It’s rare for most Minnesota voters to see a contested district judicial seat on the ballot. It’s even more unusual for voters to decide two races in one county.

But that’s what Ramsey County voters will see when they flip over the ballot this election season, as two of the nine open seats in the Second Judicial District are being contested. The two contested Ramsey County District Court races are among just six contested district seats out of 93 total in Minnesota.Ramsey County District Judge Timothy Mulrooney, who was appointed to the bench in 2016 and elected by voters in 2018, is being challenged by Cheeyein “Winona” Yang, a 2021 graduate of Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She currently works as a legislative aide to Ramsey County Commissioner Mai Chong Xiong, the first Hmong county board member in Ramsey County.

Ramsey County District Judge Timothy Carey, who was appointed to the bench in 2022, faces challenger Paul Yang, an attorney in private practice.

Yang shares a similar name with Judge P. Paul Yang, who has served since 2019 and is running unopposed for a different seat. The name overlap has raised some concerns in legal circles about the possibility of voter confusion. However, Herbert Kritzer, professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota Law School, doesn’t see it as a big issue.

“I don’t mean this in a pejorative way, but Yang is such a common name within the particular community and around the Twin Cities,” he said. “There may be a few people that confuse (the candidates), but I don’t think that’s likely to have a lot of impact. It might within a small segment of the community.”

An author or co-author of a dozen books, Kritzer’s research has included a historical analysis of judicial elections in Minnesota. His research highlights not only how rare district court elections are across the state, but the scarcity of defeats. Of the 1,162 races across the state since 2000, 85 have been contested and only four have resulted in the defeat of incumbents, who are indicated on the ballot.

“To lose, there has to be a reason,” Kritzer said.

One of those four defeats was G. Tony Atwal, who made headlines after trying to get out of a New Year’s Day 2018 DWI arrest by telling St. Paul police he was a Ramsey County judge. Atwal, who pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor DWI two days later, lost to P. Paul Yang the following November by 6 percentage points, or just over 9,800 votes.

Kritzer said it’s his belief that many if not most Minnesotans have no idea who these judges are before they enter the voting booth.

“There is a phenomenon referred to as roll-offs in voting, meaning that people cast votes for the higher offices on the ticket but don’t cast votes for the lower offices,” he said. “They don’t know enough about them to do it.”

The Ramsey Bar Association conducted a straw poll this summer and the 377 attorneys who voted gave Carey 93 percent support and Mulrooney 91 percent. The association has 1,818 members.

Here’s more about the candidates:

Second District Court Judge 3

Timothy Carey

Age >> 53

City >> St. Paul

Education >> BA, Psychology, St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn., May 1994; JD, Mitchell Hamline, May 2009

Community work >> Former Lawyers Concerned About Lawyers Board member and volunteer; FreeWriters’ Board member; Uptown House Board member

Relevant experience >> 1999-2010: Ramsey County Corrections probation officer; 2010-2012: Associate Attorney at the Guzman Law Firm; 2012-2022: Assistant County Attorney at the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office; 2022-present: Second Judicial District judge. Since December 2023, I have presided over Veterans Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, Civil Commitment proceedings, and a newly developed court focused on those whose mental illness prevents them from entering a plea or participating in their defense at criminal trials.

Why you want to be a district court judge >> I have been serving as a district court judge for over two and a half years. My decades of service to the community, as a probation officer and an assistant county attorney, combined with my time on the bench, allowed me the time to familiarize myself with the resources available, along a broad continuum of options, to meet our diverse community’s needs. I have developed deep capacities to identify which of those resources would best meet the needs of a given case. It is an honor to hear the concerns of our community every day, apply the law to these facts, and then make difficult decisions to achieve real justice. I want to continue helping our community and its inhabitants achieve safety and real wellness because that is what we all deserve.

Why people should vote for you >> I have worked closely with and within this community since 1999. I have continuously honed an expanding skill set in service to the residents of Ramsey County, and I have deep connections to the diverse spectrum of people who call the Second District home. I have lived up to the challenge of the role of a judge through careful study of the law and its thoughtful application to cases to scenarios marked by significant pain or complexity. I support our veterans, who deserve far more than they sometimes get after defending our country, in Vets’ Court. I support people who become extremely vulnerable in the community by way of their mental health or addiction issues. And, I protect the public from those who remain poised to harm others or themselves, despite sincere efforts to intervene.

