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Referee, Sixth Judicial District

Are you interested in serving your community through the justice system?

Do you have a desire to advance your legal career?

Join the Sixth Judicial District as a Referee! The Sixth Judicial District seeks to fill a full-time Court Referee position currently chambered in St. Louis County, Duluth. Work will be assigned initially in St. Louis County, Duluth, and Carlton County, and will include district-wide eviction calendar responsibility. Work will also include responsibility for hearing and ruling on certain types of criminal, civil, juvenile, probate, family, civil commitment, and domestic violence cases. This position will perform highly responsible professional legal work in adjudicating assigned case types in a district court in the Minnesota State Court System. 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. Work is reviewed by a judge and prepared for a judge's signature. The Referee will not be able to practice law before any court in the Sixth Judicial District.

What You Will Do

The following are examples of major job duties expected of this position:

Presides over assigned court trials and hearings; reviews court calendars before scheduled sessions of court; accepts pleas; grants continuances; appoints a public defender or guardian ad litem when necessary; reads or listens to allegations and determines if action cited is supported by facts; hears and evaluates evidence of witnesses and technical experts; listens to presentation of case; rules on admissibility of evidence and methods of conducting testimony.
Conducts hearings and rules on motions and pre-trial hearings, performs administrative duties in maintaining communication with referral agencies, attorneys, social services personnel and probation personnel.
Signs and enters orders for civil commitment cases.
Conducts legal research including reviewing, analyzing, studying, searching, and annotating laws, court decisions, documents, opinions, briefs and related legal authorities to prepare for court proceedings and litigated matters.
Prepares court orders and reports based on evidence and findings and gives to judge for review and approval.
Attends conferences with judges and attorneys or conducts conferences to dispose of legal matters and other problems that arise in the processing of cases; gives opinions and recommendations thereon.
Serves on various judicial improvement committees; drafts legislation needed in new areas or to modify existing laws; confers with legislators, judges, and other public officials to emphasize the weaknesses or merits of specific bills.

What You Must Have

The Minnesota Judicial Branch recognizes the diverse set of skills, strengths, and attributes that an individual may bring into a role. If you have any combination of the experience, training, and education required for this position, apply today!

Possession of a certificate of admission to the bar of the State of Minnesota; eligibility to practice law before the courts of the State of Minnesota.
Graduation from an accredited law school.
Five years or more of experience as a practicing attorney or judicial officer

What You Will Bring

Extensive knowledge of state laws and court rulings as they pertain to the assigned division of the court.
Thorough knowledge of general and specific law, state laws, established precedents, and sources of legal reference.
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 establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
Ability to counsel persons on sensitive problems.
Work well under pressure with demonstrated efficient time management and problem-solving skills
Detail oriented and able to foster cooperation
Effective interpersonal skills
Broad organizational perspective to improve the administration of justice in the Sixth Judicial District

What You Will Earn
The hourly rate for this position is $81.94 per hour. This position is exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and is eligible for State of MN employee benefits.

Supplemental Information
The Sixth Judicial District serves Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, including the counties of Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis (Duluth, Hibbing, and Virginia).

Working Conditions
Work is performed in an office or courtroom with extensive public contact. Frequent sitting, speaking and listening are required while performing the duties of this job. Work is reviewed by a judge; however, 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.

Logistics:

This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) exempt position classified as Referee within the Minnesota Judicial Branch job classification system. Work will be performed at the St. Louis County Courthouse, located at 100 N 5th Avenue W, Duluth, MN, and the Carlton County Courthouse, located at 1780 Justice Drive, Carlton, MN. This position may be working in a hybrid role consisting of a combination of remote and in person work. When working remotely, access to reliable internet connection is required. Typical hours for this position are 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

In addition to completing the online application, all applicants must upload and attach a cover letter.

This position is posted for internal and external application simultaneously.

Initial application review will begin August 11, 2025.
Applications will be reviewed daily.
Position will be open until filled.

The selection process is a resume-based, skill-matching process. If your skills match the required skills for this position, the department may contact you. All employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory results of our background check processes. If you have questions about this position, please contact Human Resources at 6thHR@courts.state.mn.us.

About Us

Why Work for Us?

Minnesota Judicial Branch employees consistently express pride in their public service and in the quality of programs and services provided to customers, as well as appreciation for the teamwork and collaboration that is promoted within the MJB. We celebrate and are committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and actively seek and value diversity in professional background and cultural characteristics. We are intentional and mindful about the organizational culture we are building, seeking broad-minded individuals with robust capabilities who value supporting one another’s growth.

Employee Benefits

The Minnesota Judicial Branch cares about and invests in you as an employee. Because of that, we offer affordable yet competitive benefits to support you and your family’s wellbeing. Our comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees includes health and wellness benefits, enhanced fertility benefits, short- and long-term disability, pension, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and more. Learn more at Employee Benefits - Careers at the Minnesota Judicial Branch Careers. Minnesota Judicial Branch employees may also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. This federal program allows qualified individuals to have their loans forgiven after meeting certain requirements working in public service. You can learn more about this program from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the office of Federal Student Aid.

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of the Minnesota Judicial Branch that all decisions regarding employment are made without discrimination on the basis of disability. Please let us know if you need a reasonable accommodation for a disability to participate in the employee selection process by contacting Human Resources at 6thHR@courts.state.mn.us. The Minnesota Judicial Branch is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the Minnesota Judicial Branch that all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, promotions, and other terms and conditions of employment be made without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, disability, sexual orientation, or age. We value and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds.