Justice Gaïtas has served on the Minnesota Supreme Court since August 1, 2024. Previously, she was a member of the Court of Appeals from 2020 until her appointment to the Supreme Court.

“Justice Gaitas is an outstanding choice to serve as Minnesota’s next Chief Justice. I have had the privilege of working closely with her on the Supreme Court for the last two years and I have been impressed by her deep knowledge of the law, her commitment to the collaborative work of the court, her unparalleled work ethic, and her willingness to take on additional administrative work without complaint,”  said outgoing Chief Justice Natalie Hudson. “Many years ago, when Justice Gaitas and I were both still practicing attorneys, we were frequent legal adversaries.  I knew then that she would later be what she has, in fact, become: one of the most talented and respected jurists in the state.  She is the perfect person to lead the Minnesota Judicial Branch in the years to come.”

“I am excited to work with Justice Gaïtas in her new role as Chief Justice,” said State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba. “The intellectual insight, steady composure, and exceptional work ethic she has brought to the Court as an Associate Justice will serve her, and the people of Minnesota, well in her tenure as our new Chief Justice.”

Before her appointment to the bench, Justice Gaïtas was in private practice with Matonich Law and served as an appellate public defender with the Office of the Minnesota Appellate Public Defender. Justice Gaïtas is a 1994 cum laude graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School.

The governor also named Reynaldo Aligada to fill the Supreme Court vacancy that opened as a result of Justice Gaïtas’ promotion.

Aligada was appointed by Gov. Tim Walz as a Ramsey County District Court judge in 2019. Previous to his position as a judge he served as First Assistant Federal Defender in the Office of the Federal Defender in Minneapolis, an associate attorney at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, and as a judicial law clerk at both the United States District Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He holds a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law and a B.A. from St. John’s University, Minnesota.

Aligada will assume his new role on the Supreme Court on Oct. 1.

https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts/newsandannouncements/theodora-gaitas-named-next-minnesota-supreme-court-chief-justice

Read the order here

The amendments to Rule 3.8 of the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct are effective July 1, 2026.

MCAA is offering a tour of the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility. This is only for MCAA and its members. The tour will take place on Thursday, May 28^th

To register, please contact Kim Ghilardi at kghilardi@mcaa-mn.org

MCF-Lino Lakes consists of medium-security and minimum-security units with a population of 1,300 adult males. This facility has the highest concentration of educational and treatment programs. In many cases, incarcerated individuals serve the final phase of their sentence at Lino Lakes so they can obtain the services they need to prepare for release.

To the Winona County Community:                                      February 17, 2026

After much reflection with family, friends, and colleagues, I have decided to retire at the end of this, my 4^th four-year term in office as the elected Winona County Attorney.  Therefore, I will not be running for re-election this fall in 2026. 

Serving for 16 years as the Winona County Attorney has been an extraordinary privilege and honor given to me by the citizens of Winona County.  I am continually humbled by the trust the community placed in me to serve in the dual role of chief criminal prosecutor and corporate counsel for Winona County.

After having spent 45 years of my professional life in public service, starting in 1981 when I became a telecommunications rates analyst at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in St. Paul, it’s time to turn over the reins to the younger generations who I know, by working with them, are more than capable of carrying on the work we have done together.  I look forward to watching them break new ground with their determination, energy, and public service ethic to continue the work ahead.  The future, from my perspective, is in good hands.

Another reason I am not running again is that I believe I have accomplished what I set out to do when I first ran for Winona County Attorney in 2010.  I ran on the campaign promise to “serve all the citizens of Winona County, rural and urban, as a hardworking, efficient, and effective County Attorney.”  I also said I would be “tough on crime and serious about working with citizens, law enforcement and other agencies involved in the criminal justice system to reduce and prevent crime through innovative collaborative programs that reduce costs for the taxpayers.”

Key to accomplishing those goals was the collaborative spirit I brought to working with others.  The institutional framework to get things done collaboratively was the Winona County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC).  I was a founding member of CJCC in 2007 when I was a Third Judicial District Assistant Public Defender.  I have served as CJCC Chair since 2015.  The smart on crime, criminal justice reform programs that we established were strategically designed to address mental health and chemical dependency affecting criminal justice involved individuals.  My goal was to establish and foster early intervention and prevention programs, treatment-based programs, and re-entry assistance programs, among other initiatives.

 In 2012, we established Drug Court (now the Treatment Court of Winona County) and followed it with the Re-Entry Assistance Program several years later.  The early mental health and chemical dependency screening and evaluations these programs provide are key to helping the individuals served by those programs. These programs have literally, in many cases, stopped the revolving door of repeat offenders, reduced recidivism among participants, and helped them to become productive members of society for the common good.   

