Minnesota Fifth Judicial District

Court

Minnesota Fifth Judicial District

The Minnesota Fifth Judicial District is one of ten judicial districts in Minnesota. It encompasses Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Niccollet, Noble, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock and Watonwan counties.

Judges

Blue Earth County Mark Betters Krista Jass Andrea Lieser Bradley C. Walker Brown County Robert A. Docherty Cottonwood County Christina Wietzema Faribault County Vacant Jackson County Darci Bentz

Lincoln County Michelle Dietrich Lyon County Michelle Dietrich Martin County Michael Trushenski Murray County Christina Wietzema Nicollet County Allison Krehbiel Todd Westphal

Nobles County Sherry Haley Pipestone County Terry Vajgrt Redwood County Patrick Rohland Rock County Terry Vajgrt Watonwan County Greg Anderson

Former judges

• Leland Bush
• Jeffrey L. Flynn
• Kurt Johnson
• David W. Peterson
• Linda S. Titus
• Robert D. Walker

See also

• Minnesota District Courts
• Courts in Minnesota

External links

• Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Fifth Judicial District"
• Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Minnesota District Courts"
• Daily Globe, "Judgeship vacancies announced," November 15, 2011 (dead link)

Minnesota courts

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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

Elections

See also: Minnesota judicial elections

Minnesota is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Minnesota, click here.

• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2025
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2024
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2023
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2022
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2021
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2020
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2019
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2018
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2017
• Minnesota local trial court judicial elections, 2016
• Minnesota judicial elections, 2014
• Minnesota judicial elections, 2012
• Minnesota judicial elections, 2010

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.

The chief judge of each district court is selected by peer vote for a two-year term.

Judges of all courts are required to be "learned in the law" and under 70 years old.

Election rules

Primary election

In the nonpartisan primary, the two candidates (for each seat) who receive the greatest number of votes advance to the general election. If no more than two candidates filed to run for each seat, their names do not appear on the primary ballot, but they advance directly to the general election.

Filing period

The filing period for offices contested in the November general election lasts for two weeks from the end of May until the beginning of June. Candidates file with either the county auditor of the county in which they reside or the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. Candidates must either pay a filing fee or submit a petition in place of the fee.