News Item
Paul Patterson appointed Tenth Judicial District Administrator

Posted: Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Tenth Judicial District Chief Judge Douglas B. Meslow announced today that Paul Patterson has been appointed to serve as the new District Administrator of Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District. The appointment, which was approved by the Minnesota Judicial Council, is effective July 10.
 
As District Administrator, Patterson will oversee the administrative affairs of the Tenth Judicial District, including management and processing of all court records and files, district budgeting and accounting, human resources, and maintenance of the District’s computer network. The Tenth Judicial District is comprised of the district courts in Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright counties.
 
Patterson has worked in the Superior Court of California – Alameda County since 2013 as a Court Support Director and spent over three years in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (M.D.Fla) as a Division Manager.  Prior to that, he worked for Protection One, an alarm monitoring corporation, since 2000; first as the Director of Customer Operations, then as a Senior Director of Business Solutions and Senior Director of Operations. He has also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA).  
 
“After an exhaustive search and selection process, it was clear that Paul was the best choice for this important position,” said Chief Judge Meslow. “Paul will bring significant management experience to this role, as well as his extensive expertise in court operations. Most of all, Paul shares a vision with the judges and staff of the Tenth Judicial District that our courts should be innovative, well-managed, and focused on providing the best possible service to the people of Minnesota.”
 
Patterson will replace Michael Moriarity, who is retiring as Tenth Judicial District Administrator after more than 30 years of service in Minnesota’s court system. Moriarity was appointed District Administrator in December 2004, after spending 20 years in various positions with the Second Judicial District (Ramsey County) and the Minnesota Supreme Court. Moriarity is a licensed attorney and a graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law and St. John's University.
 
During his career with the Minnesota Judicial Branch, Moriarity served on numerous county, district, and state committees, including as a member of the state Judicial Council. His leadership played a significant role in the creation of the award-winning Minnesota Court Payment Center, the nationally-recognized Conservator Account Auditing Program, and the expansion of self-help legal services in Minnesota. Moriarity was frequently called upon to train court staff and managers, and was recognized by the Minnesota Association of Court Managers (MACM) as the Coach/Mentor of the Year in 2009. In 2013, Moriarity also received the MACM Lifetime Achievement award.
 
“During his thirty-plus-year career, Mike had an immeasurable impact on the administration of justice in our state,” said Chief Judge Meslow. “Mike’s vision and wisdom have helped drive forward several incredible innovations in our court system, and his humble leadership style has made him one of the most respected court leaders in the state. While it’s hard to lose such an experienced leader, my colleagues and I wish Mike nothing but the best in retirement.”
 
In 2016, more than 130,000 cases were filed in Tenth Judicial District courts, the third-highest number of filings among the state’s 10 judicial districts. Forty-five judges serve the district.