ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan today announced the appointments of Jessica Bierwerth, Stacy Deery Stennes, and Der Yang as District Court Judges in Minnesota’s Second Judicial District. Bierwerth will be replacing the Honorable Robyn A. Millenacker, Stennes will be replacing the Honorable Shawn M. Bartsh, and Yang will be replacing the Honorable John H. Guthmann. These seats will be chambered in St. Paul in Ramsey County.

With these appointments, Governor Walz has appointed over 100 judges to the district court bench, which is over a third of the entire district court. Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan look forward to continuing to build a bench that reflects Minnesota’s full diversity.

“I am honored to appoint Jessica Bierwerth to the Ramsey County bench,” said Governor Walz. “She has a wealth of practice experience that will lend itself well to the variety of cases and controversies she will encounter as a district court judge.”

“Jessica Bierwerth is a great fit for this bench,”said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “Ramsey County is a busy court system, and the judges who sit on this bench are expected to keep pace but never forget that everyone deserves their day in court. I am confident that she will meet this challenge.”

“I’m pleased to appoint Stacy Deery Stennes,”said Governor Walz. “Her background working on complex civil litigation matters involving negligence, medical malpractice, and defective products will bring a valuable perspective to this court.”

“Stacy Deery Stennes will be an excellent addition to the Second Judicial District,” said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “Not only is she a talented civil litigator, but she goes above and beyond to give back to the legal community and to help the next generation of lawyers and law students succeed.”

“It is my honor to appoint Der Yang,”said Governor Walz. “She is an outstanding attorney who has worked tirelessly to ensure that the concept of equal justice under the law is realized by all who seek it. Her lived experience and deep roots in her community will make her a great addition to the Ramsey County bench.”

“I applaud Der Yang’s appointment,”said Lieutenant Governor Flanagan. “Ramsey County is home to a large and vibrant immigrant community, and Ms. Yang has dedicated her legal career to helping them navigate our complicated legal system. It is this commitment to serving others that gives me the confidence that she will be an outstanding judge.”

Minnesota’s Second Judicial District encompasses Ramsey County.

About Jessica Bierwerth:

Jessica Bierwerth is an assistant county attorney in the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, where she handles adult criminal appeals and civil commitments. She previously handled child protection and adult criminal prosecution matters. Bierwerth’s community involvement includes serving on the board of directors of Merrick Community Service on Saint Paul’s Eastside. She previously volunteered with the Junior League of Saint Paul, Minnesota Women Lawyers, and as a high school mock trial judge. Bierwerth earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota and her J.D. at William Mitchell College of Law.

About Stacy Deery Stennes:

Stacy Deery Stennes is a partner at Conlin Law Firm, LLC, where she represents people who have been injured due to negligence, medical malpractice, and defective products. Her community involvement includes serving on the Minnesota State Bar Association Assembly, coaching high school mock trial, mentoring law students and new lawyers, and volunteering with Children’s Law Center and Open Arms Minnesota. Stennes’s community involvement has included serving as the former president of the Minnesota Association for Justice and a founding member of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity committee. She is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. She earned her B.A. from the College of St. Benedict & St. John’s University and her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.

About Der Yang:

Der Yang is the founder and managing attorney of Village Lawyer, a general practice firm located in the Hmong Village on Saint Paul’s East Side that focuses on family law and criminal defense. She is also an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law where she teaches civil dispute resolution, civil procedure, and family law. Yang was previously an assistant public defender in the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender’s Office and a special public defender in the Sixth Judicial District Public Defender’s Office. She serves as chair of the Advocacy Committee for the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, as a volunteer attorney for the Volunteer Lawyers Network, as a youth mentor with the Yang Wameng Association of Minnesota, and a competition brief and moot court judge at Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the University of Minnesota Law School. Yang received her B.A. from Hamline University and her J.D. from Hamline School of Law.

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