Shawn Reed (Minnesota 6th District Court Position 6, Minnesota, candidate 2024)

Shawn Reed

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Minnesota 6th District Court Position 6

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 13, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of Minnesota, Duluth, 1993

Law

William Mitchell College of Law, 1997

Personal

Birthplace

Louisville, Ky.

Profession

Attorney at law

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Shawn Reed ran for election for judge of the Minnesota 6th District Court Position 6. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.^[source]

Reed completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Shawn Reed provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on July 15, 2024:

• Birth date: April 27, 1971
• Birth place: Louisville, Kentucky
• High school: Esko High School
• Bachelor's: University of Minnesota, Duluth, 1993
• J.D.: William Mitchell College of Law, 1997
• Gender: Male
• Profession: Attorney at Law
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: We Need Reed.
• Campaign website
• Campaign Facebook

Elections

General election

General election for Minnesota 6th District Court Position 6

Gunnar B. Johnson and Shawn Reed ran in the general election for Minnesota 6th District Court Position 6 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Gunnar B. Johnson (Nonpartisan)
		Shawn Reed (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Minnesota 6th District Court Position 6

Gunnar B. Johnson, Peter Raukar, Shawn Reed, John B. Schulte, and Gerald K. Wallace ran in the primary for Minnesota 6th District Court Position 6 on August 13, 2024.

		Candidate
		Gunnar B. Johnson (Nonpartisan)
		Peter Raukar (Nonpartisan)
		Shawn Reed (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	John B. Schulte (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Gerald K. Wallace (Nonpartisan)

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Reed in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Shawn Reed completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Reed's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a trial attorney that has been practicing law for nearly 27 years. My trial practice has me in court nearly every day. My criminal law practice includes both prosecution and private defense work. My civil law practice includes family law cases consisting of high conflict custody cases, divorces, child support, and post- decree relief. I handle a myriad of other civil cases. This trial practice covers the type of cases that a trial court judges see each day.

I am also a hearing officer in municipal and housing matters. As a hearing officer, I preside over hearings, take testimony, and issue decisions that directly impact individuals.

This experience, together with my listening and communication skills along with my temperament, make me well suited for the position of district court judge.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Judicial elections are the most important type of election as judges make decisions that directly impact individuals. Other elected officials do not. That is why it is so important that voters get to know their judges and get involved.
• We need judges that are ready to perform on the first day. Parties cannot afford to wait for their judges to "learn on the job." As the old saying goes, "justice delayed is justice denied."
• We need to be doing everything that we can to ensure access to justice, both in criminal cases as well as civil cases.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I strongly believe in education and opportunities for our youth. I have been a board member on various educational foundation boards in an effort to promote ongoing educational opportunities beyond high school. I have been an active member of the Boys & Girls Club board of directors in my area since 2006. I do so as I have seen the direct impact that opportunity and positive role models can have on our youth.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official should have a commitment to public service. As it relates to a district court judge, that person should be dedicated to the application of the law. He or she should treat others fairly. He or she should be fair and impartial when handling cases.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility for district court judge is the administration of justice. That is addressed by the application of law to facts and the manner in which persons appearing in court are treated.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked as a laborer in the finishing department in a hardboard factory as a summer relief worker while I attended college. I worked that job for four years.

How would you describe your legal philosophy?

Law is the great equalizer, or should be. Our laws apply to everyone so that no one is above the law. Our laws dictate how we interact with one another and create reasonable societal expectations.

The failure to apply the law can lead to a deterioration of those reasonable societal expectations. The failure to provide for reasonable access to justice can also lead to that.

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

Judge Floerke, retired from the Sixth Judicial District. Judge Floerke had a great judicial demeanor/temperament that ran through all of his cases.

Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?

Absolutely. Empathy is necessary for a proper temperament to be an effective district court judge. We must remember that when parties are appearing in court, it is likely that it is one of their worst days.

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

I am running for district court judge so that I may continue to serve my community. After spending nearly 27 years in the courtroom and speaking with individuals involved in court cases, I know how much of an impact court can be. My trial practice, along with my role as a hearing officer gives me the requisite experience to be a district court judge.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?

It is always good to have a variety of experience. That said, politics should not come into the role of district court judge. It is vitally important that the district court judge remain non-partisan.

What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?

There is an increased need for services across all types of cases. Yet access to justice remains an issue both in criminal and civil cases.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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