Two top challenges with the judicial system >> Our community needs radically more access to mental health and addiction treatment services along the entire continuum of care. Unfortunately, care has been consistently underdeveloped since the decision to restrict access to state hospitals in the 1960s and 1970s. As a result, many of our most vulnerable citizens’ care needs have been neglected for years. This amounts to deep suffering for those individuals and their families, along with the potential for a serious impact on public safety in some cases. Our justice system very much needs increased access to structured hospital care for this portion of people who have both mental health and criminal issues, if we want better outcomes for our community and its people.

Website >> www.judge timothycarey.com

Paul Yang

Age >> Did not respond

City >> St. Paul

Education >> Hamline University School of Law, 2000

Community work >> I have consistently aimed to create a positive influence in my communities. My active participation in Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and current position as co-chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Well-Being Committee.

Relevant experience >> Before founding my law firm in 2016 here in the Twin Cities, I worked as an associate for an established general practice law firm with over two decades worth of proven community impact in St. Paul. There, I gained invaluable experience in criminal law, immigration, family law, Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, personal injury, and workers’ compensation law. I have a combined 15-plus years in legal (involving complex litigation) and community work, from administrative to appellate level cases; from small claims to death cases. In addition to appearing in District Court, I have extensive courtroom experience before the Department of Labor and Industry, Office of Administrative Hearings and the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals, including Alternative Dispute Resolution hearings at the American Arbitration Association.

Why you want to be a district court judge >> I am eager to ensure that every Ramsey County resident has the same opportunity to fair, just and equitable treatment in the courts. I want Ramsey County residents to have confidence in our judicial system and know that they will be heard — where all voices, issues and concerns will be addressed.

Why people should vote for you >> I am boldly personally asking you for your vote! I am qualified and have experiential background with a diverse professional and balanced perspective. Representation matters. Unfortunately, the majority of residents do not even know who our judges are. In meeting, speaking and listening to our residents where they are at, they share being intimidated with the complexities of the court system and procedures. Compounded by meeting judges for the very first time while in court on life-changing events. I want to inspire our young people. Being a mentor for our young people, we need to build up our communities and leaders. I live and understand the importance of this, being a first-generation immigrant from a Thai refugee camp, the first in my family to go to law school and a person of color. If I can accomplish this, so can you!

Two top challenges with the judicial system >> Per the Brennan Center for Justice’s May 2024 State Supreme Court Diversity Report, “research suggesting that women and people of color are more likely to have an impact on their peers when there is a ‘critical mass’ of diverse identities within an institution. These findings underscore the vital importance of continuous efforts to enhance diversity within our Judiciary, ensuring that all voices are not only present but also powerful in shaping the law and its impact on society. … A diverse bench fosters increased public confidence in the courts, provides role models across communities and enriches judicial deliberations.” There is no place for partisan politics on the Bench. When elected, I will not use my position to influence others and will remain fair and impartial.

Website >> www.paulyang forjudge.org

Second District Court Judge 29

Timothy Mulrooney

Age >> 57

City >> St. Paul

Education >> University of Notre Dame, September 1985-May 1989, Bachelor of Arts; 1989 University of Minnesota Law School, September 1991-May 1994, JD 1994

Community work >> Over my career I have done various community work, including as a board member and volunteer for The Arc Greater Twin Cities; board member on Macalester Groveland Community Council; board member of Minnesota Department of Education’s School Safety Technical Assistance Council; and various criminal defense and family law pro bono legal work, including development of an unbundled pro bono legal services program for family law matters.

Relevant experience >> 2016-present: Ramsey County District Court Judge; 2008-2016: Hennepin County Family Court Referee; 2000-2008: Attorney/Shareholder, Henson Efron, PA-Family Law/Civil Litigation; 1997-2000: Attorney, Hennepin County Attorney’s Office-Criminal Prosecution; 1995-1997: Attorney, Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office-Criminal Prosecution; 1994-1995: Law Clerk, Judge Richard B. Solum, Hennepin County. On the Ramsey County bench, I have served in all of our divisions and presided over criminal, family, civil, juvenile, child protection and civil commitment cases. I am currently assigned to our Behavioral Health Unit, where I sit on treatment courts (primarily Drug Court and DWI Court, and occasionally Mental Health Court and Veterans Court), Criminal Incompetency (“Rule 20”) Court and Civil Commitments.

Why you want to be a district court judge >> I want to contribute. I have 30 years of legal experience, eight years of judicial experience and 57 years of life experience; I want to devote this experience to public service. Over three decades I have honed my legal and judicial skills to become a knowledgeable, effective and respectful judge. I enjoy and find purpose in the work I do on the Court, both on individual cases and in committee work aimed at improving our justice system. I want to remain part of making our justice system work for people who access it and for the entire community.

