News Item
Supreme Court Justices, Judges, and Court Staff to join in Capitol Grand Opening Celebration
Posted: Tuesday, August 1, 2017
Visitors to the
Minnesota State Capitol Grand Opening Celebration taking place August 11-13 will have the opportunity to learn about Minnesota’s court system from members of the Minnesota Supreme Court, and judges and court staff from across the state.
As part of the three-day event, current and former members of the Minnesota Supreme Court, along with members of the Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society, will greet Capitol tour groups as they visit the renovated Supreme Court Capitol Courtroom. In the courtroom, visitors will learn about the state’s highest court and how the Capitol renovations enhanced access to the historic courtroom.
In addition, judges and court staff from across Minnesota will greet Minnesotans at the Minnesota Judicial Branch information booth, which will be part of an information fair located at the upper northeast corner of the Capitol Mall. At the booth, judges and staff from the Court of Appeals and Minnesota’s district courts will be on hand to answer questions about the state’s justice system, and share materials about Minnesota’s courts and self-help legal resources available to Minnesotans.
As a member of the Minnesota State Capitol Preservation Commission, Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea will have special responsibilities over the weekend, including serving ice cream at the Capitol Workers' Appreciation Ice Cream Social and Celebration on the evening of Sunday, August 13.
For as long as the Minnesota State Capitol has stood, the building has been at the center of Minnesota’s justice system. For nearly 90 years, the justices of the Minnesota Supreme Court were chambered in the Capitol, and nearly all oral arguments before the Court were heard in the Capitol Courtroom. Today, while Supreme Court justices are chambered in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center, the state’s highest court still routinely hears oral arguments in the Capitol Courtroom.
“The Capitol restoration project was a historic investment in preserving the legacy of the past, while also preparing our state for the future,” said Chief Justice Gildea. “Nowhere is that more evident than in the State Capitol Courtroom, which is now as beautiful as it was a century ago, but also more accessible and functional for the people we serve. Those of us who serve in the Minnesota Judicial Branch are eager to join in this historic celebration, and showcase this wonderful building for the people of Minnesota.”