Judges appointed by Mark Dayton
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This page lists judges appointed by Mark Dayton (D) during his term as Governor of Minnesota. As of today, the total number of Dayton appointees was 138. For the full profile of Dayton, click here.
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population. Some Minnesota judges are outside of that coverage scope. As a result, this page does not provide an exhaustive list of all judges appointed by Gov. Dayton.
Appointed process
In Minnesota, the governor makes judicial appointments to fill a vacancy. Judge must run for the seat in the next general election more than one year after appointment.[1]
Appointed judges
The tables below list the governor's appointees to the courts across the state.
State Courts
Supreme Court
| Name | Court | Active |
|---|---|---|
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Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 2 |
2012 - 2016 |
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Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 2 |
2016 - July 31, 2024 |
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Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 3 |
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Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 4 |
2018 - Present |
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Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 5 |
September 15, 2016 - Present |
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Minnesota Supreme Court Seat 6 |
November 20, 2015 - October 2, 2023 |
Court of Appeals
| Name | Court | Active |
|---|---|---|
|
Minnesota Court of Appeals District 1 |
2012 - August 21, 2020 |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 10 |
2011 - April 30, 2020 |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 12 |
2016 - Present |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 13 |
2018 - Present |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 16 |
2014 - Present |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 2 |
2016 - September 1, 2023 |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 3 |
June 1, 2012 - November 30, 2021 |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 4 |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 4 |
2016 - Present |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 8 |
2014 - September 1, 2023 |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 9 |
2018 - Present |
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Minnesota Court of Appeals District 9 |
2012 - November 8, 2018 |
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Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals |
2012 - January 3, 2022 |
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Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals |
2015 - Present |
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Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals |
2018 - Present |
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Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals |
2011 - January 2, 2023 |
Other State Courts
| Name | Court | Active |
|---|---|---|
|
Minnesota Tax Court |
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|
Minnesota Tax Court |
2017 - January 2, 2023 |
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Minnesota Tax Court |
January 8, 2013 - 2019 |
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Minnesota Tax Court |
Local Courts
| Name | Court | Active |
|---|---|---|
|
Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court |
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Minnesota 10th District Court Position 2 |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
2018 - Present |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
2018 - Present |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
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Minnesota 1st District Court |
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Minnesota 1st District Court Position 13 |
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Minnesota 1st District Court Position 15 |
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Minnesota 1st District Court Position 17 |
2014 - April 3, 2020 |
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Minnesota 1st District Court Position 2 |
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Minnesota 1st District Court Position 21 |
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Minnesota 1st District Court Position 22 |
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Minnesota 1st District Court Position 23 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 1 |
2012 - Present |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 10 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 12 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 13 |
2013 - Present |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 15 |
2017 - Present |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 2 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 21 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 23 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 27 |
2018 - Present |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 29 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 6 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 8 |
2012 - February 9, 2025 |
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Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 9 |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court Position 10 |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court Position 13 |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court Position 16 |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court Position 18 |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court Position 21 |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court Position 5 |
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Minnesota 3rd District Court Position 9 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 11 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 12 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 14 |
2012 - January 1, 2022 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 15 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 16 |
2012 - Present |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 23 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 24 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 25 |
2019 - Present |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 29 |
2019 - Present |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 29 |
2011 - 2018 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 33 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 35 |
2018 - Present |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 36 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 37 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 38 |
2012 - September 1, 2021 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 4 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 41 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 42 |
2011 - Present |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 45 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 48 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 49 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 54 |
2012 - Present |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 55 |
2012 - Present |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 58 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 6 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 60 |
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Minnesota 4th District Court Position 9 |
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Minnesota 5th District Court |
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Minnesota 5th District Court |
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Minnesota 5th District Court |
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Minnesota 5th District Court |
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Minnesota 5th District Court |
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Minnesota 5th District Court |
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Minnesota 5th District Court |
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Minnesota 5th District Court Position 16 |
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Minnesota 6th District Court |
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Minnesota 6th District Court Position 13 |
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Minnesota 6th District Court Position 15 |
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Minnesota 7th District Court |
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Minnesota 7th District Court |
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Minnesota 7th District Court |
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Minnesota 7th District Court |
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Minnesota 7th District Court |
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Minnesota 7th District Court |
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Minnesota 7th District Court |
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Minnesota 7th District Court Position 18 |
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Minnesota 7th District Court Position 3 |
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Minnesota 8th District Court |
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Minnesota 8th District Court |
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Minnesota 8th District Court |
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Minnesota 8th District Court |
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Minnesota 8th District Court Position 5 |
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Minnesota 8th District Court Position 9 |
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Minnesota 9th District Court |
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Minnesota 9th District Court |
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Minnesota 9th District Court |
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Minnesota 9th District Court |
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Minnesota 9th District Court |
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Minnesota 9th District Court |
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Minnesota 9th District Court Position 8 |
Judicial selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Minnesota
| Judicial selection in Minnesota | |
 | |
| Minnesota Supreme Court | |
| Method: | Nonpartisan election |
| Term: | 6 years |
| Minnesota Court of Appeals | |
| Method: | Nonpartisan election |
| Term: | 6 years |
| Minnesota District Courts | |
| Method: | Nonpartisan election |
| Term: | 6 years |
Judicial selection refers to the process used to select judges for courts. At the state level, methods of judicial selection vary substantially in the United States, and in some cases between different court types within a state. There are six primary types of judicial selection: partisan and nonpartisan elections, the Michigan method, assisted appointment, gubernatorial appointment, and legislative elections. To read more about how these selection methods are used across the country, click here.
This article covers how state court judges are selected in Minnesota, including:
As of April 2025, the selection of state court judges in Minnesota occurred through nonpartisan elections. Judges must run for re-election if they wish to serve additional terms.[2]
Click here to notify us of changes to judicial selection methods in this state.
| Appellate state court selection in the United States, by general selection method[3] |
|---|
|
|
| State courts and their selection methods across the U.S., including the District of Columbia[3] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Supreme Court (of 53)[4] | Courts of Appeal (of 46) | Trial Courts (of 147) |
| Partisan elections (PE) | 8 | 6 | 39 |
| Nonpartisan elections (NPE) | 13 | 16 | 34 |
| Legislative elections (LE) | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Gubernatorial appointment of judges (GA) | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Assisted appointment (AA) | 22 | 18 | 46 |
| Combination or other | 3[5] | 1[6] | 17[7] |
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) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here 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 census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Minnesota
Minnesota voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, 19 are located in Minnesota, accounting for 9.22 percent of the total pivot counties.[8]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Minnesota had 15 Retained Pivot Counties and four Boomerang Pivot Counties, accounting for 8.29 and 16.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.
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
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Minnesota," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Minnesota," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection," archived February 2, 2015
- ↑ Both Oklahoma and Texas have two state supreme courts: one for civil matters and one for criminal matters.
- ↑ Michigan and Ohio use nonpartisan general elections with candidates selected through partisan primaries or conventions. In the District of Columbia, judges are selected in the same manner as federal judges.
- ↑ Judges of the North Dakota Court of Appeals are appointed on an as-needed basis by the supreme court justices.
- ↑ Most courts that use combination/alternative methods (for example, mayoral appointment) are local level courts. These courts are often governed by selection guidelines that are unique to their specific region.
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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
