Douglas K. Amdahl
Encyclopedia
Douglas K. Amdahl was an American lawyer
and judge
from Minnesota
. He served as Chief Justice
of the Minnesota Supreme Court
from December 1981 to January 1989.
Amdahl was raised in the small town of Mabel
in southeastern Minnesota. He served as a judge in Hennepin County
from 1961 to 1980.
While chief justice, Amdahl was a leader in establishing the Minnesota Court of Appeals
, which was created in 1983. Prior to that, if a person believed a district judge erred in a ruling, the only avenue for appeal was the state supreme court. With a three-year backlog of cases at the time, the creation of the appeals court enabled a quicker resolution to cases and provided additional oversight in the judicial process.
Amdahl sponsored the construction of the Hennepin County government center located in downtown Minneapolis. As a Hennepin County chief judge, he cut the ribbon, recommended the design of the judicial chambers, and tirelessly campaigned for funding. He also pushed for a new building on the Minnesota Capitol mall to be dedicated to the judicial branch. Once the appeals court was established, it needed a place to work and hear cases. At the time, the supreme court worked in the east wing of the state capitol, but there was no room for additional offices or chambers for the appeals court. The Minnesota Judicial Center was completed in 1992.
Amdahl also taught at William Mitchell College of Law
and served on its board of trustees.
Amdahl died on August 24, 2010 at the age of 91.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He served as Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Minnesota Supreme Court
Minnesota Supreme Court
The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota and consists of seven members. The court was first assembled as a three-judge panel in 1849 when Minnesota was still a territory. The first members were lawyers from outside of the region who were appointed by...
from December 1981 to January 1989.
Amdahl was raised in the small town of Mabel
Mabel, Minnesota
Mabel is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 780 at the 2010 census.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Transportation:...
in southeastern Minnesota. He served as a judge in Hennepin County
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
from 1961 to 1980.
While chief justice, Amdahl was a leader in establishing the Minnesota Court of Appeals
Minnesota Court of Appeals
The Minnesota Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court for the state of Minnesota. It began operating on November 1, 1983. It is housed in the Minnesota Judicial Center in St...
, which was created in 1983. Prior to that, if a person believed a district judge erred in a ruling, the only avenue for appeal was the state supreme court. With a three-year backlog of cases at the time, the creation of the appeals court enabled a quicker resolution to cases and provided additional oversight in the judicial process.
Amdahl sponsored the construction of the Hennepin County government center located in downtown Minneapolis. As a Hennepin County chief judge, he cut the ribbon, recommended the design of the judicial chambers, and tirelessly campaigned for funding. He also pushed for a new building on the Minnesota Capitol mall to be dedicated to the judicial branch. Once the appeals court was established, it needed a place to work and hear cases. At the time, the supreme court worked in the east wing of the state capitol, but there was no room for additional offices or chambers for the appeals court. The Minnesota Judicial Center was completed in 1992.
Amdahl also taught at William Mitchell College of Law
William Mitchell College of Law
William Mitchell College of Law, or WMCL, is a private, independent law school located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Accredited by the American Bar Association , it offers full and part-time legal education in pursuit of the Juris Doctor degree....
and served on its board of trustees.
Amdahl died on August 24, 2010 at the age of 91.
External links
- The 100 Most Influential Minnesota Lawyers of All Time – Mpls-St. Paul Magazine: August 2007
- "Chief Justice Douglas Amdahl: The best of the legal profession" video
- "Former Minn. Chief Justice Amdahl dies" – Star-Tribune: August 25, 2010
- "Douglas Amdahl, former justice, dies" – Pioneer Press: August 25, 2010
- Lori Sturdevant: "Amdahl created a rich legacy" – Star-Tribune: August 25, 2010