# Diana E. Murphy *United States circuit judge (Eighth Circuit) and former federal district judge in Minnesota (1934–2018)* Diana E. Murphy (born Diana Esther Kuske; January 4, 1934 – May 16, 2018) sat on two federal courts in [[Minnesota]]. She was a judge of the [[United States District Court for the District of Minnesota]] and later of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit]].[^1] President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the district court in 1980. The [[United States Senate]] confirmed her to the Eighth Circuit on October 7, 1994.[^2] The Federal Judicial Center records her as the first woman on the Eighth Circuit.[^3] Before her federal appointment she practised law in [[Minneapolis]] and served as a judge on two state courts, in Hennepin County and in the Fourth Judicial District. From 1999 to 2004 she chaired the United States Sentencing Commission.[^4] She took senior status in November 2016 and died in Minneapolis in May 2018. The federal courthouse in that city was afterwards renamed for her.[^5] ## Education and career Murphy was a native of Faribault, Minnesota. She finished St. Paul Central High School when she was 16.[^6] She then studied Central European Area Studies at the [[University of Minnesota]] and earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1954.[^6] A Fulbright Scholarship took her to Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, where she met Joseph Murphy, whom she later married. She stayed at home while the couple raised their two sons.[^6] In 1974 she earned a Juris Doctor at the [[University of Minnesota Law School]], where she had been an editor of the *Minnesota Law Review*.[^4] The Federal Judicial Center's entry also notes her University of Minnesota law background.[^3] For two years, 1974 to 1976, she was a private practitioner in Minneapolis. She then held two state judgeships: on the Hennepin County Municipal Court from 1976 to 1978, and on the Minnesota District Court for the Fourth Judicial District from 1978 to 1980.[^4] Her later service as chair of the United States Sentencing Commission ran from 1999 to 2004.[^4] ## Federal judicial service Carter nominated Murphy to the District of Minnesota on November 30, 1979. The nomination was to a newly created seat, established by 92 Stat. 1629.[^7] Senate confirmation and her commission both came on February 20, 1980.[^7] The Federal Judicial Center lists her as a Carter appointee to the District of Minnesota in 1980.[^2] She was the court's chief judge from 1992 to 1994. Her district judgeship ended on October 13, 1994, when she was elevated to the court of appeals.[^7] On July 28, 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated her to the Eighth Circuit seat that Judge John R. Gibson had vacated.[^8] The Federal Judicial Center dates the nomination to July 1994.[^3] It dates the Senate confirmation to October 7, 1994.[^2] Her commission issued on October 11, 1994.[^8] On taking her seat she became the first woman to serve on that court.[^3] Murphy moved to senior status on November 29, 2016.[^5] She died at her Minneapolis home on May 16, 2018, not long after announcing that she would retire fully from the bench.[^5] Later in 2018 the *Minnesota Law Review* held a memorial symposium for her. Contributors included Justice [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]], Judge Michael Joseph Melloy and Judge Rubén Castillo.[^5] The federal courthouse in Minneapolis was subsequently renamed in her honor.[^5] ## Attorney General consideration Her Wikipedia biography reports that she was considered in 1993 for the office of Attorney General of the United States. The appointment went to Janet Reno.[^9] The record in the pack carries no primary source for this consideration. ## In the Minnesota record The record in which this article sits includes a lawsuit by the United States against the State. The [[United States Department of Justice]] announced the suit in release No. 26-21 of January 14, 2026. The release is titled *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*, using the phrase "Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime" for the State's program. Attorney General Pamela Bondi certified the case as a matter of general public importance.[^10] The record does not connect Murphy, who died in 2018, to that action. ### Who - Diana Murphy, appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the District of Minnesota in 1980 and confirmed to the Eighth Circuit in 1994.[^2] ### What - Nominated to the Eighth Circuit and recorded as the first woman on that court, with a University of Minnesota law background.[^3] ### When - 1980: appointed to the District of Minnesota by President Carter.[^2] - July 1994: nominated to the Eighth Circuit.[^3] - October 7, 1994: confirmed to the Eighth Circuit.[^2] ### Where - Minnesota.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Diana E. Murphy* (revision 1349853988, retrieved 2026-10-26), lead — full and birth name, dates of birth and death, district and circuit judgeships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_E._Murphy [^2]: Federal Judicial Center, *Murphy, Diana E.* (biographical directory of federal judges) — appointment by President Carter to the District of Minnesota in 1980; confirmation to the Eighth Circuit on October 7, 1994. https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/murphy-diana-e [^3]: Federal Judicial Center, *Murphy, Diana E.* (biographical directory of federal judges) — nomination to the Eighth Circuit in July 1994; first woman on the Eighth Circuit; University of Minnesota law background. https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/murphy-diana-e [^4]: Wikipedia, *Diana E. Murphy* (revision 1349853988, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Education and career" — J.D. 1974, *Minnesota Law Review* editorship, private practice 1974–1976, state judgeships 1976–1980, Sentencing Commission chair 1999–2004. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_E._Murphy [^5]: Wikipedia, *Diana E. Murphy* (revision 1349853988, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Federal judicial service" — senior status November 29, 2016; death May 16, 2018; memorial symposium; courthouse renaming. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_E._Murphy [^6]: Wikipedia, *Diana E. Murphy* (revision 1349853988, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Education and career" — birthplace, high school, B.A. 1954, Fulbright study in Mainz, marriage and family. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_E._Murphy [^7]: Wikipedia, *Diana E. Murphy* (revision 1349853988, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Federal judicial service" — district-court nomination November 30, 1979, seat created by 92 Stat. 1629, confirmation and commission February 20, 1980, chief judge 1992–1994, service ended October 13, 1994. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_E._Murphy [^8]: Wikipedia, *Diana E. Murphy* (revision 1349853988, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Federal judicial service" — Eighth Circuit nomination July 28, 1994, to the seat vacated by Judge John R. Gibson; commission October 11, 1994. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_E._Murphy [^9]: Wikipedia, *Diana E. Murphy* (revision 1349853988, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Attorney General consideration" — reported 1993 consideration for Attorney General; post went to Janet Reno. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_E._Murphy [^10]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*, release No. 26-21 (Jan. 14, 2026) — title of the release; Attorney General Bondi's certification of the case as a matter of general public importance. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-department-justice-files-lawsuit-against-minnesotas-affirmative-action-regime