Amdahl: Uncommonly wise common man

August 24, 2010 at 11:29PM

We regular noon diners in the Capitol cafeteria in the early 1980s habitually scanned the tables to see whether Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Douglas Amdahl was occupying one of them. If he was -- as was often the case -- we knew we could expect a genial invitation to join him, and an interlude of droll humor and wise observations on the state of Minnesota and the world.

Amdahl, who died Tuesday at age 91, was the most approachable and modest of men and among the most impactful jurists in state history. His legacy includes the creation of the state Court of Appeals, solving a problem of burgeoning case load for the state's high court and modernizing judicial administration for the larger, more complex state Minnesota had become.

Born and educated in the tiny farming town of Mabel near the Iowa border, Amdahl moved to the Twin Cities to attend the University of Minnesota and never left. He spent 18 distinguished years on the Hennepin County district court bench before being elevated to the Supreme Court by Republican Gov. Al Quie in 1980, and to the chief's office in 1981. He held that post until 1989. More than 20 years later, he was still counted as a favorite boss by longtime staffers in the state Judicial Building, and as a mentor by recently retired Minnesota Chief Justice Eric Magnuson, who clerked for Amdahl at the start of his career.

about the writer

about the writer

Lori Sturdevant

Columnist

Lori Sturdevant is a retired Star Tribune editorial writer and columnist. She was a journalist at the Star Tribune for 43 years and an Editorial Board member for 26 years. She is also the author or editor of 13 books about notable Minnesotans. 

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