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Gov. Tim Walz has appointed two new judges to the Minnesota Supreme Court, the composition of which will have women in the majority for the first time in 30 years.
Joining the court as associate judges will be Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Theodora Gaïtas and Seventh Judicial District Chief Judge Sarah Hennesy.
There will now be four women and three men on the state Supreme Court – a female majority for the first time since 1994. It also means all seven justices will have been appointed by Democrats once Gaïtas and Hennesy are sworn in.
Gaïtas will replace Justice Margaret Chutich, while Hennesy will take Justice G. Barry Anderson's spot on the state's highest court. Both Chutich and Anderson said they plan to retire later this year.
Anderson is the last remaining Republican-appointed justice.
“I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve the Minnesota Supreme Court, and I thank Governor Walz and his team for their trust in me. As an associate justice, I will strive to apply the law fairly and justly for all Minnesotans," Gaïtas said.
Gaïtas was first appointed to the District Court by then-Gov. Mark Dayton in September 2018, before being elevated to the Court of Appeals in August 2020 by Walz. She serves as the co-chair on the Domestic Violence Steering Committee in Hennepin County, co-chair of a forum between tribal and state courts, and the co-chair of the Court of Appeals' Equal Justice Committee.
Hennesy was first appointed by Dayton in March 2012 to the Seventh Judicial District Court in St. Cloud. She has experience working as a public defender and criminal defense attorney, previously serving as an attorney at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid in St. Cloud.
“I am profoundly honored to be selected to serve as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court,” Hennesy said in a statement.
“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Governor and his team for entrusting me with this immense responsibility. As a justice of this Court, I will work collaboratively with my colleagues to interpret the law faithfully, uphold the Constitution, and ensure that justice is accessible to all Minnesotans.”
Walz has now appointed two men and two women to the Supreme Court. In August, he promoted Justice Natalie Hudson to the chief justice role, taking over the role vacated by former Chief Justice Lorie Gildea after she retired in October.
“As Chief Justice, I am pleased to welcome both Chief Judge Sarah Hennesy and Judge Theodora Gaïtas to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Both are experienced, well-respected jurists who bring exceptional intellectual gifts and a deep commitment to serving the people of Minnesota. This is a great day for Minnesota," Hudson said in a statement on Monday.
SOURCE: Bring Me The News
