MINNEAPOLIS — Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday promoted Natalie Hudson to turn into chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court this fall, making her the primary particular person of coloration to guide it.
Hudson, who’s Black, was appointed affiliate justice in 2015 by then-Gov. Mark Dayton, after serving as a choose on the Minnesota Court of Appeals for 13 years. She’ll lead the excessive courtroom when present Chief Justice Lorie Gildea retires in October.
“Justice Hudson is one of our state’s most experienced jurists. She has a strong reputation as a leader and consensus builder,” Walz mentioned in an announcement. “I am confident that she will advance a vision that promotes fairness and upholds the dignity of all Minnesotans.”
Judicial appointments in Minnesota don’t want legislative affirmation, although they periodically should go earlier than the voters. Then-Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Hudson to the excessive courtroom in 2015 to exchange retiring Justice Alan Page, who was the primary Black justice on the state Supreme Court.
“This is a tremendous responsibility that I approach with humility and resolve, seeking to continue the work of my predecessors in administering one of the best state court systems in the nation, and always seeking to deliver the most accessible, highest-quality court services for the citizens of Minnesota,” Hudson mentioned in the identical assertion.
Before unbiased Gov. Jesse Ventura named Hudson to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, she practiced prison appellate legislation with the state lawyer normal’s workplace for eight years and served because the St. Paul metropolis lawyer. She additionally served on the Minnesota Supreme Court Racial Bias Task Force from 1991-1993. She’s a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School.
Waltz named Karl Procaccini, his former normal counsel, to fill Hudson’s spot as affiliate justice.
Procaccini is at the moment a visiting professor on the University of St. Thomas School of Law. He served as the highest lawyer within the governor’s workplace, the place his work included the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s a graduate of the Harvard Law School, the place was government editor of the Harvard Human Rights Journal.
When Gildea steps down, all however one of many seven Supreme Court justices can have been appointed by Democratic governors. She was appointed by Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty. So was present Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson, who will attain the necessary retirement age of 70 in October 2024. His retirement would enable Walz to call a 3rd justice.
Gildea, who introduced her plan to retire in June, praised Hudson as an “outstanding choice” to be the subsequent chief justice.
“I have been impressed by her deep knowledge of the law, her collegial spirit, and her unparalleled work ethic,” Gildea mentioned within the announcement. “With more than 20 years of service as an appellate court judge, Justice Hudson is among the most talented and respected jurists in the state.”
U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina Wright, the state’s first Black feminine federal choose, who previously served with Hudson on the Supreme Court, additionally welcomed Hudson’s appointment.
“As a former colleague, I know she brings to this leadership role her keen intellect, her broad legal experience, and her respect for the rule of law,” Wright mentioned within the assertion launched by the governor.
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