Minnesota Supreme Court

History

The court was first assembled as a three-judge panel in 1849 when Minnesota was still a territory. The first members were lawyers from outside the region, appointed by President Zachary Taylor. The court system was rearranged when Minnesota became a state in 1858.

Appeals from Minnesota District Courts went directly to the Minnesota Supreme Court until the Minnesota Court of Appeals, an intermediate appellate court, was created in 1983 to handle most of those cases. The court now considers about 900 appeals per year and accepts review in about one in eight cases. Before the Court of Appeals was created, the Minnesota Supreme Court handled about 1,800 cases a year. Certain appeals can go directly to the Supreme Court, such as those involving taxes, first degree murder, and workers' compensation.

Composition

thumb|right|200px|Interior The seven justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court are elected to renewable six-year terms. When a midterm vacancy occurs, the governor of Minnesota appoints a replacement to a term that ends after the general election occurring more than one year after the appointment. Most vacancies occur during a term. The most recent election to an open seat on the court was in 1992, when former Minnesota Vikings player Alan Page was elected. Judges in Minnesota have a mandatory retirement age of 70.

In 1977, Rosalie E. Wahl became the first woman to serve on the Court. In 1993, Alan Page became the first African American to serve on the Court.

Anne McKeig, a descendant of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, became the first Native American justice in 2016. Her appointment also marked the second time the court had a majority of women since 1991.

In May 2020, Governor Tim Walz announced the appointment of Nobles County District Judge Gordon Moore, who replaced retiring Justice David Lillehaug.

Salary

As of 2025, the chief justice is paid a $236,429 salary and associate justices receive $214,935.

Members

Main article: List of justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court

Notable cases

• Baker v. Nelson, 291 Minn. 310, 191 N.W.2d 185 (1971), in which the Court held that denial of the statutory entitlement demanded by gay citizens to marry the adult of one's choice does not offend the United States Constitution; overturned by Obergefell v. Hodges, .
• Doe v. Gomez, 27 Minn. 542 N.W.2d 17 (1995), in which the Court held that the right of privacy under the Minnesota Constitution includes the right to an abortion and that the Minnesota government may not deny funding for abortion while funding other pregnancy-related medical services.

References

References

1. "Supreme Court". Minnesota Judicial Branch.
2. "Minn. Const. art. VI, sec. 7". Office of the Revisor of Statutes.
3. "Minn. Const. art. VI, sec. 8". Office of the Revisor of Statutes.
4. "Minnesota Statutes 2013, section 490.121, subdivision 21d". Office of the Revisor of Statutes.
5. "Minnesota Statutes 2013, section 490.121, subdivision 1". Office of the Revisor of Statutes.
6. "Library Research Guides: Rosalie E. Wahl, Associate Justice 1977-1994: Biography".
7. "Alan C. Page".
8. Lopez, Ricardo. (June 28, 2016). "Dayton selects McKeig as next Supreme Court justice". [[Star Tribune]].
9. Montemayor, Stephen. (May 16, 2020). "Gov. Walz makes Worthington judge his first Minnesota Supreme Court selection". [[Star Tribune]].
10. "Fast Facts - About the Court".
11. "Minnesota Supreme Court".