Minnesota Law Mourns the Passing on Mary Davidson ’75, Former Hennepin County Judge

Mary Davidson ’75, a former Hennepin County District Court judge who once served as chief judge of Family Court, passed away in Plymouth, Minnesota on June 21 at the age of 82.

The granddaughter of a founder of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and an alum of Stanford University, Davidsons graduated from Minnesota Law in 1975. She served as a referee in Hennepin County Family Court, and was appointed to the bench of the 4^th Judicial Circuit in 1987 by Gov. Rudy Perpich. Two years later, she became chief judge of Family Court

Davidson later founded Divorce with Dignity, a pioneering program that encouraged divorcing couples to mediate their disputes. 

"She was one of the first people who really pushed to reform family law in Minnesota," Kevin Burke ‘75, a retired Hennepin County judge and law school classmate of Davidson's told the Star Tribune.

Related:

• Mary Davidson, pioneering Hennepin County judge, dies at 82 (Star Tribune)