Another Minnesota Supreme Court Justice announces retirement
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Margaret Chutich, the first openly gay justice on the state’s highest court, announced her retirement Tuesday.
Chutich was appointed by former Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton to the Minnesota Court of Appeals in 2012 and to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2016, then elected in 2018. Her resignation gives Democratic Gov. Tim Walz two openings on the high court that he now needs to fill, and when he does, he will have appointed four of the seven justices.
Chutich is expected to retire at the end of the court’s 2023-24 term on July 31.
Her retirement will allow Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to appoint four of the seven justices on the state’s Supreme Court.
Chutich said in a statement Tuesday, “Representation is important so that when students see someone like them having success, they will have confidence they can set high goals as well.”
She added, “Having someone like me on the bench also tells LGBTQ+ lawyers they belong in the courtroom and helps those in the community know that someone on the bench has life experiences that may enrich the understanding of the court, especially about the facts involved in a particular case. All manner of diversity in decision makers is key to creating a fair system of justice.”
Walz thanked Chutich for her service to the court.
“She has been a brilliant jurist who has advanced the rule of law for all Minnesotans,” Walz said in a separate statement on Tuesday.
He added, “She is also a trailblazer as Minnesota’s first openly gay justice. With grace and humility, she has moved our state forward and redefined the image of a justice.”
Walz is expected to announce the application process for the vacancy on the court in the coming weeks.
Last week, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson also announced his retirement. Anderson was appointed by former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty in 2004. He is the only Republican-appointed justice on the court.
Minnesota’s Supreme Court is celebrated as a nonpartisan court, especially compared with neighboring Wisconsin’s divided state Supreme Court and an increasingly conservative U.S. Supreme Court.
___
Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski contributed to this report from St. Paul, Minnesota.
