# Paul A. Magnuson *United States district judge, District of Minnesota (born 1937)* Paul Arthur Magnuson (born February 9, 1937) is a senior judge of the [[United States District Court for the District of Minnesota]].[^1][^2] President Ronald Reagan nominated him, and his federal judicial service began on November 16, 1981. He was the court's chief judge from 1994 to 2001 and took senior status in 2002.[^2][^3] In the [[Minnesota]] record, Magnuson is the judge who closed *[[United States v. City of Minneapolis, 0:25-cv-00048]]*, the federal [[consent decree]] case over the [[Minneapolis]] Police Department. The decree was filed and approved by the City on January 6, 2025. The Justice Department moved to dismiss on May 21, 2025. Magnuson dismissed the case with prejudice on May 27, 2025, and denied the joint motion to approve the decree as moot.[^4] Sahan Journal dates the order May 28, 2025; the docket's May 27 date is used here.[^4][^5] The court never approved the federal decree. The reforms it covered continue under the City's existing settlement with the [[Minnesota Department of Human Rights]], which carries an ELEFA monitor.[^4] ## Early life and education Magnuson grew up on a farm near Carthage, South Dakota. He began his schooling in a one-room schoolhouse and finished high school in a graduating class of 13.[^3] In 1959 he earned a Bachelor of Arts at Gustavus Adolphus College, where he was class president and student body president, and took part in athletics and student government.[^2][^3] He earned a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in 1963 through [[Night law school]] study. During law school he worked as an assistant registrar, a casualty claim adjuster and a law clerk, and he was again class president.[^2][^3] ## Career ### Attorney and lecturer For 18 years Magnuson practiced law with Levander, Gillen Miller and Magnuson in South Saint Paul, Minnesota. His practice concentrated on eminent domain and municipal law.[^3] Between 1982 and 1989 he lectured at William Mitchell College of Law and Hamline University School of Law. From 1986 to 1991 he was a Jurist in Residence at several Minnesota liberal arts colleges. In 2010 he was a Fulbright Scholar at United International College in Zhuhai, China.[^3] ### Federal judicial service Reagan nominated Magnuson, and after confirmation his service on the court began on November 16, 1981.[^2][^3] On the Judicial Conference of the United States, he has been a member and chair of the Bankruptcy Committee and of the International Judicial Relations Committee. He has also been a member of the Inter-Circuit Assignment Committee. For the Federal Judicial Center he sat on the District Judges Education Committee.[^3] He served for many years on the board of directors of the Federal Judges Association and held several of its executive offices.[^3] His work on judicial relations has taken him to some 50 countries, mainly in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Asia and Africa, where he has promoted independent and ethical judiciaries in emerging democracies.[^3] He led the court as chief judge from 1994 to 2001. He moved to senior status in 2002 and has kept an active caseload.[^2][^3] In 2009 he presided over the wrongful-death civil suit brought over the killing of Fong Lee by a Minneapolis police officer.[^3] His chambers publishes practice pointers and preferences for parties appearing before him.[^6] ## In the at-issue record The project's at-issue record (item 25) lists the decree as a 169-page document filed on January 6, 2025 and dismissed with prejudice.[^4][^5] - **Length of the decree's life.** The at-issue record counts 142 days from filing to dismissal. That count runs to Sahan Journal's May 28, 2025 date; run to the docket's May 27, 2025 date, the span is one day shorter.[^4][^5] - **The "grave misgivings" language.** Sahan Journal reported that Magnuson's order cited "grave misgivings about the proposed consent decree serving the public interest."[^5] - **The docket record.** The docket record states that Magnuson questioned whether the suit presented a case or controversy. It also states that he called the decree "superfluous" given the City's existing settlement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.[^4] The record shows these stated grounds; it does not establish his reasoning beyond them. ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Judge Paul A. Magnuson dismissed *[[United States v. City of Minneapolis, 0:25-cv-00048]]* with prejudice after the Justice Department moved to dismiss.[^4] ### What - He dismissed the case with prejudice and denied the joint motion to approve the consent decree as moot.[^4] ### When - January 6, 2025: the federal consent decree was filed and approved by the City.[^4] - May 21, 2025: the Justice Department moved to dismiss.[^4] - May 27, 2025: Magnuson dismissed the case, per the docket. Sahan Journal reports May 28, 2025.[^4][^5] ### Where - The case was filed in the District of Minnesota under docket number 0:25-cv-00048.[^4] ### Why - Magnuson questioned whether the suit presented a case or controversy.[^4] - He called the decree "superfluous" given the City's existing settlement with the [[Minnesota Department of Human Rights]].[^4] ### How - The reforms continue under the City's settlement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which has an ELEFA monitor.[^4] ## See also - [[United States District Court for the District of Minnesota]] - [[United States v. City of Minneapolis (MPD consent decree)]] - [[Minnesota Department of Human Rights]] ## Notes [^1]: U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, *The Honorable Paul A. Magnuson* (judge's page) — Magnuson is a judge of the District of Minnesota. https://www.mnd.uscourts.gov/PAM [^2]: Federal Judicial Center, *Magnuson, Paul Arthur* (Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges) — the directory's entry for Magnuson, the primary record for birth, education, nomination by Reagan, entry into service on November 16, 1981, chief judgeship and senior status. https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/magnuson-paul-arthur [^3]: Wikipedia, *Paul A. Magnuson* (rev. 1360541345, retrieved 2026-10-26) — early life, practice, lecturing, committee service, international work, chief judgeship 1994–2001, senior status 2002, the Fong Lee suit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_A._Magnuson [^4]: Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse, *United States v. City of Minneapolis*, case 18178, No. 0:25-cv-00048 (D. Minn.) — establishes the docket: decree filed and city-approved January 6, 2025; DOJ motion to dismiss May 21, 2025; dismissal with prejudice May 27, 2025; joint approval motion denied as moot; "case or controversy" and "superfluous" grounds; reforms continuing under the MDHR settlement with an ELEFA monitor. The project's validated master relies on the DOJ dismissal motion and the dismissal order for the same facts. https://clearinghouse.net/case/18178/ [^5]: Sahan Journal, *Minneapolis federal consent decree dismissed* (2025) — reports the order's "grave misgivings" language and dates the order May 28, 2025. The Clearinghouse docket dates it May 27, 2025; the discrepancy is carried, not resolved. https://sahanjournal.com/public-safety/minneapolis-federal-consent-decree-dismissed/ [^6]: U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, *Paul A. Magnuson Chambers Practice Pointers and Preferences* — the chambers' published practice pointers. https://www.mnd.uscourts.gov/sites/mnd/files/PAM.pdf