Lillehaug appointed to Minnesota Supreme Court seat
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March 26, 2013
Minnesota: Gov. Mark Dayton announced today his pick for the Minnesota Supreme Court--attorney David Lillehaug. Lillehaug, 58, will replace Justice Paul Anderson in May, when Anderson reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.[1]
Lillehaug currently practices law with the firm of Fredrikson & Byron. He is a former U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, serving in that position under President Bill Clinton from 1994 to 1998.[1]
Lillehaug has been an active political voice in the state, serving as chair and co-chair for multiple Democratic Farmer Labor party conventions and as a legal adviser for multiple Democratic U.S. Senate candidates, including Al Franken. In 2010, he worked as the attorney for now-Governor Dayton during his election recount.[2]
Though some pointed to the appointment as a political favor, outgoing Justice Anderson explained the merits of his successor's political activity, stating,
| “ | We need people who have been in the trenches, know who they are going to serve...I applaud loudly the background of the new justice, because that's what we need in court.[2][3] | ” |
Lillehaug defended his ability to be impartial, explaining that he had to political agenda before as a U. S. Attorney. He said,
| “ | Being a judge is different. It requires fairness, it requires impartiality, it requires adherence to precedent and principle. It's not about politics.[2][3] | ” |
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Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 CT Post, "Dayton appoints Lillehaug to Minn. Supreme Court," March 26, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Pioneer Press, "Mark Dayton taps Lillehaug for Minnesota Supreme Court," March 26, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
