Membership
The Minnesota Judicial Council is composed of 25 members. Fourteen are members by virtue of their office:
- The Chief Justice, who serves as Chair
- The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals
- The Chief Judges of the Judicial Districts
- The Minnesota District Judges Association President
- The State Court Administrator (non-voting member)
- One Associate Justice, appointed by the Chief Justice
- Five at-large judges appointed by the Chief Justice, three of whom must be district court judges
- One at-large appointment from within the Judicial Branch, by the Chief Justice (non-voting member)
- Three Judicial District Administrators chosen by the Judicial District Administrators (non-voting member)
- One Court Administrator chosen by the Court Administrators (non-voting member)
| Name | Position | Term Ends |
|---|---|---|
Natalie Hudson (Chair), Supreme Court | Ex officio - Chief Justice | - |
Jennifer Frisch, Court of Appeals | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Christopher Jon Lehmann, First District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Sara Grewing, Second District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Christine Long, Third District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Kerry Meyer, Fourth District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Darci Bentz, Fifth District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Leslie Beiers, Sixth District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Michael Fritz, Seventh District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Stephanie Beckman, Eighth District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Jana Austad, Ninth District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Elizabeth Strand, Tenth District | Ex officio - Chief Judge | - |
Mary Mahler, Seventh District | Ex officio - MDJA President | - |
Jeffrey Shorba, State Court Administration | Ex officio - State Court Administrator | - |
Anne McKeig, Supreme Court | Appointed by Chief Justice | June 30, 2027 |
Michelle Lawson (Vice Chair), Seventh District | Appointed by Chief Justice | June 30, 2026 |
David Knutson, First District | Appointed by Chief Justice | June 30, 2025 |
David Brown, Second District | Appointed by Chief Justice | June 30, 2027 |
Juanita Freeman, Tenth District | Appointed by Chief Justice | June 30, 2026 |
JaPaul Harris, Court of Appeals | Appointed by Chief Justice | June 30, 2027 |
Dawn Torgerson, Deputy State Court Administrator | Appointed by Chief Justice | June 30, 2025 |
Heather Kendall, Second District | Appointed by District Administrators | June 30, 2025 |
Shelley Ellefson, Third District | Appointed by District Administrators | June 30, 2026 |
Sarah Lindahl-Pfieffer, Tenth District | Appointed by District Administrators | June 30, 2027 |
Hans Holland, Olmsted County | Appointed by Court Administrators | June 30, 2026 |