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For Judgeship Seat 53:
David L. Piper and Jane Ranum

Education:
B.A. Whittier College 1975.
J.D. Hamline Law School 1979.

Career:
Private Practice 1980-2001.
Family Court Referee 2001 – Present.
Former Board Member: Volunteer Lawyers Network, Chrysalis, TPT, Neighborhood Involvement Program and Headwaters Fund.

Jane Ranum

Education:
B.S. East Carolina University 1969.
J.D. Hamline University Law School 1975.

Career:
Assistant Hennepin County Attorney 1982 – Present
State Senator 1991 – 2006.
Former Board Member: Volunteer Lawyers Network, Peace Foundation.

Why do I want to be a
District Court judge?

Why do I want to be a
District Court judge?

I have proven to be a fair, impartial, and expeditious decision-maker in 28 years as a lawyer and judicial officer (Child Support Magistrate, Conciliation Court Referee/Judge, and Family Court Referee).  My current responsibilities as a Family Court Referee are very closely akin to those of a Hennepin County District Court Judge, which makes me uniquely qualified to hit the ground running as a District Court Judge; for example, I currently manage a caseload of approximately 100 cases and manage staff.  Throughout my career my clients have run the spectrum from a United States Senator in a civil case, to children in Juvenile Court matters, to criminal defendants and incapacitated respondents in commitment and guardianship hearings.  By nature a better judge than advocate for one side, I enjoy the Bench because it draws upon those traits and skills, both innate and learned which I find most personally rewarding—namely, my intellect, compassion, fairness, thoroughness, and ability to distill complexity down to its essence. Some are innate, others I’ve honed, but all are fundamental to judicial excellence and fulfilling the Court’s mission “to provide a system of justice that assures equal access for the fair and timely resolution of cases and controversies.” 

Court calendars are currently overwhelmed with difficult civil and criminal cases where social, human, and legal problems intersect.  Judges--especially those who handle cases in family, juvenile, and criminal court--need to understand the complex interactions among domestic violence, chemical dependency, and mental health issues.  I gained that knowledge as a teacher; as a prosecutor trying cases involving domestic violence in court and jury trials; as chair of the Senate Judiciary and Crime Prevention policy committees; and as a member of Minnesota Supreme Court task forces on juvenile justice and chemical dependency.  Effective judges must also be problem solvers, bringing parties together to find workable solutions when justice is best served by settlement rather than trial. I have a Senate record of bringing diverse parties together to pass major bipartisan legislation.  As a child growing up in the segregated South, I learned that one person can make a difference.  Judges can have a profound impact on people’s lives. I want to be a judge because I believe that my wealth of life experiences has uniquely prepared me to serve effectively on the Hennepin County Court in these challenging times.