ST. PAUL, MN – Today, Governor Mark Dayton announced the appointments of Brianne J. Buccicone and John D. Klossner as District Court Judges in Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District. Ms. Buccicone, endorsed for the post by MNAPABA, will be replacing the Honorable Thomas D. Hayes, and will be chambered at Elk River in Sherburne County. Mr. Klossner will replace the Honorable James E. Dehn, and will be chambered at Cambridge in Isanti County.

“Ms. Brianne Buccicone and Mr. John Klossner have demonstrated their strong commitments to justice and public service throughout their legal careers,” said Governor Dayton. “Both Ms. Buccicone and Mr. Klossner have also made outstanding contributions to improving their communities. Minnesotans stand to gain from their sound legal judgment and continued public service.”

About Brianne J. Buccicone

Ms. Buccicone is an Assistant Anoka County Attorney in the Civil Division, where she represents petitioners in civil commitment proceedings. Previously, she was a Special Assistant County Attorney in the Anoka County Attorney’s Office in the Protective Services Unit; a National Product Specialist, a National Account Representative, and an Inside Account Manager at Thomson Reuters; an Assistant Ramsey County Public Defender; and a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Diane R. Alshouse, Second Judicial District. She earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota and her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

Ms. Buccicone is a member of the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association, 8U team manager for the Andover Huskies Youth Hockey Association, and a trainer for Heart Safe Andover.

About MNAPABA's Efforts to Increase Diversity on the Bench

MNAPABA's Judicial Selection Committee works all year long to promote diversity and inclusion on the state and federal bench in Minnesota. 

Since its inception less than five years ago, the MNAPABA Judicial Selection Committee has helped dozens of MNAPABA members and allies through both the state and federal judicial application processes and seen four appointed to the bench. 

With Ms. Buccicone's appointment by Governor Dayton today, MNAPABA counts nine state or federal APA judges active with MNAPABA within the state of Minnesota currently on active or senior status. This number has more than doubled in the past two years. 

MNAPABA's Judicial Selection Committee is led by Irene Kao and the Honorable Nicole J. Starr.