Why people should vote for you >> I am proven: I have been a judge for eight years and I am experienced, respected and fair. It feels prideful to say, but it is true. Voters know this because of my 30-year legal career: I have been a judge for eight years and have served in all state court divisions (criminal, civil, juvenile, child protection, family, civil commitment, treatment courts); I was previously a family court referee, and before that I represented individuals for eight years and prosecuted crimes for five years. During my 16 years of judicial experience, I have worked with justice partners in multiple areas to improve our system. Voters can be confident that I am a capable and fair judge because of the broad support my re-election has from retired judges, lawyers, civic leaders and community members. I am a good judge and I am eager to continue to serve.

Two top challenges with the judicial system >> Our judicial system does many things well, and faces various challenges. Our mission is to provide a fair, impartial, accessible and open court. We are not perfect, and we must constantly examine our work and find ways to improve. A top challenge is treating people equally. As a judge I must be intentional and mindful about implicit bias and disparate outcomes in my decisions; this requires openness, introspection, education and training. A second top challenge relates to mental health. My work focuses on the intersection of mental illness and the justice system, and I know firsthand the need to identify resources and build greater collaboration between social services systems and the justice system so we treat people humanely and honor the community’s right to be safe.

Website >> www.judge mulrooney.com

Winona Yang

Age >> 32

City >> St. Paul

Education >> I received my Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota and my Juris Doctorate from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

Community work >> Recognizing my strengths and desire to help, I tutored elementary-aged children in my former East Side neighborhood. I also co-founded Skill Stacker, a literacy company aimed at improving reading comprehension and fostering parent-child engagement, though it is no longer active. I have taught constitutional law to St. Paul high school seniors to raise young people’s awareness of their rights at school, at home and in public. In my role as a commissioner assistant, I have helped families in need of housing, heat, food, rent, medical assistance, transportation, mental health resources and more. I have advocated for housing, environmental justice and corporate accountability, and I have hosted town halls, housing forums, and discussions about justice amongst community members and elected leaders to effect systemic changes.

Relevant experience >> As a licensed attorney admitted to practice in Minnesota, I have passed the written bar exam, written ethics exam, character and fitness exam, and I am qualified under Minnesota law to be eligible for a judgeship. I have helped represent low-income individuals through the Minnesota Appellate Public Defender Office and I have worked with clients in need of personal injury representation. I serve as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law during spring semesters. I work with justice-impacted youth and adults, assisting individuals in accessing resources to apply for pardons as part of restorative justice efforts, helping to rebuild families and the workforce. I am a former managing editor of the Mitchell Hamline Law Review Journal.

Why you want to be a district court judge >> Throughout my years of civic engagement and as an attorney, I have come to hold a more holistic and community-centered perspective of a judge’s role as one that should also focus on fostering engagement, ensuring equitable access to justice, and addressing harm through collaboration and restorative solutions. I have consistently leveraged my passion for service and my legal experience as a means to promote equity and expand access to justice. Becoming a district court judge would allow me to bring this perspective to the bench. As judge, I will serve with fairness, impartiality and heart, while working to bring our judiciary to the community. Additionally, I want to be a judge in an effort to raise the public’s interest in our judiciary and to encourage transparency and voter engagement.

Why people should vote for you >> I bring a reimagination of our courts. I am not a traditional judicial candidate, but it is precisely this difference that allows me to bring a fresh perspective, greater empathy, and a deeper understanding of the diverse experiences of those before me. I do not run to be the best attorney nor the greatest legal mind. I run to be the best public servant. This perspective, that judges are public servants first, guides my candidacy. I believe in a justice system where judges see communities not only in the courtroom, but in our neighborhoods. One where judges have lived experiences that reflect our own, so that when our children think about a courtroom, they see themselves on the bench — not awaiting judgment. One where we believe our courts are fair and accessible, and so we use them. Simply put, a vote for me is a vote for progress in our courts.

Two top challenges with the judicial system >> When people lack trust in our justice system, they may seek alternative forms of justice, impacting victim reports, youth incarceration, and overall community safety. Ramsey County, the most diverse and densely populated county in Minnesota, needs a judiciary that reflects our experiences and values while actively working to restore the public’s faith in, and use of, our courts. The ability for attorneys to run for judge is a cornerstone of democracy that can build public trust in our judicial system. Overcrowded court dockets cause significant delays, resulting in prolonged legal proceedings that may hinder timely justice. All are impacted. Judges must collaborate to adopt effective case management practices, encourage resolutions amongst parties, and streamline processes, ensuring justice is delivered efficiently and fairly.

Website >> www.winonafor judge.org