Minnesota Second Judicial District

Court

Minnesota Second Judicial District

The Minnesota Second Judicial District is one of ten judicial districts in Minnesota. It encompasses Ramsey County.

Judges

These judges serve the Minnesota Second Judicial District.

Judge	Tenure	Appointed By
Leonardo Castro	2012 - Present	Mark Dayton
Joy D. Bartscher	2012 - Present
Shawn M. Bartsh	2013 - Present	Mark Dayton
Patrick Diamond	2012 - Present	Mark Dayton
Richard H. Kyle Jr.		Mark Dayton
Reynaldo Aligada	September 23, 2019 - Present	Tim Walz
Timothy Carey	March 14, 2023 - Present	Tim Walz
Elena L. Ostby		Gov. Tim Pawlenty
DeAnne Hilgers		Mark Dayton
Edward Sheu	August 3, 2020 - Present	Tim Walz
Mark Ireland
Andrew Gordon		Tim Walz
Nicole Starr		Mark Dayton
Sara Grewing		Mark Dayton
Kelly Olmstead	2018 - Present	Mark Dayton
John H. Guthmann		Gov. Tim Pawlenty
Kellie Charles	August 10, 2020 - Present	Tim Walz
Thomas Gilligan		Mark Dayton
Timothy Mulrooney		Mark Dayton
Adam Yang	2019 - Present
P. Paul Yang	2019 - Present
Stephen L. Smith		Mark Dayton
Laura Nelson	2016 - Present
David Brown		Tim Walz
Robyn Millenacker		Gov. Tim Pawlenty
Teresa R. Warner		Gov. Arne Carlson
Jacob Kraus	March 14, 2023 - Present	Tim Walz
Sophia Vuelo	2017 - Present	Mark Dayton
Maria Mitchell		Tim Walz

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, 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.

See also

• Ramsey County, Minnesota
• Minnesota District Courts

External links

• Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Second District"
• Minnesota Judicial Branch, "Minnesota District Courts"

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