Lorie Skjerven Gildea

Lorie Skjerven Gildea (born October 6, 1961) is an American attorney. She served as chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from her appointment by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2010 until her retirement on October 1, 2023. She served as an associate justice of the Court from 2006 to 2010 and as a district judge for Hennepin County in the Fourth Judicial District from 2005 to 2006.

Early life and education Gildea was born on October 6, 1961, and raised in Plummer, Minnesota. She received a Bachelor of Arts, with distinction, from the University of Minnesota Morris in 1983, and a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1986.

Career After law school, she remained in Washington, D.C., and entered private practice at Arent Fox.

Gildea later returned to Minnesota where, after working briefly as a special prosecutor for the city of Minneapolis, she became an associate general counsel for the University of Minnesota. She represented the university system for 11 years, including during the scandal involving former men's basketball coach Clem Haskins. She served on the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission from 2001 to 2004 under Governors Jesse Ventura and Tim Pawlenty.

Judicial service Pawlenty appointed Gildea an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2006. Her seat on the Court was up for election in 2008. She defeated three opponents in the primary election and Hennepin County District Judge Deborah Hedlund in the general election. In 2010, Pawlenty appointed her chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, replacing Eric Magnuson.

Personal life Gildea lives in the Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis. She was married to Andrew J. "Andy" Gildea, whom she met in law school. He was an active Republican. He died on November 5, 2021.