Ramsey County District Court Judge Reynaldo Aligada Jr., a 1998 Saint John’s University graduate, has been appointed to an associate justice seat on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
The appointment was announced Tuesday (May 19). In a LinkedIn post, the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association (MNAPABA) noted the appointment makes Aligada the first Asian Pacific American justice in Minnesota Supreme Court history.
He will fill the vacancy created by Walz’s appointment of Justice Theodora Gaïtas as the court’s chief justice.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court” Aligada said in an official release. “I am so grateful to the Governor and his team for entrusting me with this great responsibility. I recognize the impact the Court’s decisions have on the lives of Minnesotans, and I will strive to do justice and protect the rule of law.”
Aligada was appointed by Walz to his Ramsey County District Court seat in 2019. He was then elected to the post in 2020.
The release notes his past work in the Office of the Federal Defender in Minneapolis, first as an assistant federal defender, then as a first assistant federal defender.
According to his official Minnesota Judicial Branch biography, he has worked as an associate attorney with the firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi, LLP and as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Michael J. Davis of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota and the Honorable Wilhelmina M. Wright of the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
The release states he currently serves as chair of the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Minnesota Rules of Evidence, as well as being a member of the Tribal Court State Court Forum and the Committee on Minnesota Civil Jury Instructions.
According to his biography, he has also received a special achievement award from the Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and was named an “Up and Coming Attorney” by Minnesota Lawyer.
After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from SJU, he went on to obtain his Juris Doctor (J.D.) at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul.
“It is my distinct honor to appoint Judge Aligada to the Minnesota Supreme Court,” Walz stated in the release announcing the appointments. “He is someone who leaves a lasting impression on everyone he meets, pairing a keen legal mind with genuine humility and compassion. He will be a justice who truly sees and listens to the people who come before him, ensuring every voice is heard and respected.
“In addition to his outstanding judicial background, he will bring a perspective not yet represented on this court, the voice of Minnesota’s Asian Pacific Islander community, further strengthening the court’s connection to the people it serves.”