Alumni News: Luis Rangel Morales '13 Appointed to First Judicial District Court

Governor Tim Walz announced the appointment of Minnesota Law alum Luis Rangel Morales '13 as District Court Judge in Minnesota’s First Judicial District. Rangel Morales will replace the Honorable Shawn M. Moynihan and will be chambered in Hastings in Dakota County.

“It is my pleasure to appoint Luis Rangel Morales to the First Judicial District,” said Governor Walz. “Appearing before the court is an intimidating experience for everyone, but Mr. Rangel Morales has proven throughout his career how empathy and compassion can ease those anxieties while also ensuring the equitable administration of justice. This skill set will be invaluable as a judge for the people of Dakota County.”

Minnesota’s First Judicial District includes Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, Le Sueur, McLeod, Scott, and Sibley counties.

Rangel Morales is a staff attorney and director of community engagement for the Neighborhood Justice Center, where he represents low-income community members facing criminal charges in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties. He has also served as defense counsel for the Ramsey County Veterans Treatment Court and Ramsey County DUI Court. Rangel Morales has served as chair of the St. Paul Planning Commission and vice-chair of St. Paul’s Board of Zoning Appeals. He received his B.A. from the University of St. Thomas and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.