Judge Profile:

Judge Tanya M. Bransford Hennepin County Hennepin County Courthouse Phone: (612)348-2040 Chambers Phone: 612-348-3778 Chambers Email: Email Chambers Staff Appointed/Elected: Appointed in 1994 Elected in 1996, 2002 and 2008. Her current term expires in January 2015. Awards Hennepin County Administrator's Award, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), 2012 Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation, Champions of Change Award, 2010 Annie E. Casey Foundation Award, 2009 North St. Paul High School, Distinguished Alumni, 2005 Hamline University School of Law, Outstanding Alumni Award, 2000 Hennepin County Star Performer Award, 1998 Minnesota Minority Lawyer's Association, Service to the MMLA Award, 1994 Education: J.D., Hamline University School of Law, 1983 B.A., Gustavus Adolphus College, 1980 Employment: Referee, Hennepin County District Court, Juvenile Division, 1990 Workers’ Compensation Judge, Office of Administrative Hearings, 1987 Associate Attorney, Spicer, Watson & Carp law firm, 1983 Professional Memberships: Committee for Equality and Justice, Co-Chair and Founding Member, 2011-present Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, Hennepin County, Co-Chair 2005-2010, Member, 2010-present University of Minnesota, Judicial Skills Program, 2001-present National Consortium of Racial and Ethnic Bias Task Force, Board of Directors, 2011-present Minnesota Supreme Court Racial Fairness Committee, Vice Chair 2006-2011, Member 1993-2006 Minnesota Supreme Court Juvenile Delinquency Rules Committee, 2008-2010 Minnesota Supreme Court Committee on the Rules on Judicial Standards, 2007-2008 Minnesota Supreme Court Continuing Legal Education Board, 2000-2006 Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Task Force on the Guardian Ad Litem System, 1995-1996 Minnesota State Bar Association, 1983-present, Civil Litigation Section Council, 2010-present American Bar Association, 2011-present National Bar Association, 1994-present Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, 1995-present Minnesota Black Women Lawyers Network, 2001-present Hennepin County Bar Association, 1983-present Equal Justice Committee - Fourth Judicial District, 1995-present, Co-Chair 1995-2009 Fourth Judicial District Executive Committee, 2004-2008 Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, 2004-2008 Hennepin County Board/Bench Joint Committee on Community Corrections, 2004-2008 Hamline University School of Law - Board of Advisors, 1999-2005 Minnesota Judicial College - Juvenile Law Faculty, 1994-2002 National Association of Women Judges, 1987-2008 Minnesota Women Lawyers, 1990-2005 Minnesota Minority Lawyers Association, 1982-1998 National Conference of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, 1990-2000 Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, 1991-1993 Additional Information Biography Tanya M. Bransford has served as a District Court Judge in Hennepin County District Court since 1994. She currently manages a block of 175 civil, felony drug and property cases and has worked as the presiding Juvenile Court Judge. Prior to her appointment, Judge Bransford was a District Court Referee for Hennepin County’s Juvenile Division, and also served as a Workers’ Compensation Judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings. Judge Bransford is the co-chair and founding member of the Supreme Court’s Committee for Equality and Justice and is also a founding member of Youthprise. Assignment History Civil & Criminal, 2009-Present Juvenile, 7/2003-2009 Civil & Criminal, 1/2000-6/2003 Criminal, 5/1998-12/1999 Civil & Criminal, 5/1997-4/1998 Criminal, 1/1997-4/1997 Juvenile, 6/1995-12/1996 Criminal, 7/1994-5/1995 Judicial Activities Lead Judge - Brookdale Team, 2010-2011 Presiding Judge, Juvenile Division, Spring 2006-Oct. 2008 Co-Chair of the Hennepin County Equal Justice Committee, 1995-2009 Community Activities Youthprise, Founding Board Member (an organization designed to accelerate youth leadership beyond the classroom), 2010-present Jack and Jill of America, Minneapolis Chapter, 2000-present Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 2005-present Osumare Book Club, 1991-present Former Community Involvement Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board The Links, Incorporated, Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter The St. Paul Foundation Minneapolis YWCA Action for Children Institute of Black Chemical Abuse Augburg College Stairstep Foundation National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Rance Majestic Choir

Judge Tanya M. Bransford

Hennepin County

Hennepin County Courthouse
Phone: (612)348-2040

Chambers Phone: 612-348-3778

Chambers Email: Email Chambers Staff

Appointed/Elected:

Appointed in 1994
Elected in 1996, 2002 and 2008.

