Walz appoints Susan DeVos to 5th District bench

Gov. Tim Walz has appointed Susan DeVos as a district court judge in Minnesota’s 5th Judicial District. DeVos will replace Judge Krista J. Jass and will be chambered in Mankato in Blue Earth County.

“It is my honor to appoint Susan DeVos,” Walz said in a news release. “She has devoted her career to advancing fairness and justice within the Blue Earth County justice system. That strong foundation will not only make her an effective judge, but also a trusted leader who will uphold the rule of law and the dignity of everyone who comes before her.”

The 5th Judicial District consists of 15 counties in southwest Minnesota: Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, and Watonwan. 

Susan DeVos is an assistant county attorney in the Blue Earth County Attorney’s Office, where she represents the county in numerous areas, including child protection, civil commitment, and appeals. She is a member of the Blue Earth County Family Dependency Treatment Court, Blue Earth County Child Protection Team, and Children’s Justice Initiative.

DeVos was previously an associate attorney at Meagher & Geer and a law clerk to Judge R.A. (Jim) Randall on the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Her community involvement includes volunteering backstage for Mankato Ballet Company productions and as a judge for the McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court. She earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota Duluth and her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law.