I am also proud of the criminal prosecution and civil legal services work my office has done for Winona County and its citizens under my leadership.  During my time as County Attorney, our office handled countless criminal cases, including several homicide cases which I lead, resulting in 1^st degree murder convictions. On the corporate and civil legal counsel side of our office, among the highlights of my tenure as County Attorney was helping to get the new jail built.

I did not accomplish this work alone.  Throughout my 16 years in office, I have had an incredible collaborative team of Legal Assistants, Office Coordinators, Assistant Winona County Attorneys, Crime Victim Services Coordinators, and Treatment Court Coordinator, all of whom I have supervised as Department Head. I thank them profusely and will miss working with them terribly.  They are my work family.

I will also miss the many individuals I have had the honor of working with, including, but not limited to, the courts and court administration, law enforcement, department of corrections, civil and criminal lawyers, our education community, non-profit leaders, medical and mental health services providers, the business community, and community members at large. 

I have handled the extensive duties and responsibilities of this office efficiently and effectively and brought a collaborative spirit, a pragmatic approach, and a strong work ethic along with a good sense of humor, when humor is needed, in this profoundly serious and purposeful profession of County Attorney. I have sought justice within the bounds of the law, upholding the Constitutions of the United States and State of Minnesota as I promised to do when I was sworn in as an attorney over 35 years ago and as an elected official.

My retirement at the beginning of 2027 will be the start of a new journey for me, one in which I hope to stay active with volunteering in the community work, spending more time with friends and family, and taking longer walks with my dogs! 

Karin L. Sonneman- Winona County Attorney

Judicial Council Policy 525 - Remote and In-person Hearings Policy

“It is my honor to appoint Susan DeVos,” said Governor Walz. “She has devoted her career to advancing fairness and justice within the Blue Earth County justice system.That strong foundation will not only make her an effective judge, but also a trusted leader who will uphold the rule of law and the dignity of everyone who comes before her.”

The Fifth Judicial District consists of 15 counties in southwest Minnesota: Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, and Watonwan.

Susan DeVos is an assistant county attorney in the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office, where she represents the county in numerous areas, including child protection, civil commitment, and appeals. She is a member of the Blue Earth County Family Dependency Treatment Court, Blue Earth County Child Protection Team, and Children’s Justice Initiative. DeVos was previously an associate attorney at Meagher & Geer and a law clerk to the Honorable R.A. (Jim) Randall on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Her community involvement includes volunteering backstage for Mankato Ballet Company productions and as a judge for the McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court. She earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota Duluth and her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law.

“John Fitzgerald’s approach to justice centers around humility and kindness. Those skills will not only make him an excellent addition to the Kandiyohi County bench but will help serve his community,” said Governor Walz.   

Minnesota’s Eighth Judicial District encompasses Big Stone, Chippewa, Grant Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Meeker, Pope, Renville, Stevens, Swift, Traverse, Wilkin, and Yellow Medicine Counties.  

John Fitzgerald is the first assistant county attorney at the Meeker County Attorney’s Office, where he supervises attorneys and support staff in the prosecution of criminal matters. In addition, he prosecutes a variety of misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony-level offenses. Fitzgerald also represents Meeker County in civil commitment proceedings and guardianship matters. He was previously a law clerk for the Honorable Kristine R. DeMay in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District. Fitzgerald’s community involvement includes serving as chair of the Meeker Area Food Shelf and as a member of the board of directors of the Litchfield Lions Club. He earned his B.A. from the University of North Dakota and his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law. 

Applications must be received no later than 4:30 pm on January 30, 2026.

Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District encompasses Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright counties. 
 
About Madelyn Adams:
Madelyn Adams is a senior attorney in the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, where she prosecutes complex violent felonies and cases involving sensitive victims. She also supervises attorneys handling juvenile delinquency matters, oversees restorative justice initiatives, and played a central role in establishing a restorative specialty court for youth. Adams previously served as an assistant county attorney in Washington County and as a public defender in the Second Judicial District. She began her career in adult criminal defense and appellate practice after serving as an honors clerk for Justice Bruce Zager on the Iowa Supreme Court. She remains active in her community through service on her local school board, volunteer work at naturalization ceremonies and children’s theater programs, and membership on state and local task forces dedicated to expanding fair and accessible opportunities for young people. She earned her B.S. from Iowa State University and her J.D. from Drake University Law School.  

and

All comments must be filed no later than March 9, 2026.

Meeker County Attorney Brandi Schiefelbein to Lead the Minnesota County Attorneys Association over the next 12 months.  Schiefelbein was elected president during the MCAA Annual Meeting on December 4, 2025.  Click here to read press release.  

