Washington, D.C. – Congressman Erik Paulsen (MN-03) praised the nomination of Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court David Stras to the United State Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Last month, Congressman Paulsen sent two letters, along with Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) and Congressman Jason Lewis (MN-02), to the Trump administration recommending Justice Stras.

“As one of Minnesota’s foremost legal minds with outstanding credentials, Justice Stras is most deserving of this nomination,” said Congressman Paulsen. “Throughout his career in both the classroom and the courtroom, Justice Stras has displayed a thoughtful, fair-minded approach to the law that has been reflected during his tenure on the Minnesota Supreme Court. The Third District of Minnesota is proud to have one of its own nominated to the bench.”  

Justice Stras has served on the Minnesota Supreme Court since he was appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2010. In 2012, he was elected to a six-year term on the state’s highest court. Prior to his service on the Minnesota Supreme Court, Justice Stras clerked for Justice Melvin Brunetti of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Justice J. Michael Luttig of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He also served a member of the University of Minnesota Law School faculty from 2004 to 2010, and has written articles for several law reviews as well as authored a casebook still published today.

Congressman Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Medical Technology Caucus.

For more information on Congressman Paulsen’s work in Congress visit paulsen.house.gov. 

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