Citizens for Judge Ross

Minnesota Citizens
for Judge Kevin Ross 
________________________________________________________________________ 

John E. Simonett (Chairperson)
Justice (Ret), Minnesota Supreme Court
Former Partner, Rosenbeier and Simonett, Little Falls  

Clifford M. Greene (Chairperson)
Founder, Greene Espel Law Firm  

Ellen G. Sampson (Chairperson and Treasurer)
Partner, Leonard Street and Deinard Law Firm

Eric S. Janus
Dean,
William Mitchell College of Law

Donald M. Lewis
Dean, Hamline School of Law  
F
ounder, Halleland Lewis Law Firm

Thomas H. Boyd 
Partner, Winthrop and Weinstine Law Firm
Former Chairperson, Appellate Practice Section Minnesota State Bar Association

Karen G. Schanfield
Author, Minnesota Practice Series: Employment Law and Practice 
Officer, Fredrikson & Byron Law Firm

Robin M. Wolpert
Reporter, Quie Commission for an Impartial Judiciary

Gregory L. Wilmes 
Entrepreneur, North Central Equity  

Pamela L. VanderWiel
Attorney, Greene Espel Law Firm


 
Committee-member support does not indicate endorsement by the member’s affiliated institution. 

Why We Support Judge Ross

Dear Fellow Minnesota Voters,

Judge Kevin Ross is hard working, intelligent, and fair minded.  Each member of this committee is proud to give his or her time and energy to encourage you to vote on November 4 to retain Judge Ross on the Minnesota Court of Appeals.  

Long before his appointment to the Court of Appeals by Governor Pawlenty, Judge Ross had dedicated himself to public service.   In his service as a police officer, Kevin Ross gained a first-hand accounting of the impact of law on individuals and communities.  

He moved naturally to attend the University of Iowa College of Law, where he excelled.  His academic achievements earned Judge Ross sequential invitations from two highly regarded federal judges to assist them as their judicial clerk immediately following his graduation with honors.  It is no surprise to anyone on this politically diverse committee that one of these judges was appointed by a Republican president and the other by a Democrat.  Serving such distinguished mentors and role models reinforced Judge Ross’s credo that true justice must reflect an impartial and independent effort to apply the law evenly to the facts of each individual case, without regard to any party’s status or affiliation.  And his many judicial opinions demonstrate his commitment to these essential values.

Those of us who knew Kevin Ross before his appointment to the court watched him as a practicing attorney continue his focus on public service—often representing public agencies with distinction in disputes requiring insight into the responsibilities of government actors as well as  the limits on government authority. 

In the years since his appointment to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Judge Ross has emerged as a quiet leader, a well-regarded thinker, and a diligent worker in the judiciary.  He has earned a reputation as a judge who treats all with respect, humility, and an overriding commitment to a just result based on a thoughtful and careful application of the law.  

That is why we enthusiastically urge our friends and neighbors to vote to retain Judge Kevin Ross on November 4.