--- title: "Sophia Y. Vuelo | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sophia-y-vuelo-judge-second-judicial-district-mn" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Sophia Y. Vuelo Minnesota Second Judicial District Court · Judge ## Profile - Court: Minnesota Second Judicial District Court - State: Minnesota - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-26 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Hmong‐American judge of the Ramsey County District Court in Minnesota, appointed in 2017 and elected in 2020, with a term through January 2027 - Past Employment: Special Assistant Ramsey County Attorney - Past Employment: Assistant Public Defender, Second Judicial District - She is an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law and participates in the St. Thomas University School of Law Mentoring Program ### Education - BA in History from the University of Minnesota in 1995 - Hamline University School of Law — J.D. ### Additional information - Sworn in January 4, 2018, becoming Minnesota’s first Hmong‐American judge and one of the few in the U.S.. - Governor Mark Dayton appointed Vuelo on December 18, 2017 to fill the vacancy created by Judge Margaret M. Marrinan’s retirement. - Born Yeu Vue in Laos, Vuelo immigrated with her family to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where she attended Memorial High School and held the role of senior class president in 1990. - Past Employment: Assistant Rochester City Attorney - Past Employment: Solo practitioner, Vuelo Law - handling juvenile, family, and criminal cases - Appointed/Elected: Appointed Dec. - Current term expires Jan. - Known for mentorship and advocacy for access to justice - First Hmong‐American judge in Minnesota and the third in the U.S - Her work spanned juvenile detention, family law, criminal defense, and public service, giving her a broad perspective on the justice system - Ramsey County Bar Association She serves as Ramsey County Bar Association Representative to the Minnesota State Bar Association Assembly Minnesota Judicial Branch - She has also been on the Collaborative Community Law Initiative board and the Saint Paul–Ramsey County Community Health Services Advisory Committee ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### remote hearing recording Scope: statewide Minnesota Judicial Branch remote-hearing guidance says recording or broadcasting a remote proceeding is not authorized except as provided by court rules. Evidence excerpt: No recording or broadcasting of any remote proceeding is authorized other than as provided by court rules. [Remote Hearing Information](https://mncourts.gov/remote-hearings) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### camera audio recording devices Scope: 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. Evidence excerpt: According to Rule 4 of the MN Rules of General Practice for the District Courts, no pictures or voice recordings [Security & Weapons Screening - Going to Court](https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin/going-to-court/security-weapons-screening) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts/judicialdirectory/active-judicial-officers/02-district/sophia-y.-vuelo) - [Official roster](https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts/judicialdirectory/active-judicial-officers/02-district/sophia-y.-vuelo) - [Minnesota Judicial Branch official judicial roster](https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts/judicialdirectory/active-judicial-officers/02-district/sophia-y.-vuelo) - [Remote Hearing Information](https://mncourts.gov/remote-hearings) - [Security & Weapons Screening - Going to Court](https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin/going-to-court/security-weapons-screening) - [Judge Sophia Y. Vuelo](https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts/judicialdirectory/active-judicial-officers/02-district/sophia-y.-vuelo) - [Wikidata: Sophia Y. Vuelo](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q72759156) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sophia-y-vuelo-judge-second-judicial-district-mn", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sophia-y-vuelo-judge-second-judicial-district-mn", "name": "Sophia Y. Vuelo | KnowJudges", "description": "Sophia Y. Vuelo, Minnesota Second Judicial District Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-09", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sophia-y-vuelo-judge-second-judicial-district-mn#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sophia-y-vuelo-judge-second-judicial-district-mn#judge", "name": "Sophia Y. Vuelo", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sophia-y-vuelo-judge-second-judicial-district-mn", "jobTitle": "Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "Minnesota Second Judicial District Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://mncourts.gov/about-the-courts/judicialdirectory/active-judicial-officers/02-district/sophia-y.-vuelo" ], "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Minnesota" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Hamline University School of Law" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Minnesota", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/minnesota" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sophia Y. Vuelo", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sophia-y-vuelo-judge-second-judicial-district-mn" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Remote Hearing Information](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-5920703a4c3a43b48164d80e) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://mncourts.gov/remote-hearings). Collected 2026-07-26. - [Security & Weapons Screening - Going to Court](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-c45898f557aa190822c0bdd8) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin/going-to-court/security-weapons-screening). Collected 2026-07-26.