Renee Worke
Renee L. Worke is a judge for District 6 of theMinnesota Court of Appeals. She assumed office on June 9, 2005. Her current term ends on January 7, 2031.
Worke ran for re-election for the District 6 judge of theMinnesota Court of Appeals. She won in the general election onNovember 5, 2024.
Biography
Worke received her B.A. from Minnesota State University at Mankato in 1980 and herJ.D. from William Mitchell College of Law in 1983.[1]
Career
- 2005 - Present: Judge,Minnesota Court of Appeals
- 1996-2005: Judge,Waseca County District Court
- 1994-1996: Administrative law judge, Office of Administrative Hearings, Child Support Division
- 1984-1996: Attorney, Rietz, Rietz, Rietz & Worke
- 1984-1996: Contract assistant public defender, Third Judicial District
- 1983-1984: Law clerk, District Court Judge Urban J. Steimann[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Minnesota intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
General election
General election for Minnesota Court of Appeals District 6
IncumbentRenee L. Worke won election in the general election for Minnesota Court of Appeals District 6 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Renee L. Worke (Nonpartisan) | 99.0 | 1,818,635 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 19,052 | ||
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,837,687 | ||
 = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. IncumbentRenee L. Worke advanced from the primary for Minnesota Court of Appeals District 6.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Worke in this election.
2018
General election
General election for Minnesota Court of Appeals District 6
IncumbentRenee L. Worke won election in the general election for Minnesota Court of Appeals District 6 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Renee L. Worke (Nonpartisan) | 99.2 | 1,557,084 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.8 | 12,174 | ||
| Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source | Total votes: 1,569,258 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||
| = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Selection method
- See also:Nonpartisan election of judges
Judges of theMinnesota Court of Appeals are all chosen innonpartisan elections to six-year terms. Candidates compete in primaries, from which the top two contestants advance to the general election.[2] 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.[2] Interim vacancies are filled viagubernatorial appointment. Appointed judges serve until the next general election occurring more than one year after their appointment.[2] They may then stand for election to a full term, and other candidates may file to run against them.[3]
Qualifications
Judges 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.[2][4]
Selection of the chief judge
The chief judge of theMinnesota Court of Appeals isappointed by the governor to a three-year term.
2012
Worke ran unopposed for re-election to theMinnesota Court of Appeals, Place 6.[5] She won the election with 98.98% of the vote.[6]
- See also:Minnesota judicial elections, 2012
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also:Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Renee L. Worke did not completeBallotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf.Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at theFEC website. Clickhere for more on federal campaign finance law andhere for more on state campaign finance law.
| Year | Office | Status | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Minnesota Court of Appeals District 6 | Won general | $0 | $0 |
| Grand total | $0 | $0 | ||
| Sources:OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). | ||||
Noteworthy events
DWI arrest (2025)
- See also:Politicians convicted of DUI
On November 29, 2025, Worke was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor third-degree Driving While Intoxicated (DWI).[7]
On December 5, 2025, Worke was charged with two counts of gross misdemeanor DWI.[8]
In December 2025, Worke pleaded guilty to misdemeanor fourth-degree DWI. The gross misdemeanor DWI charges were dropped. She was sentenced to one year of probation, 15 hours of community service, and a $500 fine.[9]
Noteworthy cases
Minnesota appellate court reverses dismissal in drug case (2015)
Adam Alvarado was stopped by police on October 13, 2013. A search of his body by cops revealed three Fentanyl patches, which are used to treat chronic pain, and 29 grams of marijuana in a baggie in his pocket. The police then searched his car, finding 17.5 grams of methamphetamines. Alvarado was charged with fifth-degree drug possession. He filed a motion to suppress the evidence resulting from the searches conducted by the police.
JudgeJennifer Fischer agreed with Alvarado and granted his motion. Fischer made her ruling after finding that the warrantless search by law enforcement was done illegally, as no exception to the requirement for a warrant was present. The state subsequently dismissed the case, as its key evidence for trial was suppressed. The prosecutor on the case, however, appealed Judge Fischer's ruling to theMinnesota Court of Appeals. That court reversed Judge Fischer.
JudgeRenee Worke wrote for the court. She said that Judge Fischer was incorrect when she found no exception to the warrant requirement in Alvarado's case. Worke said that the automobile exception existed. Further, law enforcement had probable cause to conduct the search. As a result, suppression of the drug evidence was inappropriate.
The Court of Appeals remanded the case back to the Kandiyohi County District Court for trial.
Articles:
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.1Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑2.02.12.22.3American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Minnesota," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑The Office of the Revisor of Statutes, "Constitution of the State of Minnesota," accessed August 8, 2016
- ↑Office of the Revisor of Statutes, "2006 Minnesota Statutes," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidates of Judicial Offices"
- ↑Minnesota Secretary of State, "Election Results"
- ↑‘'Owatonna People’s Press, "Minnesota judge arrested on suspicion of DWI in Owatonna," December 2, 2025
- ↑‘'ABC 6 News (Rochester, Minnesota)’’, "Charges filed against Minnesota Appeals Judge arrested for DWI in Steele County," December 5, 2025
- ↑‘'Rochester's News Talk KROC 1340 AM/96.9 FM’’, "Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Sentenced to Probation for Misdemeanor DWI Conviction," January 2, 2026
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court:District of Minnesota • U.S. Bankruptcy Court:District of Minnesota
State courts:
Minnesota Supreme Court•Minnesota Court of Appeals•Minnesota District Courts•Minnesota Problem-Solving Courts•Minnesota Tax Court•Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals
State resources:
Courts in Minnesota •Minnesota judicial elections •Judicial selection in Minnesota
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- Appointed judges, June 2005
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