Judge David L. Piper

Juvenile Justice Center
Phone: (612)348-4822

Chambers Phone: 612-348-5221

Chambers Email: Email Chambers Staff

Appointed/Elected:

Appointed to the Hennepin County District Court by Governor Mark Dayton, effective June 16, 2011. 

Elected in 2012.  Current term expires Jan. 2019.

Education:

Whittier College, Whittier, California, B.A. (1975)
Hamline Law School, Saint Paul, Minnesota, J.D. (1979)

Employment:

Hennepin County District Court Judge, Aug. 2011–Present

Hennepin County Family Court Referee, 2000–2011

Hennepin County Contract Child Support Magistrate, 1999-2001

Hennepin County Contract Chief Family Court Conflicts Panel Public Defender, 1995–1998

Hennepin County Contract Chief Family Court Public Defender, 1990–1995

Hennepin County Contract Conciliation Court Judge/Referee, 1983–1998

David L. Piper Law Office (sole practitioner) 1980–2000

Professional Memberships:

Chair of the Equal Justice Committee of the Hennepin County District Court, 7/1/12-Present

Member, Minnesota and Hennepin County Bar Associations

Professional and Community Activities:

Leadership and Volunteer Activities

Neighborhood Involvement Program, Board Member, 2007-Present

Twin Cities Public Television, Board Member, 2004-2010   

Chrysalis, Board Member and volunteer, 1983-2001   

Park House, Capital Campaign Volunteer, 1994-1996

Minnesota AIDS Project, volunteer lawyer and volunteer, 1990-Present

Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center,

• Volunteer, 1996-2002
• Fundraiser/Funder, Cemetery-revision, Fall 2008          

Citizens League, Former Board Member

Minnesota State Bar Association, Mock Trial Coach at Central High School, 1997-2000

Headwaters Fund, Board of Directors, 1988-1994

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Member, 2008–Present

Coordinator, Volunteer Guardians ad Litem, Hennepin County Panel for Incompetent Family Court Litigants, 2010–2011

Minneapolis Public Schools

• Substitute reading coach at CityView elementary school,  2005-2010
• Weekly volunteer teacher’s aide in ESL Classroom, 2004–2006

Pro Bono Legal Activities

Member, Hennepin County Family Violence Coordinating Council, 2004-2007 (Vice-Chair, Civil Subcommittee, 2004)

Volunteer Lawyers Network

• Volunteer (1980-1990)
• Board Member (1982-1996)

Minnesota Supreme Court Task Force on Court-Appointed Counsel, 2000-2001, focusing on improving representation for indigent litigants in civil cases           

Minnesota Children’s Law Center, 1996-1998, represented children in State ward/Children in Need of Protective Services cases

Hennepin County and Minnesota State Bar Associations, 1980-present

• Co-Chair, Juvenile Law Committee, 1990-1995
• Member, Family Law Committee, 1985
• Member, Task Force for Unmarried Parents, 2003
• Minnesota Lavender Bar Association, 2011–Present

Teaching/Authorship

Continuing Legal Education courses, particularly involving juvenile and family law.  Articles about Juvenile Court and parentage proceedings:

• Hennepin Lawyer, "Overview (10 years) of Juvenile Court," May-June 1990
• Hennepin Lawyer, “Role of Public Defender in Family Court,” Oct. 1996
• Hennepin Family Law Section Newsletter, "Role of the Public Defender," Mar. 1997
• StarTribune, Front page (Metro Section) Editorial, “Two Days Was an Eon when Mom was Taken” (Victim’s son’s Perspective on Crime), Dec. 28, 2003
• Hennepin Lawyer, “Family Court: A Public-Private Partnership to Serve Families in Transition,” May, 2010

Awards/Achievements:

Allies for Justice Award, Headwaters Fund, June 2002
Volunteer Lawyer of the Month, Volunteer Lawyer’s Network, 1998
Peer Recognition Award for Volunteer Service, Hamline University Law School, 1994

Assignments:

Juvenile, August 6, 2012 - Present

Criminal, June 16, 2011 - August 2, 2012