Years 1835 to 1865," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑Minnesota State Law Library,"History of the Minnesota Supreme Court," accessed June 19, 2024
- ↑Twin Cities, "Rosalie Wahl, first woman on Minnesota Supreme Court, dies," July 22, 2013
- ↑University of Mount Union, "Alan Page," accessed December 18, 2014
- ↑The Uptake, "First African American Woman On MN Supreme Court," August 20, 2012
Federal courts:
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