Paul A. Magnuson
Encyclopedia
Paul A. Magnuson is a United States District Judge from Minnesota
.
Magnuson was born in Carthage, South Dakota
, a small town in the eastern part of the state. He graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College
in 1959, having served as president of the student body and an active member of the College Republicans. He graduated from William Mitchell College of Law
in 1963.
After law school, Magnuson entered private practice in the South St. Paul
law firm of LeVander, Gillen & Miller. The firm is exceptional in the history of Minnesota law and politics because it produced a federal judge (Magnuson), a Minnesota governor (Harold LeVander
), a United States Senator (David Durenberger
), and a Minnesota Supreme Court justice (Paul H. Anderson
). No other firm could claim the same number of distinguished alumni, all of whom practiced together at the same time. Magnuson worked at the LeVander law firm for eighteen years, eventually becoming a partner and adding his name to the letterhead.
In November 1981, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan
to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. He succeeded Edward J. Devitt, who assumed senior status
on the court. Magnuson became Chief Judge
in October 1994 and served in that position until he himself assumed senior status in February 2002.
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...
.
Magnuson was born in Carthage, South Dakota
Carthage, South Dakota
Carthage is a city in Miner County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 144 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Carthage is located at ....
, a small town in the eastern part of the state. He graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
in 1959, having served as president of the student body and an active member of the College Republicans. He graduated from 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....
in 1963.
After law school, Magnuson entered private practice in the South St. Paul
South St. Paul, Minnesota
South St. Paul is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, immediately south and southeast of the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is also southeast of West St. Paul, Minnesota. The population was 20,160 at the 2010 census. It is notable as one of the historic major meat packing cities in the United...
law firm of LeVander, Gillen & Miller. The firm is exceptional in the history of Minnesota law and politics because it produced a federal judge (Magnuson), a Minnesota governor (Harold LeVander
Harold LeVander
Karl Harold Phillip LeVander was an American politician. He served as the 32nd Governor of Minnesota from January 2, 1967 to January 4, 1971 as a Republican, having defeated incumbent Karl Rolvaag, a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party , in the 1966 election.LeVander was born in...
), a United States Senator (David Durenberger
David Durenberger
David Ferdinand Durenberger is an American politician and a former Republican member of the U.S. Senate from Minnesota.- Early life :...
), and a Minnesota Supreme Court justice (Paul H. Anderson
Paul H. Anderson
Paul H. Anderson is currently an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, taking office on July 1, 1994. He previously served as Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals from 1992-1994....
). No other firm could claim the same number of distinguished alumni, all of whom practiced together at the same time. Magnuson worked at the LeVander law firm for eighteen years, eventually becoming a partner and adding his name to the letterhead.
In November 1981, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. He succeeded Edward J. Devitt, who assumed senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
on the court. Magnuson became Chief Judge
Chief judge
Chief Judge is a title that can refer to the highest-ranking judge of a court that has more than one judge. The meaning and usage of the term vary from one court system to another...
in October 1994 and served in that position until he himself assumed senior status in February 2002.