Judge Profile:

Judge Cara Lee Neville Hennepin County Hennepin County Courthouse Phone: (612)348-6000 Direct phone: 612-348-8901 Appointed/Elected: Appointed to Municipal Court in 1983 Appointed to District Court in 1986 Elected in 1988, 1994, 2000 and 2006 Education: J.D., William Mitchell College of Law, 1975 Employment: Assistant Public Defender, Hennepin County, 1978 Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (Felony Division), 1972 Professional Memberships: American Bar Association Board of Governors 2000-03 Executive Comm. Chair of Planning Program Comm. of Board of Governors Law and Public Service Comm. of Torts and Insurance Practice Section American Bar Association Standing Comm. on Independence of Judiciary Judges' Advisory Comm. to the Standing Comm. on Ethics and Professional Responsibility Commission on Judicial Selection Standards Comm. on Crime and Violence Special Task Force on Drugs Comm. on Violence By and Against Children Judicial Campaign Finance Comm Past Chair of Criminal Justice Section and Minnesota State Delegate American Judicature Society Board of Directors 2001-present American Bar Foundation Fellow, Douglas Amdahl Inn of Court President, 1996-97 National Assn. of Women Judges President 1991-92 Minnesota State Bar Assn. Board of Governors 1986-present past member Pro Se Litigation Comm. Past member of the Hennepin County Bar Assn. Governing Council Minnesota District Judges Assn. past Board member, secretary Judicial Election Comm. and delegate to State Trial Judges Conference of the ABA International Academy of Trial Judges Minnesota Women Lawyers Advisory Comm. 2001-present Minnesota State Bar Foundation, past Board of Directors Additional Information Assignment History Criminal and Civil, 12/2007-present Juvenile, 1/2006-11/2007 Civil Block and Criminal, 1/1996-12/2005 Probate/Mental Health Presiding Judge, 1/1993-12/1995 Civil Block and Criminal, 2/1986-12/1992 Criminal and Civil, 9/1983-1/1986 Teaching and Lecturing National Judicial College Harvard Law School WMCL Minnesota Institute of Legal Education League of Women Voters; American Inns of Court Judicial Education (University of Minnesota) among many others on various topics, including civil, probate, mental health and criminal law. Honors and Awards Hennepin County Bar Association Professionalism Award, 2006 Minnesota State Bar Assn. Presidential Award, 2002 National Assn. of Women Judges Excellence in Service Award Listed as one of 100 graduates who have made a difference in 100-year history of William Mitchell College of Law, 2000, among others Media Numerous published articles and CLE materials, as well as TV and radio shows on various legal issues as well as service on many committees not listed above.

Judge Cara Lee Neville

Hennepin County

Hennepin County Courthouse
Phone: (612)348-6000

Direct phone: 612-348-8901

Appointed/Elected:

Appointed to Municipal Court in 1983
Appointed to District Court in 1986
Elected in 1988, 1994, 2000 and 2006

Education:

J.D., William Mitchell College of Law, 1975

Employment:

Assistant Public Defender, Hennepin County, 1978
Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (Felony Division), 1972

Professional Memberships:

American Bar Association
- Board of Governors 2000-03
- Executive Comm.
- Chair of Planning
- Program Comm. of Board of Governors
- Law and Public Service Comm. of Torts and Insurance Practice Section
American Bar Association
- Standing Comm. on Independence of Judiciary
- Judges' Advisory Comm. to the Standing Comm. on Ethics and Professional Responsibility
- Commission on Judicial Selection Standards
- Comm. on Crime and Violence
- Special Task Force on Drugs
- Comm. on Violence By and Against Children
- Judicial Campaign Finance Comm
- Past Chair of Criminal Justice Section and Minnesota State Delegate
American Judicature Society
- Board of Directors 2001-present
American Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Douglas Amdahl Inn of Court
- President, 1996-97
National Assn. of Women Judges
- President 1991-92
Minnesota State Bar Assn.
- Board of Governors 1986-present
- past member Pro Se Litigation Comm.
Past member of the Hennepin County Bar Assn. Governing Council
Minnesota District Judges Assn.
- past Board member, secretary
Judicial Election Comm. and delegate to State Trial Judges Conference of the ABA
International Academy of Trial Judges
Minnesota Women Lawyers Advisory Comm. 2001-present
Minnesota State Bar Foundation, past Board of Directors

Additional Information

Assignment History

Criminal and Civil, 12/2007-present
Juvenile, 1/2006-11/2007
Civil Block and Criminal, 1/1996-12/2005
Probate/Mental Health Presiding Judge, 1/1993-12/1995
Civil Block and Criminal, 2/1986-12/1992
Criminal and Civil, 9/1983-1/1986

Teaching and Lecturing

National Judicial College
Harvard Law School
WMCL
Minnesota Institute of Legal Education
League of Women Voters; American Inns of Court
Judicial Education (University of Minnesota)
among many others on various topics, including civil, probate, mental health and criminal law.

Honors and Awards

Hennepin County Bar Association Professionalism Award, 2006
Minnesota State Bar Assn. Presidential Award, 2002
National Assn. of Women Judges Excellence in Service Award
Listed as one of 100 graduates who have made a difference in 100-year history of William Mitchell College of Law, 2000, among others

Media

Numerous published articles and CLE materials, as well as TV and radio shows on various legal issues as well as service on many committees not listed above.