Thomas F. Haeg

Click here to see video of the candidate.

Born: Jan. 23, 1948; Minneapolis

Education:

• Saint Louis University School of Law, J.D., 1973
• Saint John’s University, B.A., 1970

• Minnesota 4th Judicial District, referee, 1976-2008
• Private practice, attorney, 1973-76

• Hennepin County Bar Association
• Minnesota State Bar Association

• Habitat for Humanity
• Saint John’s Arboretum Advisory Council

Hobbies/Interests: Backwoods skiing, canoeing, fishing, golf, hunting, traveling with family

Family: Wife, Susan; three children

Website: www.haegforjudge.org

Why do you want to be a judge?
I have already faithfully and loyally served as a court referee on the Hennepin County bench for 32 years. I have accepted the challenges as a court referee and will welcome them as a judge when elected. The assignments have instilled in me a heightened awareness for the need to assure that justice is dispensed with a respectful and patient demeanor. I know by experience what it means to sit in judgment, yet there is no greater job satisfaction than public service. Serving in the judiciary is my way of fulfilling my duties as a citizen. My longevity on the bench in public service is demonstrated by the confidence attorneys routinely appearing in my court had in me. I have one of the lowest removal rates. I not only want to continue my commitment to public service as a judge, I want to be the best judge.

Why should voters select you rather than your opponent?
The voters should consider three important reasons to select me rather than my opponent. First, I have more experience in the high-volume and people-oriented courts having served in the juvenile, housing and family courts. The assignment in housing court also included complex commercial real estate litigation. These assignments enabled me to be particularly sensitive to the needs for all litigants to have fair and equal access to justice. Second, I have over 32 years of public service on the bench as a court referee. My opponent has 12. Third, I will be a judge who will try cases while providing an opportunity to mediate without risking litigation deadlines or putting undue pressure on them to settle. In family court, my opponent always insisted that the parties mediate and sacrificed litigation timelines to refer cases for settlement. While it is true that some litigation in family court may be harmful to the children, I believe that if the jurist properly oversees the litigation then hostilities can be eliminated and closure can be expeditiously achieved without delaying the process by mediation referral.

What experience do you have with the court on which you wish to sit?
I have 32 years of experience with the District Court bench. I have served as a court referee since 1976. This experience extends to collaborative efforts to improve the administration of justice. For example, while in juvenile court, I helped to first develop a Fire Fighters Committee to anticipate and identify potential issues before they surfaced to allay any impediment to the administration of justice. My relationships with the judges on the bench are excellent. I have earned their respect in working alongside them. My career on the bench was achieved by hard work and mutual trust. In fact, I have written several references for judges currently sitting on the bench when requested to secure their appointments as judges, and have helped train them when they were assigned to a specialty court.

What are the major issues facing this court?
There are three major issues: budget, relationship with the bar and leadership. Budget: The court’s current administration has been remiss in articulating its essential needs. As a result, public safety issues are at risk. For example, it closed counters in the housing court and violations bureau without any significant cost savings while adding and replacing positions in nonessential administration positions. Relationship with the bar: The bar should have a larger role in the administration of the court. I recognized this as chief referee in housing court by chairing the Bench and Bar Committee to enable both landlord and tenant attorneys to advise the court on administration issues. Leadership: The courts have traditionally been recognized as the weakest of the three branches of government. Therefore, it is crucial that its leadership define its core values to preserve its jurisdiction. Effective leadership can only be accomplished through transparency. More transparency in leadership will allow more access by the bar, and more access by the bar will help in resolving future budgetary issues.

How can these issues realistically be addressed?
Budget: It is essential to conduct an independent assessment of what went wrong in the current budget crisis. If not, the court’s credibility in effectively communicating its financial needs will be questioned in the next budget crisis. Relationship with the bar: Require every specialty court to create and maintain a Bench and Bar Committee to draw in attorney representation in the administration of justice. This approach would broaden the decision-making base by making the court more inclusive rather than exclusive. Also, create a local Judicial Council similar to the statewide Judicial Council. Leadership: First, leadership must demonstrate the courage to define its core values. Second, leadership must shed its corporate approach of doing business and adopt more transparency. This will broaden the decision-making base, provide continuity, insure more expertise and create transparency, especially in budgetary matters. Most importantly, it will enable judges to do what they were elected to do: try cases.

What role, if any, should politics play in judicial campaigns? (for example, party endorsements, discussions of political views, etc...)
A candidate for judge should not issue political promises during a judicial campaign. This would compromise the independence of the judiciary. To that extent, I have affirmed not to seek the endorsement of a political party so as to avoid even the mere appearance of impropriety. Yet, members of the legislative and executive branches should be able to express their confidence in a judicial candidate’s integrity, experience and record. For example, I am proud to have support from three former politicians, Warren Spannaus (former Minnesota attorney general) and Sharon Sayles Belton (former mayor of the city of Minneapolis) and John Derus (former [Hennepin] County commissioner). Their support demonstrates a collective confidence in my record on the bench without endorsing a political issue.

What else would you like voters to know about your candidacy?
This campaign is intended to provide the voters an opportunity to participate in the judiciary. It will allow them to consider my 32 years of public service on the bench. It has been marked by integrity, experience and hard work. I have served under and been mentored by many distinguished chief judges such as Douglas Amdahl, Harold Kalina, Roberta Levy and Kevin Burke. In particular, I have had the privilege of working alongside two wonderful jurists, Judge Peter Albrecht and Judge Allen Oleisky. I am proud of my association with them and will use their model in continuing to develop my skills as a jurist. If elected, the voters will be assured that my hard work and devotion to public service as a judicial officer will continue to benefit all who appear before me.