United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
(D. Minn.)
LocationMinneapolis
More locations
Appeals toEighth Circuit
EstablishedMay 11, 1858
Judges7
Chief JudgePatrick J. Schiltz
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyAndrew M. Luger
U.S. MarshalEddie Frizell
www.mnd.uscourts.gov

The United States District Court for the District of Minnesota (in case citations, D. Minn.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Minnesota. Its two primary courthouses are in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Cases are also heard in the federal courthouses of Duluth and Fergus Falls.

Appeals from the District of Minnesota are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

United States Courthouse, Minneapolis

United States Attorney

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. One notable former U.S. attorney for the District was Cushman K. Davis, who later became governor of the state and was elected to the United States Senate.

As of March 30, 2022, the United States attorney is Andrew M. Luger.[1]

Current judges

As of February 15, 2024:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
33 Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz Minneapolis 1960 2006–present 2022–present — G.W. Bush
36 District Judge Eric C. Tostrud Saint Paul 1965 2018–present — — Trump
37 District Judge Nancy E. Brasel Minneapolis 1969 2018–present — — Trump
38 District Judge Katherine M. Menendez Minneapolis 1971 2021–present — — Biden
39 District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell Saint Paul 1962 2022–present — — Biden
40 District Judge Jeffrey Bryan Saint Paul 1976 2023–present — — Biden
41 District Judge vacant — — — — — —
20 Senior Judge Donald Alsop Saint Paul 1927 1974–1992 1985–1992 1992–present Ford[Note 1]
24 Senior Judge Paul A. Magnuson Saint Paul 1937 1981–2002 1994–2001 2002–present Reagan
26 Senior Judge David S. Doty Minneapolis 1929 1987–1998 — 1998–present Reagan
28 Senior Judge Michael J. Davis Minneapolis 1947 1994–2015 2008–2015 2015–present Clinton
29 Senior Judge John R. Tunheim Minneapolis 1953 1995–2023 2015–2022 2023–present Clinton
30 Senior Judge Ann D. Montgomery Minneapolis 1949 1996–2016 — 2016–present Clinton
31 Senior Judge Donovan W. Frank Saint Paul 1951 1998–2016 — 2016–present Clinton
32 Senior Judge Joan N. Ericksen Minneapolis 1954 2002–2019 — 2019–present G.W. Bush
34 Senior Judge Susan Richard Nelson Saint Paul 1952 2010–2021 — 2021–present Obama
35 Senior Judge Wilhelmina Wright inactive 1964 2016–2024 — 2024–present Obama
  1. ^ Judge Alsop was nominated by President Nixon but was officially appointed to the Court by (i.e., received his commission from) President Ford.

Vacancies and pending nominations

Seat Prior judge's duty station Seat last held by Vacancy reason Date of vacancy Nominee Date of nomination
2 Saint Paul Wilhelmina Wright Senior status February 15, 2024[2] – –

Former judges

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Rensselaer Nelson MN 1826–1904 1858–1896 — — Buchanan retirement
2 William Lochren MN 1832–1912 1896–1908 — — Cleveland retirement
3 Page Morris MN 1853–1924 1903–1923 — 1923–1924 T. Roosevelt death
4 Milton D. Purdy MN 1866–1937 1908–1909[Note 1]
1909[Note 2] 		— — T. Roosevelt
Taft 		not confirmed
resignation
5 Charles Andrew Willard MN 1857–1914 1909–1914 — — Taft death
6 Wilbur F. Booth MN 1861–1944 1914–1925 — — Wilson elevation to 8th Cir.
7 John F. McGee MN 1861–1925 1923–1925 — — Harding death
8 William Alexander Cant MN 1863–1933 1923–1933[Note 3] — — Harding[Note 4]
Coolidge[Note 5] 		death
9 Joseph W. Molyneaux MN 1859–1940 1925–1937 — 1937–1940 Coolidge death
10 John B. Sanborn Jr. MN 1883–1964 1925–1932 — — Coolidge elevation to 8th Cir.
11 Gunnar Nordbye MN 1888–1977 1931–1967[Note 6] 1948–1959 1967–1977 Hoover death
12 Matthew M. Joyce MN 1877–1956 1932–1954 — 1954–1956 Hoover death
13 Robert Cook Bell MN 1880–1964 1933–1961 — 1961–1964 F. Roosevelt death
14 George F. Sullivan MN 1886–1944 1937–1944 — — F. Roosevelt death
15 Dennis F. Donovan MN 1889–1974 1945–1965 — 1965–1974 Truman death
16 Edward Devitt MN 1911–1992 1954–1981[Note 7] 1959–1981 1981–1992 Eisenhower death
17 Earl R. Larson MN 1911–2001 1961–1977 — 1977–2001 Kennedy death
18 Miles Lord MN 1919–2016 1966–1985 1981–1985 1985 L. Johnson retirement
19 Philip Neville MN 1909–1974 1967–1974 — — L. Johnson death
21 Harry H. MacLaughlin MN 1927–2005 1977–1992 1992 1992–2005 Carter death
22 Diana E. Murphy MN 1934–2018 1980–1994 1992–1994 — Carter elevation to 8th Cir.
23 Robert G. Renner MN 1923–2005 1980–1992 — 1992–2005 Carter death
25 James M. Rosenbaum MN 1944–present 1985–2009 2001–2008 2009–2010 Reagan retirement
27 Richard H. Kyle MN 1937–2021 1992–2005 — 2005–2021 G.H.W. Bush death
  1. ^ Recess appointment; the United States Senate later rejected the appointment.
  2. ^ Received a second recess appointment but resigned prior to consideration.
  3. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 15, 1923, confirmed by the Senate on January 15, 1924, and received commission the same day.
  4. ^ Judge Cant was given a recess appointment by President Harding.
  5. ^ Judge Cant was nominated by President Harding but was appointed to the Court by (i.e., received his commission from) President Coolidge.
  6. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 16, 1931, confirmed by the Senate on February 3, 1932, and received commission on February 10, 1932.
  7. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 10, 1955, confirmed by the Senate on February 4, 1955, and received commission on February 7, 1955.

Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

See also

References

  1. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Andrew M. Luger, of Minnesota, to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota)". US Senate. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  2. ^ "Wright, Wilhelmina Marie". www.fjc.gov. Retrieved February 15, 2024.

External links

44°56′48″N 93°5′21″W / 44.94667°N 93.08917°W / 44.94667; -93.08917

Active district judges of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
Senior district judges of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
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