Her current term expires in January 2015.

Awards

Hennepin County Administrator's Award, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), 2012
Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation, Champions of Change Award, 2010
Annie E. Casey Foundation Award, 2009
North St. Paul High School, Distinguished Alumni, 2005
Hamline University School of Law, Outstanding Alumni Award, 2000
Hennepin County Star Performer Award, 1998
Minnesota Minority Lawyer's Association, Service to the MMLA Award, 1994

Education:

J.D., Hamline University School of Law, 1983
B.A., Gustavus Adolphus College, 1980

Employment:

Referee, Hennepin County District Court, Juvenile Division, 1990
Workers’ Compensation Judge, Office of Administrative Hearings, 1987
Associate Attorney, Spicer, Watson & Carp law firm, 1983

Professional Memberships:

Committee for Equality and Justice, Co-Chair and Founding Member, 2011-present
Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, Hennepin County, Co-Chair 2005-2010, Member, 2010-present
University of Minnesota, Judicial Skills Program, 2001-present
National Consortium of Racial and Ethnic Bias Task Force, Board of Directors, 2011-present
Minnesota Supreme Court Racial Fairness Committee, Vice Chair 2006-2011, Member 1993-2006
Minnesota Supreme Court Juvenile Delinquency Rules Committee, 2008-2010
Minnesota Supreme Court Committee on the Rules on Judicial Standards, 2007-2008
Minnesota Supreme Court Continuing Legal Education Board, 2000-2006
Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Task Force on the Guardian Ad Litem System, 1995-1996
Minnesota State Bar Association, 1983-present, Civil Litigation Section Council, 2010-present
American Bar Association, 2011-present
National Bar Association, 1994-present
Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, 1995-present
Minnesota Black Women Lawyers Network, 2001-present
Hennepin County Bar Association, 1983-present
Equal Justice Committee - Fourth Judicial District, 1995-present, Co-Chair 1995-2009
Fourth Judicial District Executive Committee, 2004-2008
Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, 2004-2008
Hennepin County Board/Bench Joint Committee on Community Corrections, 2004-2008
Hamline University School of Law - Board of Advisors, 1999-2005
Minnesota Judicial College - Juvenile Law Faculty, 1994-2002
National Association of Women Judges, 1987-2008
Minnesota Women Lawyers, 1990-2005
Minnesota Minority Lawyers Association, 1982-1998
National Conference of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, 1990-2000
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, 1991-1993

Additional Information

Biography

Tanya M. Bransford has served as a District Court Judge in Hennepin County District Court since 1994. She currently manages a block of 175 civil, felony drug and property cases and has worked as the presiding Juvenile Court Judge. Prior to her appointment, Judge Bransford was a District Court Referee for Hennepin County’s Juvenile Division, and also served as a Workers’ Compensation Judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings. Judge Bransford is the co-chair and founding member of the Supreme Court’s Committee for Equality and Justice and is also a founding member of Youthprise.

Assignment History

Civil & Criminal, 2009-Present
Juvenile, 7/2003-2009
Civil & Criminal, 1/2000-6/2003
Criminal, 5/1998-12/1999
Civil & Criminal, 5/1997-4/1998
Criminal, 1/1997-4/1997
Juvenile, 6/1995-12/1996
Criminal, 7/1994-5/1995

Judicial Activities

Lead Judge - Brookdale Team, 2010-2011
Presiding Judge, Juvenile Division, Spring 2006-Oct. 2008
Co-Chair of the Hennepin County Equal Justice Committee, 1995-2009

Community Activities

Youthprise, Founding Board Member (an organization designed to accelerate youth leadership beyond the classroom), 2010-present
Jack and Jill of America, Minneapolis Chapter, 2000-present
Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 2005-present
Osumare Book Club, 1991-present

Former Community Involvement

Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board
The Links, Incorporated, Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter
The St. Paul Foundation
Minneapolis YWCA
Action for Children
Institute of Black Chemical Abuse
Augburg College
Stairstep Foundation
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Rance Majestic Choir