Edward J. Cleary at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Current assignment
- Court of Appeals of Minnesota
- Jurisdiction
- Minnesota · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Edward J. Cleary
Judge · Minnesota Court of Appeals
Biography
Professional career
- The value of Chief Judge Cleary’s service cannot be overstated.” About Chief Judge Edward ClearyChief Judge Cleary has served on the Court of Appeals since his appointment by Governor Dayton in 2011 and was later designated as the Chief Judge in 2013
- Judge, Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 2011-present
- Distinguished judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, serving from 2011 until his retirement in April 2020
- He also held the role of an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School from 2000 to 2011
- Prior judicial roles: Judge, Minnesota Second Judicial District (2002–2011) Director, Minnesota Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility (1997–2002) Assistant Public Defender, Ramsey County (1980–1995)
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School in — J.D. (1977)
- B.A. — University of Minnesota at Minneapolis in 1974
Additional information
- Retired in 2020 after 17 years on the bench, including 7 years as Chief Judge.
- Chief Judge: held the role of Chief Judge from November 1, 2013, until his retirement on April 30, 2020
- He was recognized with multiple awards, including the Graven Public Service Award from the Minnesota State Bar Association (1998) and the Distinguished Humanitarian Award from the Ramsey County Bar Association (2015).
- Appointed to the court by Governor Mark Dayton (D) in 2011 and elected to the court in 2014.
- J.D. — University of Minnesota, where he then served as an adjunct professor from 2000 to 2011
- City of St. Paul before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1991, striking down a bias‐motivated ordinance; he later authored the award‐winning book Beyond the Burning Cross on the case
- Notable case: As Assistant Public Defender, Cleary successfully argued R.A.V. v.
- His frequent co‐panelists included Judges Renee Worke, Kevin G. Ross, and John R. Rodenberg
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Remote appearances
Statewide
Minnesota Judicial Branch remote-hearing guidance says recording or broadcasting a remote proceeding is not authorized except as provided by court rules.
No recording or broadcasting of any remote proceeding is authorized other than as provided by court rules.Remote Hearing Information ↗
Recording and broadcasting
Statewide
Minnesota court guidance cites Rule 4 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice and says pictures or voice recordings are not allowed except the official court record.
According to Rule 4 of the MN Rules of General Practice for the District Courts, no pictures or voice recordingsSecurity & Weapons Screening - Going to Court ↗
Sources
Identity source checked June 30, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Minnesota Court of Appeals current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View Minnesota Court of Appeals current judicial profile ↗Remote Hearing Information
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Remote Hearing Information ↗Security & Weapons Screening - Going to Court
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Security & Weapons Screening - Going to Court ↗