FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 18, 2022
Contact: Claire Lancaster
claire.lancaster@state.mn.us
651-219-2975
Governor Walz Appoints Jean Burdorf and John Lucas to Fill Fourth Judicial District Vacancies
ST. PAUL, MN – Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the appointments of Jean Burdorf and John Lucas as District Court Judges in Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District. These seats will be chambered in Minneapolis in Hennepin County.
Burdorf will be replacing the Honorable Kathryn L. Quaintance.
“I am honored to appoint Ms. Burdorf to the Fourth Judicial District,” said Governor Walz. “She is a true public servant who has dedicated her career to ensuring that our justice system works for everyone. I look forward to seeing her continue this critical work in her new role.”
“Ms. Burdorf’s deep understanding of the Fourth Judicial District and commitment to advancing a vision of justice that uses our laws as a force for good will serve her well on the bench,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “She will be great.”
Lucas will be replacing the Honorable Philip C. Carruthers.
“I am also honored to appoint Mr. Lucas to the Fourth Judicial District,” said Governor Walz. “His decades of criminal defense practice, combined with his extensive courtroom and jury trial experience, will allow for him step in right away and help tackle the challenges facing our judiciary.”
“I applaud the appointment of Mr. Lucas,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “For over 30 years, Mr. Lucas has demonstrated a true commitment to fighting inequities in our justice system as a public defender.”
Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District encompasses Hennepin County.
About Jean Burdorf
Jean Burdorf is the managing attorney of the Special Litigation Division at the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, where she handles criminal appeals, complex financial crimes, and municipal misdemeanor prosecutions. She has also handled a wide range of civil and criminal matters for the office, including mental health, child protection, white-collar crime, and litigation defense for county departments. Burdorf is an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, where she teaches evidence, trial advocacy, and legal writing. Her community involvement includes serving as a member of the Rules of Evidence Advisory Committee, a mock trial judge for the National Hispanic Bar Association, and a youth sports coach through the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. She earned her B.A. from Michigan State University and J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.
About John Lucas
John Lucas is a solo practitioner and assistant public defender in the Fourth Judicial District Public Defender’s Office in Hennepin County. He is a certified criminal law specialist through the Minnesota State Bar Association, and he has over three decades of criminal defense experience. Lucas is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Hennepin County Bar Association. He is a frequent lecturer on criminal justice topics at local high schools and has given many continuing legal education (CLE) presentations on a variety of criminal law matters. He earned his B.A. from the University of Minnesota and J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.
For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.
###