Terry Dempsey
Encyclopedia
Terence M. "Terry" Dempsey (born February 1932) is a Minnesota
politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
who represented the old House districts 23A and 28B, which included all or portions of Brown
, Cottonwood
, Nicollet
and Redwood
counties in the south central part of the state. A Republican
, he was an attorney and partner in the New Ulm
law firm of Somsen, Dempsey and Schade. Later, he served as a Minnesota district court judge.
Dempsey was first elected to the House in 1978, unseating former New Ulm mayor and incumbent Rep. Tony Eckstein
. He was re-elected to six additional terms. He served as minority leader
from 1991 to 1992, and was an assistant minority leader from 1987 to 1991. He was chair of the Taxes Subcommittee for the Local Government Finance Division, and chair of the Rules and Legislative Administration Subcommittee's Select Committee on the Staten Case during the 1985-1986 Biennium.
Raised in Henderson
, Dempsey attended the College of St. Thomas
in Saint Paul
, earning his bachelor's degree in Political Science. He served as a pilot in the United States Air Force
for three years. He graduated from the University of California's
Hasting's College of the Law
in 1962, earning his J.D.
He worked with the Minnesota Public Defender's Office for two years, and was the New Ulm City Attorney for 10 years. He also served on the Minnesota Governor's Crime Commission for two years.
In 1992, Dempsey was appointed a district court judge by Governor Arne Carlson
. He resigned from the Minnesota House on May 11, 1992, and served as a Fifth Judicial District judge until 2002. Since leaving the bench, he has continued to be active in state politics, serving on the Minnesota Board on Aging from 2002 to 2010, and on the Minnesota Combative Sports Commission since 2010.
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...
politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
who represented the old House districts 23A and 28B, which included all or portions of Brown
Brown County, Minnesota
Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 25,893. Its county seat is New Ulm.-Geography:...
, Cottonwood
Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Cottonwood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 11,687. Its county seat is Windom.-History:...
, Nicollet
Nicollet County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,771 people, 10,642 households, and 7,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile . There were 11,240 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
and Redwood
Redwood County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,815 people, 6,674 households, and 4,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 7,230 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
counties in the south central part of the state. A Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
, he was an attorney and partner in the New Ulm
New Ulm, Minnesota
New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,522 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brown County....
law firm of Somsen, Dempsey and Schade. Later, he served as a Minnesota district court judge.
Dempsey was first elected to the House in 1978, unseating former New Ulm mayor and incumbent Rep. Tony Eckstein
Tony Eckstein
Anton Joseph “Tony” or “A. J.”Eckstein was a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from southwestern Minnesota. First elected in 1970, Eckstein was re-elected in 1972, 1974 and 1976...
. He was re-elected to six additional terms. He served as minority leader
Minnesota House Minority Leader
This is a list of Minority Leaders of the Minnesota House of Representatives. The current minority leader is Rep. Paul Thissen...
from 1991 to 1992, and was an assistant minority leader from 1987 to 1991. He was chair of the Taxes Subcommittee for the Local Government Finance Division, and chair of the Rules and Legislative Administration Subcommittee's Select Committee on the Staten Case during the 1985-1986 Biennium.
Raised in Henderson
Henderson, Minnesota
Henderson is a city in Sibley County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 886 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, Dempsey attended the College of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
in Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, earning his bachelor's degree in Political Science. He served as a pilot in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
for three years. He graduated from the University of California's
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
Hasting's College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
University of California, Hastings College of the Law is a public law school in San Francisco, California, located in the Civic Center neighborhood....
in 1962, earning his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
He worked with the Minnesota Public Defender's Office for two years, and was the New Ulm City Attorney for 10 years. He also served on the Minnesota Governor's Crime Commission for two years.
In 1992, Dempsey was appointed a district court judge by Governor Arne Carlson
Arne Carlson
Arne Helge Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and the 37th Governor of the state of Minnesota.-Early years, education and family:...
. He resigned from the Minnesota House on May 11, 1992, and served as a Fifth Judicial District judge until 2002. Since leaving the bench, he has continued to be active in state politics, serving on the Minnesota Board on Aging from 2002 to 2010, and on the Minnesota Combative Sports Commission since 2010.