Chief Judge
Shaun R.
Floerke
St. Louis County
St. Louis County-Duluth Courthouse
Phone: (218) 726-2460
Appointed/Elected:
Appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2004. Elected in 2006 and 2012. Current term expires January 2019.
Education:
J.D., magna cum laude, University of Minnesota Law School, 1992
- Director- Misdemeanor Prosecution Clinic, 1991-1992
- Co-Director- Intellectual Property Moot Court, 1991-1992
- Member- Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition Team, 1991-1992
B.A., University of Wisconsin (Madison), 1988
Employment:
Judge- Sixth Judicial District (Duluth), 2004-present
- Chief Judge since July 1, 2012
- Member of the Drug Court Initiative, a Judicial Council advisory committee, since July 1, 2012
- South St. Louis County DWI Court Founding Member and Presiding Judge since January 2008
Assistant St. Louis County Attorney- Civil Division, 1997-2004
Attorney- Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick (Duluth), 1996-1997
Prosecutor- Steele County Attorney's Office, 1992-1996
Attorney- Ruth, Schreiner, Long & Floerke (Owatonna), 1992-1996
Professional Memberships:
Minnesota State Bar Association
Eleventh District Bar Association
Minnesota County Attorneys Association
American Bar Association
Steele County Bar Association
Professional Activities:
Mock Trial Coach, Harbor City International High School, Duluth, MN, 2010–present
Assisted Judge Sally Tarnowski in implementing an Early Neutral program for all family cases in the St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth.
Chair of committee in Duluth piloting a restorative justice sentencing model using sentencing circles. Recruited and trained several community volunteers. Has completed several sentencing circles to date.
Minnesota Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee
Lead Judge - Minnesota Supreme Court Children's Justice Initiative
Minnesota Judicial College Planning Committee and Chair of Community Involvement Committee/Presentation 2007
Minnesota District Judges Association Member, Education and Planning Committee Member, former Board Representative from the Sixth Judicial District, Fall Conference Planning Committee and Presenter
Arrowhead Regional Corrections Advisory Board
Planning Committee for Annual Minnesota Judge's Conference
Drug Court Judge
St. Louis County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee
Community Activities:
Men As Peacemakers (Duluth);
Board Member (Elected March 26, 2008)
United Way/Duluth Community Trust, 2006-present;
Trustee
Hillside Community Church (Duluth), February 2005-present;
Member and Leadership Team Member
Youth Alive, Inc., 2001-2010;
Volunteer, Leader, and Board Member
MSBA Mock Trial Program, 1997-present;
Volunteer Judge and Mock Trial Coach at Harbor City International School, Duluth
Duluth Harvester Church, 2000-2004;
Youth Leader
MSBA National Mock Trial Competition, May 2002;
Competition Judge
Federal Prison Camp Duluth, 1997-2000;
Volunteer
Genesis - Committed to Personal Wholeness, Inc., 1996-1998;
Board Member and Chair
Junior Achievement Duluth, 1996-1997;
Volunteer
Owatonna High School Mock Trial, 1992-1997;
Attorney Coach
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Owatonna, 1994-1996;
Big Brother
Owatonna Domestic Violence Intervention Project, 1994;
Founding Member
Justice Fellowship Minnesota, 1991-1992;
Member
Lecturing and Teaching Experience:
Judge Floerke has extensive experience lecturing to audiences at both the local and national level.
Minnesota Audiences
Speaker, "Courts Systems Role in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan," TZD Strategic Visioning Workshop, April 3, 2013
Trainer, "Reflections and Recommendations on Visitation," 30th Annual St. Louis County Health & Human Service Conference, Oct. 8, 2012
Guest Speaker, Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association Law Enforcement Memorial Vigil and Ceremony, May 15, 2012
Keynote Speaker, “Integrity, Service, Excellence and Respect,” Civil Air Patrol 1st Wing Duluth Annual Banquet, Duluth, MN, Feb. 16, 2012
Visitation Summit Sponsored by Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs, Lutheran Social Service, and Saint Louis County; Keynote; Feb. 3, 2012
Minnesota CLE Criminal Justice Institute, "Justice for Sale? – Judicial Campaigns, Advertising and Money Post Citizen’s United," Aug. 22. 2011
Annual Presenter on Children’s Issues to the Leadership Duluth Program sponsored by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce.
