FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 19, 2023
Contact: Claire Lancaster
claire.lancaster@state.mn.us
651-219-2975
Governor Walz Appoints Steve Hanke to Fill Sixth Judicial District Vacancy
[ST.
PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan today
announced the appointment of Steve Hanke as District Court Judge in
Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District. Hanke will be replacing the
Honorable Michael J. Cuzzo and will be chambered in Two Harbors in Lake
County and Grand Marais in Cook County.
“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Hanke to the Sixth Judicial District,” said Governor Walz. “His
dedication to serving his community and commitment to finding creative
solutions to challenging issues makes me confident that he will be an
excellent jurist for Lake and Cook counties.”
“Steve Hanke will be a great addition to the Sixth Judicial District bench,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “His
work with Minnesota’s treatment courts and dedication to restorative
justice practices makes him uniquely qualified for this position, and I
look forward to seeing how he incorporates that experience into his new
role.”
Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District encompasses Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties.
Steve
Hanke is an attorney for the City of Duluth, where he practices civil
law and prosecutes criminal matters. He is also an adjunct professor in
the Human Behavior, Justice, and Diversity Department at the University
of Wisconsin – Superior. His community involvement includes volunteering
with the Minnesota State Bar Association as a high school mock trial
judge and the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association. He also serves as the
president of the 11th District Bar Association and as a board member for
the Damiano Center and Duluth Area Family YMCA. He earned his B.A. from
the University of North Dakota and his J.D. from the University of
Minnesota.
For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.
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