News Item
First Judicial District Chief Judge Messerich Receives District Judges Award
Posted: Thursday, September 27, 2018
Chief Judge Kathryn D. Messerich was honored at a recent gathering of the Minnesota District Judges Association (MDJA). Judge Messerich was awarded the MDJA President’s Award for her service to the association and the Minnesota Judicial Branch, which also included her 14 years of participation and leadership of the Civil Jury Instructions Committee (JIG). Judge Messerich served as Chair of the Committee since 2012.
“I am honored by this recognition. The MJDA Civil JIG Committee regularly reviews and updates the current changes to civil law, and with the input of the civil bar, publishes jury instruction guides that assist jurors in applying the facts to the law in civil lawsuits,” said Judge Messerich. “I share this recognition with my fellow judicial Committee members and our Reporters, Professor Michael Steenson and Peter Knapp.”
Judge Messerich has served in the First Judicial District since April 2004, and is chambered in the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings, Minnesota. She sits on the Minnesota Judicial Council, which is the administrative policy-making authority for the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
Before her appointment to the bench, Judge Messerich worked as an attorney and shareholder with the Minneapolis law firm of Halleland, Lewis, Nilan, Sipkins, and Johnson from 2000 to 2004. She was an associate general counsel for Allina Health System in Minnetonka from 1997 through 1999, an associate attorney and shareholder with the Minneapolis law firm of Bassford, Lockhart, Truesdell and Briggs from 1991 to 1997, and an associate attorney with the Minneapolis law firm of Lommen, Nelson, Cole and Stageberg from 1987 to 1991. Messerich earned her juris doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1987, her master of science degree in maternal-child nursing in 1984 and her bachelor of science in nursing degree from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan, in 1979.
Detailed profile of Chief Judge Messerich