Walz names Minneapolis city attorney, Ramsey County judge to state Court of Appeals

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz picked Minneapolis' city attorney and a Ramsey County judge for the first two state appellate court appointments of his tenure.

On Tuesday, the governor named Minneapolis City Attorney Susan Segal to a seat designated for the Fifth Congressional District and picked Ramsey County Judge Jeffrey Bryan for an at-large seat.

Both will replace retiring judges.

Bryan also has co-chaired the Ramsey County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative and has worked both as a federal prosecutor and in private practice.

Segal has been Minneapolis' city attorney since 2008, after a stint as a deputy to former Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar, now a U.S. senator running for president.

In a statement Tuesday, Walz cited Bryan's experience managing complex cases "with compassion" and Segal's "inspiring and capable leadership" as city attorney.

Bryan will replace retiring Judge Heidi Schellhas; Segal will take the place of retiring Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks.

The appointments drew praise from the Hispanic Bar Association, Jewish Community Relations Council and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who pointed to Segal's defense on city policies such as minimum wage and paid sick leave.

"Her office has pioneered work advancing criminal justice reforms, including a first-in-the-state alternative to cash-bail and crucial diversion programs," Frey said. "And her legacy will stretch far beyond the Minneapolis city limits as other leaders look to her work as a model for building more just cities."