New MN Supreme Court Justice Reflects on Her Path to High Court

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- The former Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial District, which includes Stearns County, has been appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Justice Sarah E. Hennesy was appointed to the High Court on May 13th.

Hennesy has degrees from two schools in Iowa and has worked in Iowa, Washington State, and Virginia before settling in St. Cloud.

Hennesy was appointed to the District Court bench in 2012 and was appointed Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial District in 2021.

In an exclusive interview with WJON News, Justice Hennesy says while both positions deal with Minnesota law, the two jobs are vastly different...

A District Court judge in Stearns County...it's a busy court. And, I would have people in and out of my courtroom all day long. At the Supreme Court level, it's busy but a different kind of busy. The reading...I couldn't even tell you how much reading we have to do. So the pace is slower and it's more contemplative but it's challenging in a very different way.

Hennesy says once she became Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial District, she began working with members of the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court. She says as she became more familiar with their work, she decided she wanted to be a part of it.

To be frank, I was so impressed with the conscientiousness, the thoughtfulness, and the process. I mean the integrity of the process by which we make decisions in the judicial branch. I wanted to be part of that.

Justice Hennesy will fill the remaining term of the now-retired Justice G. Barry Anderson. She will be up for election before her term expires in January 2027.

To listen to the complete interview with Justice Sarah E. Hennesy click on the link below.