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We all know that this election is beyond important. We will be voting for president, a United States senator and for congressional and state legislative candidates. But did you know that we also have the chance to vote for judges in Minnesota? Don’t forget those races when you go to vote this fall.

When it comes to the race for Minnesota Supreme Court, there is only one candidate with the broad legal experience, history of public service and high professional and ethical standards to do the job.

Justice Paul Thissen has served with distinction on the Minnesota Supreme Court since 2018. Before joining the court, Justice Thissen had a quarter century of wide-ranging legal experience. In private practice, he represented all sorts of Minnesota companies, small businesses and individuals in complex litigation and regulatory matters. He also served as public defender arguing cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court. Active in his community, he has served on numerous boards like the Minnesota Justice Foundation and served our state for 16 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In all these endeavors, he has always tried to do what is right for Minnesotans and delivered.

As testament to Justice Thissen’s qualifications for the job, 91.8% of lawyers in a recent Minnesota State Bar Association survey preferred Justice Thissen over his opponent.

Justice Thissen also has the personal qualities that make an excellent judge: He works incredibly hard, listens attentively and treats everyone with respect and compassion. He is committed to applying the law fairly and to holding everyone, including the powerful, accountable for their actions.

And Justice Thissen also knows that, too often, Minnesotans have difficulty getting their voice heard in our courts due solely to their income, race or where they live. He has been a passionate advocate for making equal access to justice a reality in Minnesota throughout his career. As a lawyer, he represented, for free, victims of domestic abuse, persons with disabilities and many others who could not afford a lawyer. As a justice, he has made improving access to justice a top priority.

Justice Thissen’s opponent is a perennial candidate who is making her fourth run for a seat on the Minnesota Supreme Court. I encourage you to look closely at his opponent’s history. She has been convicted of obstruction of justice and was suspended from the practice of law by the Minnesota Supreme Court for making false statements and engaging in disruptive courtroom conduct.

It matters who sits behind the bench in our courts. I urge you to turn over you ballot and vote for Justice Paul Thissen for the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Angie Hanson

Albert Lea