Minnesota Makes History, Wendy Tien Appointed Chief Judge of Minnesota Tax Court

Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan announced today that the Minnesota Tax Court has unanimously voted for Wendy S. Tien to assume responsibility as Chief Judge effective March 17, 2021.

Judge Tien currently serves as a judge on the Minnesota Tax Court and was appointed by Governor Walz in November 2019. Previously, Judge Tien served as a Minnesota Assistant Attorney General, Deputy Assistant Director in the Office of Oversight and Trial Attorney at the Department of Justice, partner at Shapiro Sher Guinot and Sandler in Baltimore and an attorney with the Internal Revenue Service.

Additionally, this is the first time in Minnesota history, that the chiefs of the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and all three Executive Branch Courts are all women: Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, Minnesota Supreme Court; Chief Judge Susan Segal, Minnesota Court of Appeals; Chief Judge Jenny Starr, Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings; Chief Judge Patricia Milun, Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals; and Chief Judge Wendy Tien, Minnesota Tax Court.

“For the first time in our state’s history, these Minnesota courts are all led by all women at the same time,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “Representation on the bench matters, and a more diverse judicial branch equates to a more representative government for our communities. I am proud to see such distinguished women serving Minnesotans as chief judges.”

Chief Judge Wendy Tien, Chief Judge Jenny Starr, and Chief Judge Susan Segal are Walz-Flanagan appointees.