Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea
Minnesota Supreme Court
Core Values
Minnesota Exceptionalism
I am optimistic because this is Minnesota, a place where our enduring belief in community binds and sustains us. I grew up in a small town, where people are tightly knit together by their connections – to family, to friends, to neighbors and to history. Nothing teaches you to work together like growing up in a small town, because, when you grow up in a very small place, you learn that everybody works or nothing does. But I have found that this shared experience, communal work ethic and pride in making our corner of the world a little better for each other is not just a small town value; it can be felt throughout Minnesota – and it is unique to Minnesota. I have lived in other places, and I do not subscribe to the notion that we cannot talk about the exceptionalism of our state. Minnesota is exceptional.
Stewardship
As Chief Justice, I have a solemn responsibility to be a good steward of our Judicial Branch, an institution promised in our constitution. The judiciary is where the people come when the things that are most important to them – their family, their freedom, their property – the things they treasure most, they come to us when those treasures are threatened. They come to us, and they come looking for justice. This is as it must be, because the judiciary is at the heart of what our founders meant when they spoke MN into existence with our constitution and promised that our state ‘Government is instituted for the security, benefit and protection of the people.’ The reason the courts are one of the first promises made in our constitution is that we are essential to preserving our democracy, securing the rule of law and ensuring the public safety.
Impartial Judiciary
It is wrong-headed to insert political parties into our judicial selection process. We do not want judges deciding cases based on campaign contributions or party platforms. We want judges deciding cases in a fair and impartial manner, based on the facts in each case and the law that applies to those facts.
You can learn more about Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea here.