The Honorable Theodora Gaïtas began her tenure as Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court on October 1, 2026, succeeding Chief Justice Natalie Hudson, who retired September 30.
Chief Justice Gaïtas and the Honorable Reynaldo A. Aligada, Jr., who joined the Supreme Court as an associate justice, took their oaths of office during a private swearing-in ceremony on October 1.
Gaïtas becomes Minnesota’s 24th Chief Justice. She has served on the Supreme Court since August 2024 and previously served on the Minnesota Court of Appeals and in the Fourth Judicial District. She is the only current member of the Supreme Court to have served at all three levels of the Minnesota Judicial Branch and is the first former public defender to serve as Minnesota’s Chief Justice.
Governor Tim Walz announced the appointments of Gaïtas and Aligada in May. Aligada fills the associate justice vacancy created by Gaïtas’ elevation to Chief Justice.