Law School Mourns Passing of Manuel Cervantes ‘80, Judge on Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals

Manuel Cervantes ‘80, who served twice as a Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals judge, died on March 31, 2021 at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer.

After graduating from Minnesota Law, he served as an attorney at the AFL-CIO. In 1986, he was appointed to be a judge on the Minnesota Workers' Compensation. From 1992-2002 he was a referee in Ramsey County District Court, presiding over cases in family, juvenile, domestic abuse court. He was named as St. Paul City Attorney and state administrative law judge. 

In 2018, the Minnesota State Bar Association presented Cervantes with the Rosalie E. Wahl Judicial Award of Excellence for his outstanding work as a judge and for improving the state's quality of justice.

Cervantes served as a youth soccer coach and mentor to youth at Humboldt High School. He was an avid motorcyclist who went on cross country trips with his brother and friends. He enjoyed soccer and played well into his 60s. He would often swim a mile during his lunch break at Macalester pool. 

Related Coverage