Senior Judge Margaret M. Marrinan
Senior Judge Margaret M. Marrinan

Appointed/Elected:

Elected in 1984 to Ramsey County Municipal Court. Assumed district court office on Sept. 13, 1986.

Elected in 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2014. 

Retired Aug. 31, 2017.

Appointed and assigned to serve statewide as Senior Judge from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2025.

Education:

J.D., University of Minnesota Law School, 1972
B.A., College of St. Catherine, 1969

Employment:

Assistant Attorney- Ramsey County, 1974-1984
Attorney- Jardine, Logan & O' Brien, 1972-1974

Professional Memberships:

Lawyers Society of St. Thomas More, President
Minnesota State Bar Association, Board of Governors, 1987
Criminal Defense Services, Board of Directors, 1980-1985
Ramsey County Board Association
Ramsey County Bar Foundation, Board member

Professional Activities:

Judge Marrinan serves as Chair of the Conservatorship Task Force, a position she has held since 2003. In tandem with other judges and representatives of the probate bar, she works to define ways the court can better monitor and safeguard vulnerable adults and their resources. A major product of this task force was the implementation of a computer-based accounting system designed to pick up anomalies in accountings. The pilot of this program is being implemented in Ramsey County, where all conservators will ultimately file their accounts on-line. According to sources at the National Center for State Courts, this is the first such program in the nation.

She was also heavily involved in engineering and implementing the Ramsey County Mediation program in the Ramsey County Family Court in 1986. This was the first such program in the state and has, since then, been used as the model for all other districts.

Community Activities:

Historic Preservation Policy Advisory Committee- City of St. Paul, 1996-present

COMPAS,
Board of Directors- 1997-2002
Advisory Board- 2003-present

Board of Directors- Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, 2002-present

Board of Directors- Merriam Park Community Services, 1995-1997

Board of Directors- Ramsey County Historical Society 1992-1998

Board of Directors- Park Square Theatre, 2002-2004

Co-chair- St. Paul BOOKS, 1999-2001

Board of Directors- College of St. Catherine Alumnae, 1998-2001

Evening Scholar Committee- College of St. Catherine Alumnae, 2005-present

Board of Directors- Macalester-Groveland Community Council, 1980-85;

Chair (Reforestation Committee)- Macalester-Groveland Community Council, 1980-1985

Lecturing and Teaching Experience:

Since 1992, Judge Marrinan has been an instructor at William Mitchell College of Law, where she teaches Advanced Trial Advocacy. She has also conducted several continuing legal education seminars on various topics.

Judge Marrinan's other Teaching Experience includes:

Minnesota Advocacy Institute
Jury Trial Advocacy, 1992-2004
Elements of Oral Persuasion, 1993-2004

Minnesota CLE- Mastering Trial Advocacy, 1993-present

National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 2000-present

U.S. Department of Justice, OPDAT (Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training)- 1998

Officer Skills Training- St. Paul Police Department, 1999-present