Duluth Judge Sally Tarnowski dies in Florida

DULUTH — Sally Tarnowski, considered one of northern Minnesota’s longest-tenured jurists and the area’s former chief choose, died Monday whereas vacationing in Florida, the Minnesota Judicial Department stated.

A reason behind loss of life was not instantly recognized within the assertion, which was despatched simply earlier than 9:30 p.m. Tarnowski was 63.

“All of us inside the Minnesota courts neighborhood are devastated by the lack of Choose Tarnowski,” Supreme Court docket Chief Justice Lorie Gildea stated within the launch. “Past her exemplary service to Minnesota, Choose Tarnowski was a vibrant individual whose dedication to justice shined by in every thing she did.”

Tarnowski, a longtime Duluth lawyer, was appointed to the sixth Judicial District bench by then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty in 2007. She was identified for championing the creation of the South St. Louis County Psychological Well being Court docket in 2009, persevering with to preside over the specialty courtroom that seeks to supply a substitute for incarceration and supply a pathway out of the felony justice system for these fighting psychological sickness.

Her fellow members of the judiciary in 2016 elected Tarnowski to her first of two phrases as chief choose. In that position, she was tasked with overseeing the unprecedented problem of shuttering courthouse doorways and shifting operations totally on-line within the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tarnowski additionally oversaw the Duluth Indian Baby Welfare Court docket and supported early impartial analysis in household courtroom, which seeks to supply extra immediate decision of disputes involving custody, parenting time and monetary issues.

“Choose Tarnowski approached her work with tenacity and dedication,” present Chief Choose Leslie Beiers stated. “Her loss shall be deeply felt by all of us within the sixth District, and by everybody who had the pleasure of realizing her.”

Tarnowski was a 1978 graduate of Duluth East Excessive College, the place she performed varsity volleyball, basketball, softball and golf for the Greyhounds, and she or he acquired levels from the College of Minnesota Duluth and William Mitchell Faculty of Legislation in St. Paul.

She went on to work as a legislation clerk, affiliate lawyer and shareholder on the Duluth agency of Johnson, Killen and Seiler from 1986-2003. She was in non-public apply as a household legislation lawyer on the time of her appointment to the bench.

A lot of the main focus of her judicial management was on the creation and growth of specialty courts — giving St. Louis, Carlton, Lake and Cook dinner counties one of many highest per capita charges of remedy courts within the state — and on initiatives geared toward making the courts extra accessible, well timed and environment friendly.

“I imagine that individuals who come earlier than the courtroom must be revered they usually must be heard,” Tarnowski as soon as advised the Information Tribune. “I believe in the event that they really feel that they have been listened to, handled pretty and that anyone cares about their determination, they’re going to settle for it.”

Tom Olsen has lined crime and courts for the Duluth Information Tribune since 2013. He’s a graduate of the College of Minnesota Duluth and a lifelong resident of town. Readers can contact Olsen at 218-723-5333 or tolsen@duluthnews.com.