Anoka County judges number 16 resident jurists on the Anoka County District Court bench, each with general jurisdiction to hear any case filed in the county.1Anoka County, MN. Courts The court sits within Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District at 2100 3rd Avenue, Anoka, MN 55303, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.2Minnesota Judicial Branch. Anoka County District Court
Who Sits on the Anoka County Bench
The judges currently listed by the Minnesota Judicial Branch as serving Anoka County District Court are:3Minnesota Judicial Branch. Anoka County District Court – Judges
- Assistant Chief Judge Sean C. Gibbs
- Judge Suzanne M. Brown
- Judge Brianne J. Buccicone
- Judge Justin M. Collins
- Judge Michele A. Davis
- Judge Thomas R. Lehmann
- Judge Tricia Loehr
- Judge Karin L. McCarthy
- Judge Kevin J. Mueller
- Judge Jennifer D. Peterson
- Judge Melissa Saterbak
- Judge Todd R. Schoffelman
- Judge Karen B. Schommer
- Judge Jennifer L. Stanfield
- Judge Dyanna L. Street
The full bench may include additional judges beyond those currently listed online.3Minnesota Judicial Branch. Anoka County District Court – Judges Anoka is one of eight counties served by the Tenth Judicial District, which also covers Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright counties and employs 45 judges across the district.4Minnesota Judicial Branch. Tenth Judicial District
What These Judges Hear
Every judge on the bench has general jurisdiction, which means any of them can hear any type of case. In practice, they rotate through the court’s divisions in set blocks:5Anoka County, MN. Court Resources and Services
- Criminal — felonies, gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and traffic.
- Civil — lawsuits between private parties, contract disputes, personal injury. Base filing fee $310, plus $100 if you request a jury trial at filing.6Minnesota Judicial Branch. District Court Fees
- Family — divorce, custody, child support, domestic abuse protection orders.
- Juvenile — delinquency and child protection.
- Probate — estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and civil commitments.
- Conciliation — Minnesota’s small claims track for general claims of $20,000 or less.7Minnesota Judicial Branch. Conciliation Court
Anoka County also runs a Veterans Treatment Court for defendants with military service whose charges connect to substance abuse, mental health, or trauma. It operates as a partnership between the District Court, Anoka County Veteran Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the County Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, and community groups, focusing on treatment and supervision rather than traditional sentencing.8Anoka County, MN. Veterans Court
How to Find the Judge Assigned to Your Case
Your case number is the key. Anoka County case numbers follow the pattern 02-XX-YY-####, where 02 is the county code, the two letters identify the case type (CR for a mandatory criminal appearance, VB for a non-mandatory appearance, FA for family, and so on), YY is the filing year, and the final digits are a sequence number. You can find this number on your summons, citation, or complaint.9Minnesota Judicial Branch. Citation and Case Number
With the number in hand, go to Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) and search by case number, party name, or citation number, filtering by Anoka County. The record shows a Register of Actions that lists filings, hearing dates, and the judicial officer assigned to your case. MCRO also has a hearing search that lets you look up scheduled hearings by judge name.10Minnesota Judicial Branch. Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)
If the online record looks incomplete or a hearing date seems off, call the Anoka County Court Administrator’s office. The Court Administrator is the official keeper of records for all cases filed in the county and can confirm your judge assignment, courtroom, and hearing time.1Anoka County, MN. Courts
Removing or Challenging Your Judge
Minnesota Rule of Civil Procedure 63 gives every party one automatic right to remove the assigned judge, with no reason required. File a notice to remove within ten days of learning which judge you have, and file it before the trial or hearing starts.11Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Court Rules – Civil Procedure Rule 63
The catch: you lose that automatic right once the judge has presided over a motion or other proceeding in your case that you had notice of. After that point, removal requires an affirmative showing that the judge is disqualified under the Code of Judicial Conduct, for example a personal relationship with a party or a financial interest in the outcome. The same higher standard applies to any challenge to the replacement judge after you have used your one free removal.11Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Court Rules – Civil Procedure Rule 63
When removal is granted, the chief judge of the Tenth Judicial District assigns a different judge from within the district. If no qualified judge is available in the district, the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court assigns one from elsewhere.11Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Court Rules – Civil Procedure Rule 63
Reporting Judicial Misconduct
A misconduct complaint is a separate track from Rule 63 removal, and filing one does not take the judge off your case. The Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards investigates allegations against sitting judges, including violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct, persistent failure to perform judicial duties, and conduct that brings the judiciary into disrepute. Complaint forms and instructions are available through the Board.
Interpreters and Accessibility
If you speak limited or no English and you are a party, defendant, witness, or parent in a case, Minnesota Statutes Section 480.182 gives you the right to a court-appointed interpreter at no cost. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals are entitled to an interpreter or other communication accommodation at no charge under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Minnesota Statutes Section 363A.11.12Minnesota State Law Library. Legal Resources in Other Languages – Interpreters Ask the Court Administrator’s office in advance of any hearing so the court has time to arrange the right language or accommodation. Physical accessibility requests go through the same office.