Lucy Ann Wieland moves from her position as a referee in conciliation court for the Hennepin County district court as well as a private practitioner to the Hennepin County district court bench. Judge Wieland brings with her experience both in criminal and civil litigation practice.

Judge Wieland has spent the last five years practicing in the areas of criminal defense and related civil litigation, as well as family law areas, all in private practice.

Her interest in criminal defense and related civil litigation, while evident in law school, really came to the forefront when she accepted the position of assistant county attorney in the Hennepin County attorney’s office, criminal division. Judge Wieland received a special assignment in the sexual assault prosecution unit where she prosecuted cases involving child victims. She worked for the county from 1982 through 1985, a time when the case law in the area of sexual assaults and child victims was rapidly developing. She was also involved in the drafting of legislation. Although it was a difficult area to practice in, Wieland stated that she appreciated the chance to have a hand in developing the new law and standards.

Following her experience at the Hennepin County attorney’s office, Wieland went into private practice with Colich and Wieland. In private practice she continued in her area of expertise that had developed with the sexual assault program. Wieland began to represent the victims of sexual abuse in civil litigation. She found that the cases were similar, as were the issues, to the ones she had tried in the county attorney’s office. The firm was also the city attorney for St. Louis Park during this period.

In 1989, Wieland became a referee for the conciliation court in Hennepin County and also began private practice with Mauzy & Short, P.A. At Mauzy & Short Wieland continued to practice in the area of criminal defense and the related civil litigation where she participated in the morphine cases at the University of Minnesota. She prepared the cases for the doctors for grand jury deliberation on whether the morphine deaths were homicides.

Wieland’s grandfather encouraged her to become a lawyer and to go into litigation. Her grandfather was a lawyer in the Brainerd area where his law partner was the first woman to be appointed a judge in Minnesota.

From her grandfather’s practice, Wieland found that the courtroom gave one the chance to have an effect on people’s lives. Wieland states that she was drawn to the criminal law side of litigation because both sides had a great deal at stake, the issues were more interesting, and the cases were more fun to try and moved more quickly.

Wieland completed her undergraduate work at Stanford University. Although she had planned to become a lawyer right out of college, that goal was delayed for a couple of years when she went to work for Head Start in California. In 1982, Wieland received her J.D., magna cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law.

Judge Wieland has taught at the annual criminal justice institutes as well as the Minnesota CLE trial skills courses. She has also authored several articles on criminal law.

"The judgeship gives me an opportunity to use my creativity for greater impact," said Wieland. Her opportunity to be creative as well as independent in her decision-making has been important in each of her career choices.