Judge Browne places value on the parties being heard; learning and growth; faithfulness to the rule of law; and respectful and professional proceedings.

His general judicial philosophy is rooted in a common sense approach in bringing to life the rules, procedures and customs of the judicial system, while working within the institution to problem solve, which is drawn from his collective experience (outlined below).

Terms in Office:

• Appointed by Governor Mark Dayton on September 4, 2015.
• Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2022.
• Current term expires December 31, 2028.

Judicial Assignments:

• Civil and Criminal (Ridgedale) - August 2024 to present
• Probate/Mental Health - July 2022 to August 2024
• Criminal (Downtown) – February 2021 to July 2022
• Family Court - February 2018 to February 2021
• Civil & Criminal (Brookdale) - February 2016 to February 2018
• Criminal (Downtown) - September 2015 to February 2016

Court Leadership Positions:

• Presiding Judge (July 2022 to August 2024), Probate/Mental Health Division
• Lead Judge (February 2021 to July 2022), Downtown Criminal Team
• Chair (2020 to present), Member (2016 to 2020), Fourth Judicial Budget & Finance Committee
• Chair (2018 to 2023), Co-Chair (2017 to 2018), IT Governance Committee
• Member, Fourth Judicial District Executive Committee – 2016 to 2019, 2022 to 2024
• Chair (January 2021 to December 2023), Member (2015 to 2020), Statewide Judicial Officers Technology Advisory Team

Teaching:

• Adjunct Professor (Judicial Externship), University of St. Thomas, School of Law – 2019 to 2024
• Adjunct Professor (Mentor/Externship), University of St. Thomas, School of Law – 2007 to 2023, 2024 to present
• Presenter, New Judge Orientation (Technology) – Fourth Judicial District
• Presenter/Facilitator, various Continuing Legal/Judicial Education courses

Previous Employment:

• Director (Office of Police Conduct Review), Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights
• Assistant Director (Complaint Investigations), Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights
• Legal Affairs Manager, Minnesota Department of Human Rights
• Interim Director, Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights
• Director (Outreach and Enforcement), Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights
• Attorney & Counselor, Private & Small Firm Practice
• Assistant Public Defender, Third Judicial Public Defender’s Office
• Associate Attorney, (formerly) Blackwell Igbanugo Engen & Saffold, PA
• Staff Attorney, Centro Legal, Inc.
• Judicial Clerk, Hennepin County District Court (Ret. Judge L.T. Lange)
• Law Clerk, Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office
• Medical Interpreter (Spanish), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

Education:

• J.D., Hamline University - School of Law - 1999
• B.A., University of Minnesota – Duluth - 1995 

Post-Graduate Education:

• Certified Practitioner of Oversight, National Association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement - 2015
• Certified Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM), Toastmasters International 2011-2015
• Certificate (Humanitarian & Human Rights Law), Human Rights Institute of the Faculty of Law of the Complutense University of Madrid & Helsinki Spain, Madrid, Spain - 2007
• Certificate (Strategic Management of Regulatory & Enforcement Agencies) - Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA - 2006
• Fellow (Criminal Law & Police Accountability), Robert Bosch Foundation, Germany 2002-2003

Volunteering:

• Member, a Minnesota Independent School District elementary school principal selection committee – 2019 & 2020  
• Mentor, University of St. Thomas, School of Law – 2007 to present
• Coach, an elementary school chess club volunteer – 2018 & 2019
• Program Mentor, Lead by Example Minneapolis – 2014 to 2015
• Board Member, Vice Chair, Chair, Chair of Nominations Committee, Chair of Safety Committee, Jordan Area Community Council (JACC), Minneapolis – 2007 to 2010.
• Board Member, Twin Cities German-American Immersion School – 2003 to 2004.
• Assistant Coach with the Hamline Law School Mock Trial Team – 1999 to 2000.