A Minnesota judge, beloved by her peers, has died after being struck by a car while jogging on vacation in Florida.
Judge Sally Tarnowski, who last served as a judge in Minnesota’s St. Louis County, died Monday, her family said.
Tarnowski, 63, had served as a judge in the county since 2007 and was promoted to Chief Judge of Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District in 20016 under Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
The judge had pioneered the state’s ‘Mental Health Court’, which used the judiciary to sentence people with psychological problems to treatment instead of prison, and heard cases last week before heading south.
She was still scheduled to hear cases later this week upon returning from Venice, Flroida, where she was vacationing with her family. Her term as county judge would not end until 2027.
Judge Sally Tarnowski, who last served as a judge in Minnesota’s St. Louis County, died Monday, her family said.
A moment of silence was held inside the courtroom and a memorial was installed on the steps on Tuesday.
Tarnowski was loved by people on all sides of the law, with public defender Veronica Surges, who confronted Tarnowski several times, had received a call from a client who had been sentenced to prison crying over his death, according to the Duluth News Tribune.
“As a passionate defense attorney, I often disagreed with their decisions in my cases,” Surges said. “At the same time, she deeply respected her because I realized how much she cared for the people in my courtroom, especially my most mentally ill clients.”
Another attorney noted that she was kind and hard-working, cycling to work often in the frigid Minnesota weather, Minneapolis Star Tribune saying.
“Underneath his tough exterior, he was one of the nicest, most compassionate and patient people I’ve ever met,” Surges added.
He was contemplating retirement in 2025, according to those close to him, but still had a full schedule.
This summer, the state will implement what public defender Dan Lew called “light mental health court,” allowing people who have committed minor crimes to get the same help that those who have committed serious crimes have.
She was also an early advocate of neutral evaluation in family court, which facilitates speedy resolution of custody, parenting time, and financial disputes. WDIO saying.
Friends, family and colleagues mark Tarnowski’s name with a monument outside the St. Louis County Courthouse in Minnesota
A moment of silence was held inside the courtroom and a memorial was installed on the steps Tuesday.
Tarnowski was loved by people on all sides of the law, and the public defenders who faced her in court praised her work.
Tarnowski, 63, had served as a judge in St. Louis County since 2007 and was promoted to Chief Judge of Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District in 20016 under Governor Tim Pawlenty.
Tarnowski also received praise from local Native American leaders who complimented his work on children going through the American justice system.
“His contributions to establishing the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) courtroom in St. Louis County, which has been emulated in courtrooms throughout the area, will always be a great accomplishment,” the board said. of the local Chippewa tribe in a statement.
“Her continued support for equality for Native American families was unheralded and was a great loss to the 6th Judicial District.”
Tarnowski had two adult children, Katie and Ben, with her ex-husband Greg.
St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin called her a deeply fair judge who enjoyed her work and her life.
“If you appeared in front of her, you may not agree with the outcome, but you really respected the way she made her decision and the way she treated the defendant, the victims and everyone in the courtroom,” he said. Rubin.