# Christopher Dietzen *Minnesota jurist; associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court (2008–2016) and judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals (2004–2008)* Christopher Dietzen (born March 8, 1947) is a former judge who sat as an associate justice of the [[Minnesota Supreme Court]] from 2008 to 2016. Before that, he served on the [[Minnesota Court of Appeals]] from 2004 to 2008.[^1] [[Tim Pawlenty]] made both appointments. Dietzen had acted as an attorney for Pawlenty's 2002 gubernatorial campaign.[^1] Before joining the bench, Dietzen spent about three decades in private law practice, first in Spokane, Washington, and then in Bloomington, [[Minnesota]].[^1] He left the Supreme Court on August 31, 2016, seven months short of the mandatory retirement age.[^1] ## Early life and education Dietzen is a native of Yakima, Washington, where he was born on March 8, 1947.[^1] Gonzaga University gave him both his undergraduate and his legal education. It awarded him a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1969 and a Juris Doctor in 1973.[^1] ## Career From 1973 to 1977, Dietzen practiced with Richter, Wimberly, & Ericson in Spokane, Washington. From 1978 to 2004, he was with Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindren, Ltd., in Bloomington, Minnesota.[^1] During Pawlenty's 2002 race for governor, Dietzen acted as an attorney for the campaign.[^1] Pawlenty appointed Dietzen to the Court of Appeals, where he sat from December 15, 2004, to February 19, 2008. Dietzen won election to that seat in 2006.[^1] On February 19, 2008, he moved to the Supreme Court. Pawlenty again made the appointment, after Justice [[Sam Hanson]] resigned.[^1] ## Political contributions Dietzen is recorded as giving $250 to Norm Coleman's reelection campaign, with donations in 2001 and 2004. The later donation came almost a year before Dietzen took judicial office.[^1] ## Retirement Dietzen stepped down from the Supreme Court on August 31, 2016. He would have reached the mandatory retirement age seven months later.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Christopher Dietzen* (revision 1381059029, retrieved 2026-10-26) — birth date and place, education, private practice, 2002 campaign role, judicial appointments and election, campaign contributions, and retirement date. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Dietzen