Rensselaer R. Nelson
First Federal Judge from Minnesota
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Rensselaer R. Nelson, a native of New York
and the son of a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, was the first federal
judge from Minnesota. Appointed by President Buchanan, Judge Nelson sat on
the federal bench from the beginning of statehood in 1858 until his
retirement in 1896. During his tenure his most important cases concerned
civil rights, copyright infringement, writ of habeas corpus, eminent
domain, property rights, and an interpretation of the Sherman Antitrust
Act. Judge Nelson was revered by his contemporaries for his knowledge,
judgment, courtesy, dignity, and patience.
A display depicting Judge Nelson’s life is open to the public on the first floor of the U.S. Courthouse in Minneapolis through the end of 2008. Programs about Judge Nelson are planned for late spring. Below are PDF version of each display. Click on the links to view each panel. |