ST. PAUL, Minn. — Governor Tim Walz promoted Natalie Hudson to chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. She is the first black person to lead the state’s highest court. She is 66. She had been on the Court 13 years as an associate justice. Hudson succeeds Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, who is retiring. Hudson holds a law degree from the University of Minnesota. Out of law school she practiced housing law and worked as a staff attorney with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services. Later she did general civil litigation and employment law. From 1989 to 1992 Hudson was the assistant dean of student affairs Hamline law school. She then served as a city attorney for St. Paul and then became an assistant attorney general working primarily on criminal appeals and health licensing. In 2002 Governor Jesse Ventura appointed Hudson to an at-large seat on the state Court of Appeals.

New to Supreme Court

Walz named Karl Procaccini, his former general counsel, to fill Hudson’s spot as associate justice. Procaccini currently isa visiting professor at the University of St. Thomas law school. In the governor’s office, his work had included the state’s response to the CoVid pandemic.

Hudson. An associate Supreme Court justice since 2015, an appointee back then of Governor Mark Dayton.

Procaccini. Harvard law grad, magana cum laude.

Verbatim

Walz: “Justice Hudson is one of our state’s most experienced jurists. She has a strong reputation as a leader and consensus builder. I am confident that she will advance a vision that promotes fairness and upholds the dignity of all Minnesotans.”