News Item
Judge Michael Thompson Elected Chief Judge of Eighth Judicial District
Posted: Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Judge Dwayne Knutsen Elected Assistant Chief Judge
The Honorable Michael J. Thompson has been elected to serve as Chief Judge of Minnesota’s Eighth Judicial District by his fellow judges in the District. Judge Thompson will assume the responsibilities of chief judge on July 1, 2016, after current Chief Judge Donald M. Spilseth completes his second two-year term in the role.
Judge Thompson has been a judge in the Eighth Judicial District since 2005, and currently serves as Assistant Chief Judge of the District. Before his appointment to the bench, Judge Thompson served 15 years as the Meeker County Attorney and four years as Assistant Meeker County Attorney. Prior to that, he was in private practice for five years. His chambers are located in the Kandiyohi County Courthouse in Willmar.
“It is an honor to be selected and a privilege to serve,” said Judge Thompson. “I hope to continue the great work of my predecessors.”
The Honorable Dwayne N. Knutsen was elected to replace Judge Thompson as the next Assistant Chief Judge of the Eighth Judicial District. Judge Knutsen was first appointed to the bench in 2010. His chambers are located in the Yellow Medicine County Courthouse in Granite Falls.
A more detailed profile of Assistant Chief Judge Thompson can be found
here, and a profile of Judge Knutsen can be found
here.
By statute, the chief judge of a judicial district exercises general administrative authority over the courts within the district, including assigning judges to serve in locations throughout the district. The chief judge of each juridical district also serves as a member of the Minnesota Judicial Council, the administrative policy-making authority for the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
Chief judges and assistant chief judges are elected to two-year terms by judges within the district. No judge may serve as chief judge or assistant chief judge for more than two consecutive two-year terms. New two-year terms begin on July 1.
About Minnesota’s Eighth Judicial District
Minnesota’s Eighth Judicial District consists of the counties of Big Stone, Chippewa, Grant, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Meeker, Pope, Renville, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Wilkin, and Yellow Medicine. Eleven judges serve the district. In 2015, more than 24,000 cases were filed in the Eighth Judicial District.