Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Terrence M. Walters
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive election coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. This judge is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates.
Terrence M. Walters was a Third Judicial District judge for Wabasha County, Minnesota. He was appointed by Gov. Jesse Ventura (I) in 2003 and most recently won re-election in the general election on November 8, 2016.[1] Walters retired from the bench in March 2018.[2]
Biography
Walters was born in Rochester, Minnesota. He received his B.A. from the University of Minnesota and his J.D. from the William Mitchell College of Law in 1976. Walters began his legal career as an assistant Rochester city attorney in 1976. From 1979 until his judicial appointment in 2003, he worked as a private practice lawyer. He was also a part-time public defender from 1988 to 2003.[1]
In 2004, Walters helped establish a drug court in Wabasha County. He was also a founder of "The OJCs", which he described as "a group composed of judges and clerks across the 3rd district's five counties, in which only one judge is chambered. This group works to ensure that emergency orders and hearings are conducted promptly and efficiently whenever a county finds itself without a judge due to scheduling issues."[3]
Elections
2016
Minnesota held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election occurred on August 9, 2016. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 31, 2016.[4] Incumbent Terrence M. Walters defeated David McLeod in the Minnesota 3rd District, Position 17 general election.[5]
| Minnesota 3rd District, Position 17, General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Terrence M. Walters Incumbent |
51.64% | 90,780 |
| David McLeod | 48.36% | 85,020 |
| Total Votes | 175,800 | |
| Source: Minnesota Secretary of State, "Unofficial Results Tuesday, November 8, 2016: Results for All Judicial Races," accessed November 9, 2016 | ||
| Minnesota 3rd District, Position 17, Primary Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Terrence M. Walters Incumbent |
58.21% | 10,836 |
| David McLeod |
25.88% | 4,818 |
| Gerald Scott Weinrich | 15.91% | 2,961 |
| Total Votes | 18,615 | |
| Source: Minnesota Secretary of State, "Primary Unofficial Results: Judicial," August 9, 2016 | ||
2010
- See also: Minnesota judicial elections, 2010
Walters was re-elected after running unopposed.[6]
Selection method
- See also: Nonpartisan election of judges
Judges of the Minnesota District Courts are all chosen in nonpartisan elections to serve six-year terms. Candidates compete in primaries, from which the top two contestants advance to the general election. 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. Sitting judges who reach the age of 70 while in office are allowed to serve until the last day of their birthday month.[7]
The chief judge of each district court is selected by peer vote for a two-year term.[7]
Judges of all courts are required to be "learned in the law" and under 70 years old.[7][8]
Approach to the law
When asked to describe his political philosophy, Walters responded:
| “ | Judge Walters believes that the time of every person who comes before the court, whether they be parties, attorneys, witnesses or jurors, is valuable. He is punctual and respectful of the time of those having business with the court.[9] | ” |
| —Judge Terrence Walters[3] | ||
See also
- Courts in Minnesota
- Minnesota Third Judicial District
- Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2016
External links
- Minnesota Third District
- Campaign website
- Social media
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Judge Terrence M. Walters," accessed October 28, 2016
- ↑ Post Bulletin, "Letter: Judge Walters Pulled a Fast One on Voters," October 3, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Biographical information submitted to Ballotpedia on October 20, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2016 Election Dates," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2016 State General Election Candidate Filings: Judicial Offices," accessed June 1, 2016
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "2010 General Election: Statewide Results for All Judicial Races," January 19, 2011
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Minnesota," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Office of the Revisor of Statutes, "2006 Minnesota Statutes," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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
| ||||||||||
