Judicial Referee, Hennepin County, Housing Court

Hennepin County District Court invites qualified applicants for a full-time Judicial Referee position, with duties in both Civil and Criminal Divisions, with the potential to be reassigned to other areas of the court as needed. The position will initially be responsible for handling Housing Court cases, criminal expungements, and other matters as assigned. The appointment will be made by the Hennepin County District Court Chief Judge.  Applicants are not required to be residents of Hennepin County.

This position supports the Judicial Branch's mission to increase access to justice for all people in the State of Minnesota. Work assignments are carried out with a substantial degree of discretion and independent judgment within the framework of state laws and rules of procedure applicable to the administration of the assigned court and judicial proceedings.

This position will be located at the Hennepin County Government Center, in downtown Minneapolis. This position will work both onsite and remotely, which may change depending on business needs. A reliable internet connection will be required when working remotely. The target start date for this position is early to mid-October.
 
The Minnesota Judicial Branch offers a comprehensive benefits package.  You can learn more about benefits at mn.gov/mmb/segip.   

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

Examples listed below may not reflect all duties performed. 

• Serves at the pleasure of the Chief Judge or designee and performs under their direction in accordance with Minnesota Statutes § 484.70, court rules, and the Minnesota Code of Judicial Conduct.
• Carries out work assignments with a substantial degree of discretion and independent judgment.

• Presides over assigned hearings and cases, including contested and uncontested trials, motions, and other proceedings; manages calendars and cases efficiently; maintains order and decorum in all proceedings; treats all parties with courtesy and respect.

• Instructs parties and witnesses about their rights and affords every party the full right to be heard.

• Evaluates evidence, rules on objections, and make decisions on factual and legal questions.

• Prepares findings, orders, and correspondence that meet Judicial Branch standards; perform legal research.

• Confers with attorneys and the public; collaborates with other judicial officers.

• Acts as a subject matter expert for District Court; acts as a liaison with partner agencies and the community, giving presentations on subject matter expertise to judicial, legal and community groups.

• Exercises discretion and independent judgment in carrying out assignments in accordance with state laws, rules of court, and local practices; refrains from extra-judicial statements on pending matters.

• Supervises one chamber staff.

• Performs other related work as required by the court. 

TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Must be a licensed attorney in the State of Minnesota. 
• A combined five years of experience as either an attorney representing and/or advising clients in practice, or as a judicial officer.

• Must be in good standing and have no disciplinary actions within the past 5 years.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Extensive and thorough knowledge of general and specific laws, state laws, established precedents, and sources of legal reference related to the assigned division of the court.

• Ability to be fair, impartial, and sensitive to the needs of a diverse population.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and collaborative with team members and justice partners and establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with self-represented litigants.
• Thorough knowledge of court procedures, rules of evidence, and trial and courtroom procedures.
• Ability to apply legal principles and specialized knowledge to individual cases and problems.
• Ability to prepare for hearings and trials, hear difficult cases, and present findings, decisions, and other material clearly and logically in oral and written form.
• Ability to maintain control and courtroom decorum with parties in crisis who often have limited understanding of court proceedings. 
• Ability to handle a large volume of cases and issue decisions in a timely manner.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience as an attorney representing clients or as a judicial officer.

• Courtroom and litigation experience in housing law cases.

• Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure with excellent case and time management skills.
• Extensive experience as a problem-solving critical thinker.
• Possesses a broad organizational perspective to improve the administration of justice in Hennepin County District Court.

• Possesses experience, knowledge and comfort with technology and electronic records.

• Prior experience supervising team members in a professional environment.

SALARY: 

The expected salary is $81.94 per hour ($171,091 annually). This position is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and is eligible for State of MN employee benefits.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

• Complete and submit your online application with resume and cover letter attached by September 9, 2026, at 11:59pm.
• Please contact Human Resources with questions regarding this posting via email: [email protected]; or phone: 612-540-6488.
• All employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory results of a criminal background check. An employment offer may be rescinded if the background check identifies job related convictions.