Denise Reilly is a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. As a religion major in college, her passion for justice instilled in her a calling to become a lawyer. While raising a young family, she attended law school. She then served as a law clerk to a federal district judge, joined a large private law firm, and later became a federal prosecutor.
Denise then heard another calling, this time to become a judge. She applied and was appointed to the state district court bench, and worked for seven years as a judge in Juvenile Court, work that she still considers to be among the most important of her career. In 2009, Denise was selected to serve as one member of the three-judge panel to preside over the trial that resulted in Al Franken’s election to the United States Senate.
Denise’s work on the bench is just one way in which she has dedicated herself to the public interest. She also has made important contributions to the fight against illegal sex trafficking, serves on the board of the Division of Indian Work, and taught trial practice to law students. Denise has received several awards and recognitions for her outstanding work on the bench and her service to her community.
An exemplary career and lifetime of service that all began when a college undergraduate heard a Higher Calling.
You can view Judge Reilly's official bio here: https://www.mncourts.gov/About-The-Courts/Overview/JudicialDirectory/Bio.aspx?jid=1737
You can read about the 2009 trial over the Al Franken - Norm Coleman U.S. Senate contest here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_United_States_Senate_election_in_Minnesota
You can learn more about the Division of Indian Work here: https://www.diw-mn.org/
You can find the Higher Callings website, including other episodes and a transcript of this episode, here: https://www.podpage.com/higher-callings/