Tim Looby (’82) Appointed Judge in Minnesota's First District

Tim Looby (’82) has been appointed by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to serve as a judge in the state's First Judicial District. He replaces Judge Thomas McCarthy, who retired. The First Judicial District, with 36 judges, more than 250 staff employees, and an annual caseload topping 150,000, encompasses a seven-county area just south of the Twin Cities. Looby's investiture ceremony was held Oct. 24.

Born in Chicago, Looby has spent most of his life in Minnesota. He grew up in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park and earned his undergraduate degree at Bemidji State University in northern Minnesota before enrolling at the Law School. He entered practice in 1983 with the Waconia-based firm Melchert Hubert Sjodin, where he was a partner for 28 years. He specialized in family law and is a fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. For nearly three decades, Looby coached the mock trial team at Waconia High School.

Speaking to the Waconia Patriot about his judgeship, Looby said, "It will be a challenge for me—but if we say we're lifelong learners, we need to mix it up sometimes. It will require a balance of listening, certainly compassion, and sometimes, tough love.... You've got people's lives in your hands. Yes, you're in court, but it's not about locking people up and throwing away the key. It's about protecting the public, especially children."