News Item
The Honorable Michelle A. Dietrich Elected Fifth Judicial District Chief Judge
Posted: Wednesday, April 12, 2017
The Honorable Gregory Anderson to Serve as Assistant Chief Judge
The Honorable Michelle A. Dietrich has been elected to serve as chief judge of Minnesota’s Fifth Judicial District by her fellow judges in the district. She will assume her duties on July 1, 2017, after current Chief Judge Bradley C. Walker completes his second two-year term in the role.
Judge Dietrich, who is currently assistant chief judge of the Fifth District, has served in the District since August 2008. Before her appointment to the bench, Assistant Chief Judge Dietrich was the Redwood County Attorney from 1997 to 2008, and Assistant Redwood County Attorney from 1995 to 1997. Prior to that, she served as a Ninth Judicial District law clerk in Bemidji and Clearwater from 1994 to 1995. She earned her juris doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul in 1994, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from Central University of Iowa in Pella in 1991. Assistant Chief Judge Dietrich is chambered in the Lyon County Courthouse in Marshall.
“The court staff and judges of the Fifth District are incredibly dedicated, talented, and hard-working individuals,” said Assistant Chief Judge Dietrich. “I am honored to serve as Chief Judge of the district.”
The Honorable Gregory Anderson was elected to replace Assistant Chief Judge Dietrich as the next assistant chief judge in the Fifth District. Judge Anderson was appointed to the bench in August 2008. He previously served as an assistant public defender in the Office of the Public Defender for the Fifth Judicial District from 1994 to 2008, and as an assistant city attorney for the City of Mankato from 1989 to 1994. Prior to that, he served as a law clerk for the Fifth Judicial District from 1987 to 1989. His chambers are located in the Watonwan County Courthouse in St. James.
By statute, the chief judge of a judicial district exercises general administrative authority over the courts within the district, including assigning judges to serve in locations throughout the district. The chief judge of each judicial district also serves as a member of the Minnesota Judicial Council, the administrative policy-making authority for the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
Chief judges and assistant chief judges are elected to two-year terms by the judges within the district. No judge may serve as chief judge or assistant chief judge for more than two consecutive two-year terms. New two-year terms begin on July 1.