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Judge Ross Leuning

Appointed/Elected:

Appointed Aug. 5, 2011, by Governor Mark Dayton. Elected in 2012, 2018, and 2024. Term expires Jan. 2031.

Education:

J.D., University of Oregon School of Law, 1986
B.S., University of South Dakota, 1983

Employment:

  • Command Judge Advocate, United States Navy, Al Asad Air Base, Iraq: July 2010 – Aug. 2011
  • Senior Assistant Olmsted County Attorney, Olmsted County Attorney’s Office: July 2007 – July 2010
  • Partner; Walbran, Furness & Leuning: Aug. 1991 – July 2007
  • General Court-Martial Military Trial Judge, U.S. Navy Reserves: 2006 – 2010
  • Preliminary Hearing Officer, U.S. Navy, April 2016 – Dec. 2017
  • JAGC Officer, U.S. Navy Active Duty 1986 – 1991; U.S. Navy Reserves Oct. 1991 – Jan. 2018

Professional Memberships:

  • Minnesota State Bar Association; 1989 – present
  • Oregon State Bar Association; 1986 – present
  • Steele County Bar Association; 1991 – 2011; President, 1998 – 1999
  • Olmsted County Bar Association; 2007 - 2011 
  • Freeborn County Bar Association; 2011 – present
  • Minnesota District Judges Association; 2011 – present

Professional/Community Activities:

  • Third Judicial District Veterans Court Organizing Committee, Lead Judge; June 2017 – present
  • Adjunct Professor, MSU ROTC, Mankato; 1992-1996
  • Owatonna Healthy Seniors Program, Vice Chair; 1997 – 2001
  • Owatonna Human Rights Commission, Chair; 2003 – 2009
  • League of Minnesota Cities Human Rights Commission; 2005 – 2006
  • Owatonna City Charter Commission; 1996 – 2010
  • Owatonna Library Board; 2004 – 2010
  • Owatonna Library Foundation; 2003 – present
  • Southeastern Libraries Cooperating Board (SELCO); 1997 – 2004
  • 1st Congressional District Service Academy Nominations Committee; 2008 – 2012

Lectures and Teaching:

  • Assistant Professor, U.S. Naval Academy 1989 – 1991; Senior level classes in Military Law and Administrative Law; Junior level classes in International Law of the Sea and Law of Armed Conflict
  • Adjunct Professor, Mankato State University 1992 – 1996; Military Law and Law of Armed Conflict
  • Military Law Center, Continuing Education, Nov. 1999; International Law of the Sea
  • Military Law Center, Continuing Education, Nov. 2000; United Nations Charter, International Law of the Sea (UNCLOS II)
  • Midwest Naval Nursing Convention, Mar. 2002; Licensing and Credentialing for Medical Professionals
  • Naval Justice School, Newport, RI, 2009 and 2010; New Lawyer Trial Practice and Advocacy
  • Military Law Training Symposium, San Diego, CA, May 2017; The New Article 32 Preliminary Hearings Post-National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 (NDAA FY14)

Military Service:

  • United States Navy, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Active Duty: Aug. 1986 – July 1991; July 2010 – Aug. 2011
  • United States Navy Reserve, Oct. 1991 – Jan. 2018
    • Captain (Ret.) United States Navy, Commissioned April 1986,
    • Date of Rank: Oct. 1, 2005; Retired Jan. 2018
  • Army National Guard, final rank: Specialist 5, (E-5), Feb. 1979 – Feb. 1985