2025 MCAA Award Winners

2025 Johnson Distinguished Service Award - Wadena County Attorney Kyra Ladd. 

2025 Meritorious Service Award - First Assistant Kandiyohi County Attorney Kristen Pierce.  Click here to read press release.  

2025 Professional Achievement Award - First Assistant Washington County Attorney Brent Wartner.  Click here to read press release.    

2025 Award of Excellence - Murray County Attorney Travis Smith.  Click here to read press release.  

2025 Public Service Award - Scott County Attorney Ron Hocevar.  Click here to read press release.    

https://dps.mn.gov/mn-crime-statistics

Nathan LaCoursiere is a senior assistant county attorney in the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office, where he represents the county in a wide range of civil, labor, appellate, and real estate matters. He is also an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he teaches constitutional law. LaCoursiere was previously an assistant city attorney for the City of Duluth and a law clerk to the Honorable David R. Minge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. His past community and professional involvement includes volunteering for the Duluth Energy Plan Commission, the Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection, and serving as a Judicare Legal Aid attorney, representing low-income clients in northwestern Wisconsin. He earned his B.A. from the University of Minnesota – Morris and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.  

“It gives me great pride to appoint Stefanie Menning,” said Governor Walz. “She takes the bench with a deep appreciation for and connection to the Nicollet County community and is ready to serve with unwavering fairness, humility, and a steadfast commitment to justice for all.”

The Fifth Judicial District consists of 15 counties in southwest Minnesota: Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, and Watonwan.

Stefanie Menning is an assistant county attorney in the Scott County Attorney’s Office, where she represents Human Services in child protection proceedings. She is a member of the First Judicial District Veterans Treatment Court and Scott County Treatment Court. Menning was previously an assistant county attorney in the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office in the felony criminal division, an assistant Mankato city attorney, and an associate attorney at Brandt Law Office, P.A. Menning’s community involvement includes serving on the Staff Support Committee at First Lutheran Church of St. Peter, serving as an investigator for the 8th District Bar Association Ethics Committee, and volunteering as a basketball coach for the St. Peter Youth Basketball Association. She earned her B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College and her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law. 

“Roseau County and the Ninth Judicial District will be well served by Michael Grover, a familiar face to both the community and the justice system he has helped advance for more than two decades,” said Governor Walz. “His confidence and commitment to treatment courts and justice innovation not only yield improved outcomes for litigants but also foster greater public trust in the justice system.”

Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District encompasses Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau Counties.

Michael Grover is an assistant county attorney in the Roseau County Attorney’s Office, where he works primarily in adult criminal prosecution and with the Roseau County treatment courts and domestic violence court. He was previously an associate attorney at Anderson Law Offices, P.A., where he practiced in the areas of municipal law, family law, criminal defense, estate planning, and civil litigation. Grover’s community involvement includes serving on Roseau County’s Community Justice Coordinating Committee, Team EPIC (Encouraging Positive Impact for Change), and the Warroad Port Authority. He earned his B.S. from Bemidji State University and his J.D. from the University of North Dakota School of Law. 

https://mn.gov/governor/appointments/judicialappointments/judicialnews.jsp#/detail/appId/1/id/705291

Jacob Fischmann will be replacing the Honorable Krista K. Martin for the seat chambered in Kanabec County 

“Jacob Fischmann will bring deep legal expertise to Kanabec County,” said Governor Walz. “He is not only an exceptional trial advocate and attorney, but he also appreciates that behind every case lies a story that deserves to be heard.”  

About Jacob Fischmann: 
Jacob Fischmann is a senior assistant attorney in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, where he supervises a team of attorneys prosecuting felony level narcotics and property crime cases. He also served in the Complex Prosecution Unit and the Adult Prosecution Division in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Fischmann was previously an assistant county attorney with the Chisago County Attorney’s Office and an assistant attorney general in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office in the Public Safety Division and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. His community involvement includes teaching criminal procedure at St. Thomas School of Law and coaching girls’ hockey in Woodbury. He earned his B.A. from St. Olaf College and his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.  

About Carrie Doom:
Carrie Doom works at Sapientia Law Group, where she primarily practices family law. She also represents parents in child protection cases in Isanti, Pine, and Kanabec counties, as well as in Mille Lacs Band Tribal Court. Doom is an active member of the Isanti County Children’s Justice Initiative and serves as the attorney-coach for the Cambridge-Isanti Mock Trial Team. Her community involvement includes serving on the board of the Cambridge Curling Club. Doom previously served on the Anoka Ramsey Community College Foundation Board and the Cambridge Medical Center Foundation Board. She earned her B.A. from Augustana College and her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law. 

https://mn.gov/governor/appointments/judicialappointments/judicialnews.jsp#/detail/appId/1/id/703946

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Read the 6/26/25 report here