Appointment/Elections:

Appointed to the trial court bench as Judicial Officer for Carlton County on July 5, 1978.  Appointed Judge of District Court July 24, 1986, by Governor Al Quie. Elected as District Court Judge for the Sixth District in 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002 and 2008.

Retired on April 11, 2014.

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

Education:

Juris Doctor cum laude, William Mitchell College of Law, 1974.
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, University of Minnesota, Duluth, 1970.

Professional Activities:

Appointed by the Supreme Court to Minnesota's Special Appeal Panel for mentally ill & dangerous in 1985.  Served on that three-judge panel for approximately three years.

Appointed in 1985 the Minnesota Supreme Court’s Permanency Planning Task Force for Children.  Appointed in 1987 to chair that task force.

In 1988 became the first judge appointed by the Governor to Minnesota’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.  Reappointed in 1989, 1993, and 1997.  Honored by Governor Ventura in 2001 as the longest serving member of that Board.

Awarded “Outstanding Volunteer for 1996” by Sixth District Volunteer Attorneys Program.

Membership: National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges, Minnesota District Judges Association, local and State Bar Associations.

President, UMD Alumni Association, 1983-1985.

Board Member:  Fond du Lac Tribal College Foundation, (1998 to present).

President, American Cancer Society, Carlton County Unit (1974-1984).

Past board member, Girl Scouts – Northern Pine Council.

Teaching Activities:

Adjunct faculty at UMD, Soc.-Anth. Dept., 1979 to present, teaching undergraduate courses in juvenile justice, the criminal code & selected statutes for Minnesota police officers, "comparative systems of punishment," contemporary issues in law enforcement, as well as courses in "child abuse & child protection.”

Served several years as adjunct faculty for the Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College, teaching classes in law enforcement and state & local government. Currently teach Native American Law courses (Public Law 280), during summer sessions.

Instructor for teachers and other mandated reporters regarding Minnesota’s child abuse reporting laws (Educator’s Institute: July 2004).

Formerly taught “Juvenile Justice” for the University of Wisconsin, at Superior.

Served as faculty member for a number of seminars sponsored by the Supreme Court's Office of Continuing Education. 

A graduate of the National Judicial College's "Faculty Skills Workshop for Adult Education" in October 1988. Completed their "Faculty Development" (teaching adults) course, June 21-22, 1993.  In October 2003, completed the course in “Teaching the Adult Learner” at the National Judicial College in Reno.  Have instructed at the Minnesota Judicial College regarding "Sentencing Issues in Minnesota."  Served as faculty for the State Court Administrators' Annual Conferences and the Minnesota Probate Registrars' State meetings.

Previously served as part-time faculty for the Minnesota Advocacy Institute sponsored by the Minnesota State Bar Assoc.

Selected as guest lecture for:

• Supreme Court's Office of Continuing Education for State Court Personnel
• Minn. Assoc. of Court Administrators, "New Juvenile Court Timelines under the federal Adoption & Safe Families Act " (February 1999)
• Minnesota County Attorneys' Assoc.
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association ("Head injuries," June 1991)
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• State Alcohol Traffic Safety Assoc.
• Minnesota Court Administrator's Assoc. (National Conference)
• Minnesota Assoc. of Township Officers
• National Endowment for the Humanities, "Issues in Medical Ethics," (Miller Dwan Hospital)
• Minnesota Juvenile Probation Officers Assoc.
• University of Minnesota, "The Toxic Child" - Dept. of Education (Dec. 98) Child Protection TEAM Conference, U. of M. Prof. Development (January, 1999)

Hobbies:

Former member of the Lake Superior Watercolor Society.
Former football official for Minnesota State High School League and the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (19 years).
Currently enjoy fly-tying & fly-fishing.