Steven C. Foley

Born: January 5, 1965, Minneapolis

Education:

• Washburn High School, Minneapolis, 1983;
• University of Minnesota B.A. (major Political Science, minor English);
• William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., 1991

Employment:

• Thomson West (variety of positions) 1995 – present
  Curently serve as Manager Strategic Licensing (negotiate and oversee license agreements). Also worked in product development and as reference staff attorney.
• Old Republic Title 1993 – 1995
  Title Examiner handled both residential and commercial deals.
• Prom Catering, GreenHaven Country 1992- 1993
  Club Beverage Manager.
• Ramsey County Attorney 1990-1991
  Worked 32 hours per week during law school in the civil division.

Bar admission: MN September 1991

Civic Activities:

• Volunteer as Treasurer and Board Member for the Rosemount Hockey Association
• Volunteer Coach or Rosemount youth baseball
• Parishioner at St. Joseph's Church Rosemount

Personal: Wife Stephanie Foley Teacher; Two sons Ages 11 and 8; Father retired pharmacist; Mother retired homemaker; 10th of 11 children.

Hobbies: I love to fish, hike, and spend time with my wife and sons.

E-mail address: stevefoley@charter.net

Candidacy Questions:

1. Why do you want to be a judge?
I’m running for judge because I see it as an absolutely wonderful opportunity for me to combine the serving the public with my love of the law. I live, work and am raising my family in the First Judicial District, and will work hard to give something back, if elected.

2. Why should voters select you rather than your opponent in the upcoming election?
I am 10th of 11 children and grew up in Minneapolis. My father is a WWII vet and a retired pharmacist. My mother is a retired homemaker, and very savvy person. They taught me a lot.
I worked very hard to put myself through college and law school. Since law school I’ve held various positions in the legal profession. I’m married to a wonderful woman, an ISD 196 school teacher. I have two great sons, ages 11 and 8.
I would like to put my legal and life experiences to work as I serve my community on the bench.

3. What experience have you had in dealing with the court on which you wish to sit?
I haven’t appeared or worked in the trial courts in the First Judicial District. As a law clerk and certified student attorney at the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, I did appear in the Second Judicial District on a variety of matters.
I’ve worked in real estate, legal publishing, served as a Westlaw Reference Staff Attorney, and worked in corporate environment in product development. For the last few years I’ve worked negotiating and drafting license agreements for Thomson West.

4. What are the major issues facing the court on which you wish to serve? How can these realistically be addressed?
There are pretty significant resource constraints being placed on the First Judicial District. Criminal and Juvenile Delinquency cases are up by almost 50% in the last ten years in the state. Courts also need to address and promote public trust in the judicial system. As a judge, I would explore and encourage creative solutions to make the administration of justice more efficient, especially in family matters and juvenile delinquency proceedings. As a judge I would work with the bar to emphasize civility, professional courtesy and encourage common sense solutions to legal issues.

5. Do you believe it is good policy to discuss disputed legal and political issues during a judicial campaign? If so, what issues do you plan to discuss and why. If not, why shouldn't such issues be discussed?
I don’t necessarily believe judges should become “politicized,” especially in these politically divisive times. But judges who resign so the governor can appoint replacements prior to elections, disenfranchises the public.
A better system is when voters make informed and thoughtful decisions based on the total experiences and viewpoints of their candidates. A candidate’s political and legal viewpoints are a part of that decision, but shouldn’t be the sole factor.
If I get ten voters stop and think about whom their judges are this election, my candidacy’s been worthwhile. I encourage other lawyers, as guardians of democratic process, to run.

6. What else, if anything, would you like the voters to know about your candidacy that you have not discussed so far?
I want to encourage the voters to get to know the candidates. In many ways judges make many more decisions that affect our day to day lives than most politicians. Judges handle juveniles with problems, sentence criminals, or set them free, resolve family and custody issues, and oversee the just and efficient resolution of civil disputes. Who they are matters.
If elected I will work very hard to better the lives of hard-working Minnesotans, and in my work pledge to reflect Minnesota values such as family, safe communities, and fair and open access to the administration of justice.