# Paul Anderson (judge) *American attorney and jurist; associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court* Paul Holden Anderson (born May 14, 1943) is an American lawyer and judge. He was chief judge of the [[Minnesota Court of Appeals]] from 1992 to 1994. He then sat as an associate justice of the [[Minnesota Supreme Court]] until 2013.[^1] Both of his judicial appointments came from [[Arne Carlson]], then [[Governor of Minnesota]]. Anderson had served on Carlson's 1990 campaign committee. Carlson named him to the appeals court effective September 1, 1992, and to the Supreme Court effective July 1, 1994.[^2] Anderson left the bench on May 31, 2013, when he reached the mandatory retirement age that Minnesota statute sets for judges.[^2] ## Early life and education Anderson is a native of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. His mother, Helen Holden Anderson, was the founding president of the Eden Prairie Historical Society.[^3] He received a B.A. from Macalester College in 1965 and a J.D. from the [[University of Minnesota Law School]] in 1968.[^3] ## Career From 1968 to 1969, Anderson worked as an attorney with VISTA. During 1970–1971, he was a special Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the [[Minnesota Attorney General]], where he worked in its Criminal Division and with the Department of Public Safety.[^4] Before joining the judiciary, he was a partner at LeVander, Gillen & Miller Law Offices, a private firm in South Saint Paul. He was also a member of the committee for Carlson's 1990 run for governor.[^4] Carlson made Anderson chief judge of the Court of Appeals as of September 1, 1992. Carlson elevated him to associate justice of the Supreme Court as of July 1, 1994.[^5] Anderson's opinions include *State of Minnesota v. Wesley Brooks*, which the cited biography describes as a leading case on bail. His service ended with his statutory retirement on May 31, 2013.[^5] ## Personal life Anderson and his wife, Jan, live in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]]. Jan formerly directed human resources at Metropolitan State University.[^6] Their daughter Isa teaches elementary school. A second daughter, Marina, died in 2005.[^6] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Paul Anderson (judge)* (revision 1381058564, retrieved 2026-10-26) — birth date; service as chief judge of the Court of Appeals 1992–1994 and as associate justice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Anderson_(judge) [^2]: Wikipedia, *Paul Anderson (judge)* (revision 1381058564, retrieved 2026-10-26) — Carlson appointments effective September 1, 1992 and July 1, 1994; 1990 campaign committee; retirement May 31, 2013. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Anderson_(judge) [^3]: Wikipedia, *Paul Anderson (judge)* (revision 1381058564, retrieved 2026-10-26) — birthplace, parentage, B.A. 1965 and J.D. 1968. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Anderson_(judge) [^4]: Wikipedia, *Paul Anderson (judge)* (revision 1381058564, retrieved 2026-10-26) — VISTA service 1968–1969; special Assistant Attorney General 1970–1971; partnership at LeVander, Gillen & Miller. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Anderson_(judge) [^5]: Wikipedia, *Paul Anderson (judge)* (revision 1381058564, retrieved 2026-10-26) — judicial appointments; *State of Minnesota v. Wesley Brooks*; mandatory retirement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Anderson_(judge) [^6]: Wikipedia, *Paul Anderson (judge)* (revision 1381058564, retrieved 2026-10-26) — residence and family. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Anderson_(judge)