ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Tim Walz today announced the appointments of Justin Collins, Tricia Loehr, Jennifer Peterson, and Heather Pipenhagen as District Court Judges in Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District. Three seats will be chambered in Anoka in Anoka County, and one will be chambered in Elk River in Sherburne County.

Justin Collins will be replacing the Honorable Nancy J. Logering for a seat chambered in Anoka County.

“Justin Collins will be a great fit in Anoka County,”said Governor Walz. “His experience as both a public defender and prosecutor gives him a balanced approach that will serve him well in his new role. He will be great.”

Tricia Loehr will be replacing the Honorable James A. Cunningham for a seat chambered in Anoka County.

“I am proud to appoint Tricia Loehr to the Tenth Judicial District,” said Governor Walz. “Compassion, humility, and patience are qualities that great judges possess, and she has all of them. Ms. Loehr will be a leader on this bench and in this community for years to come.”

Jennifer Peterson will be replacing the Honorable Kristin C. Larson for a seat chambered in Anoka County.

“Jennifer Peterson will be a welcome addition to the Anoka County bench,” said Governor Walz. “She understands that trust in our justice system is oftentimes less about the outcome and more about the process. She will take the bench every day with the understanding that everyone deserves their day in court.”

Heather Pipenhagen will be replacing the Honorable Jonathan N. Jasper for the seat chambered in Sherburne County.

“It is my honor to appoint Heather Pipenhagen,”said Governor Walz. “She has focused her entire legal career on advancing the common good, and her breadth of experience over decades of public service will serve the people of Sherburne County well.”

Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District encompasses Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright counties.

About Justin Collins:
Justin Collins is an assistant public defender in the Tenth Judicial District Public Defender’s Office in Anoka, where he defends persons charged with felony crimes. He was previously an assistant county attorney with the Washington County Attorney’s Office, where he served on the Washington County Drug Task Force, Washington County Mental Health and Opioid Re-Entry Program Planning Team, and the office’s Equity Change Team. Collins’s community involvement includes volunteering with the American Mock Trial Association, Feed My Starving Children, and the Washington County Food Drive. He received his B.A. from Hamline University and his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.

About Tricia Loehr:
Tricia Loehr is an assistant county attorney in the Washington County Attorney’s Office, where she handles juvenile delinquency and child protection matters. She was previously an assistant county attorney in the Dakota County Attorney’s Office and a law clerk for the Honorable Edward Lynch in Minnesota’s First Judicial District. Loehr is the chair of the Washington County Attorney’s Office diversity, equity, and inclusion work group and leads the Washington County multidisciplinary team for sexually trafficked and exploited individuals. She received her B.A. from the College of St. Benedict and her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.

About Jennifer Peterson:
Jennifer Peterson is an assistant public defender in the Tenth Judicial District Public Defender’s Office, where she represents indigent clients primarily facing felony-level offenses. She also serves as the court-appointed counsel in Anoka County for individuals petitioned for civil commitment as mentally ill and/or chemically dependent.?Peterson was previously a senior assistant director at the Office of Lawyer’s Professional Responsibility, where she investigated and prosecuted disciplinary actions against lawyers, and an assistant county attorney in the Isanti County Attorney’s Office.?She is a member of the Tenth Judicial District’s Equal Justice Committee and the Tenth District Public Defender’s Wellness Committee. Her community involvement includes being a Big Sister and mentor to her Little Sister and volunteering with Twin Cities Rise. Peterson received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls and her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.

About Heather Pipenhagen:
Heather Pipenhagen is an assistant county attorney in the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, where she handles criminal appeals and civil commitment matters. She serves on the Minnesota County Attorney Association’s Appellate Advisory Committee and on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules Governing Proceedings under the Minnesota Commitment and Treatment Act. Pipenhagen previously worked as an assistant county attorney in the Washington County Attorney’s Office and as a law clerk to the Honorable Herbert P. Lefler in Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District. She currently serves on the Scandia City Council and is a member of the Scandia-Marine Lions. She received her B.A. from the University of Minnesota and her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.

For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.