Panelist, "What Family Court Judges Want You to Know," National Business Institute, Trial Practice Judicial Forum for Family Law Attorneys, May 7, 2010
“Truth, Justice and the American Way: Who Wins and Who Loses When Retribution is King and Money is Tight?” Address to Men as Peacemakers Annual meeting March 31, 2010
Panelist, "What Civil Court Judges Want You to Know," National Business Institute, Trial Practice Judicial Forum for Civil Litigators, May 8, 2009
August 22, 2007 – Presenter: “Community Involvement and Leadership,” Bridging the Gap – Minnesota State Courts Education and Organization Development Division
August 10, 2007 – Presenter: “Sentencing Persuasion,” Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
May 4, 2007 – Chair/Presenter: “Community Involvement and Leadership,” Minnesota Judicial College
August 18, 2006- Presenter: "What is Persuasive to a Jury?" Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association Annual Meeting
August 2-4, 2006- Faculty and Critiquer: Minnesota County Attorney's Association Trial School
March 15, 2006- "How to Deal with Judges," 11th District Bar Association
March 4, 2005, and March 3, 2006- "Judicial Perspective," Minnesota Trial Lawyer's Annual Convention
April 13, 2005, and January 11, 2006- "The Judicial System and the Judge's Role," Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Duluth
Instructor: Fond du Lac Tribal College Law Enforcement Program, 2003-present
June 20, 2003- Faculty: "DWI Forfeitures," Minnesota Institute of Legal Education
May 22, 2003- Faculty: “Ethics and Elimination of Bias for Government Civil Attorneys,” Minnesota County Attorneys Association
April 2, 2003- "Public Records and Open Meetings in Minnesota," Lorman Education Services
August 20, 2001- "Privacy, Privilege, and Data Issues in Criminal Practice," Minnesota Criminal Justice Institute
April 27, 2001- Faculty: "Conflict of Interest and Other Issues in Government Civil Practice," Minnesota County Attorneys Association
November 16, 2000- "Training County Personnel in Data Management and Practices," Minnesota County Attorneys Association Annual Meeting
June 15, 2000- Statewide live telecast on public health issues and concerns, Minnesota Department of Administration
January 2000- "Data Management and Practices," Minnesota Association of County Officers Annual Meeting
National Audiences
April 14-17, 2013 - Faculty, Enhancing Judicial Skills in Domestic Violence Cases Workshop, National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence, San Francisco, CA
November 13-16, 2012 - Seminar Leader, Enhancing Skills in Domestic Violence Cases Workshop, National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence, Rochester NY
April 4, 2012 - Keynote speaker, "Cultural Competence- Judicial Culture." Also presented, “Why Doesn’t She Just Leave? Comings and Goings: An Exercise in Choices," Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, Inc. Domestic Violence Conference, Omaha, NE
Feb. 11-15, 2012 - Seminar Leader, Enhancing Skills in Domestic Violence Cases Workshop, National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
April 3-6, 2011- Seminar Leader, Enhancing Skills in Domestic Violence Cases Workshop, National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence, San Francisco, CA
April 28, 2006; June 11, 2007; and Sept. 26, 2008- "The Judge's Perspective within a Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence," Domestic Abuse Intervention Project Training and Resources
August 11, 2005, and May 12, 2006- "Domestic Assault: The Probation Response - a Judicial Perspective," Domestic Abuse Intervention Project Training and Resources
April 11, 2006- Faculty for conference, "Putting the Brakes on DWI," Sponsored by the National Office of Highway Safety, Providence, RI
Publications:
Judge Floerke has Authored:
County Attorney's Statutory Duties, Minnesota County Attorneys Association, January 2003.
DWI Forfeitures in Minnesota, Minnesota County Attorneys Association, September 2001.
Awards:
Judicial Award for DWI innovation and intervention, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Mar. 9, 2011
Additional Information:
Judge Floerke and his wife, Sara, have five children: Merit (17), Connor (15), Cole (13), Curran (11), and Mercedes (8).
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