News Item
The Honorable Toddrick S. Barnette Elected as Fourth Judicial District Chief Judge

Posted: Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Honorable Judge Kerry W. Meyer to Serve as Assistant Chief Judge

The Honorable Toddrick S. Barnette has been elected as chief judge of Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District by his fellow district court judges. He is the first person of color to serve as chief judge in the district, and will begin his two-year term on July 1, 2020. 
 
Judge Barnette has served the Fourth Judicial District since February 2006, and has served as the assistant chief judge for the past four years. He worked as a Senior Attorney at both the Office of the Hennepin County Public Defender and the Office of the Hennepin County Attorney prior to his appointment to the bench. Judge Barnette earned his juris doctorate degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1992. He earned his bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in 1988.
 
“I’m honored to serve as chief judge and have Judge Kerry Meyer as the Assistant Chief Judge,” said Judge Barnette. “We want to continue to work with my colleagues to provide access to justice, while seeking more innovative and effective ways to serve the public and ensure public trust in our courts.”
 
The Honorable Judge Kerry W. Meyer was elected to serve as assistant chief judge of the Fourth District. Judge Meyer has served the Fourth Judicial District since August 2006. She has presided over all levels of criminal cases and has served as the presiding judge of the Criminal Division since September 2017. She also spent three years in Juvenile Court, two years in Civil Court, and more than three years in Treatment Courts. She worked as an Assistant County Attorney at the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office prior to her appointment to the bench. Judge Meyer earned her juris doctorate degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1990. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Alma College in 1987.
 
“I’m honored to be elected as the assistant chief judge,” said Judge Meyer. “I look forward to working with Chief Judge Barnette, my other colleagues and court staff in fulfilling the mission of the Fourth Judicial District Court.”
 
A 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 according to Minnesota state statute. The chief judge of each judicial district serves as a member of the Minnesota Judicial Council, the administrative policy-making authority for the Minnesota Judicial Branch.