Governor Tim Walz has appointed Natalie Hudson as the new Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. Hudson will be the first African American to hold this position, starting her tenure on October 2.
Hudson has been a member of the Minnesota Supreme Court since November 2015 and previously served on the Court of Appeals from 2002. Outgoing Chief Justice Lorie Gildea praised Hudson, stating, “Justice Hudson 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 nearly eight years, and I have been impressed by her deep knowledge of the law, her collegial spirit, and her unparalleled work ethic.” Gildea also highlighted Hudson's over two decades of experience as an appellate court judge.
Hudson began her legal career in 1982 with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Service. She later worked in private practice at Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi before becoming Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Hamline University School of Law. In 1992, she was appointed St. Paul’s City Attorney and later served as Assistant Attorney General for Minnesota.
Throughout her career, Hudson has been committed to promoting fairness in jurisprudence. She has participated in various committees focused on diversity and racial fairness within the courts.
In addition to appointing Hudson, Governor Walz named Karl Procaccini to fill the vacancy created by Hudson's promotion. Procaccini is a law professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law and previously served as general counsel for Governor Walz.
State Court Administrator Jeff Shorba expressed enthusiasm about Procaccini's appointment: “We’re excited to welcome Karl Procaccini to the Minnesota Supreme Court,” he said. Shorba noted Procaccini's contributions during collaborations with the governor’s office.
Procaccini will also begin his role on October 2.