Associate Justice Gardebring was appointed to the Court by Governor Rudy Perpich on January 4, 1991 to fill the vacancy after Associate Justice Sandy Keith was appointed to Chief Justice on November 30, 1990. Gardebring was a resident of Falcon Heights, Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge (1989-1991), former special assistant Attorney General (1973-1977), former Metropolitan Council Chair (1984-1986), and former Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner (1986-1989). Gardebring was married to sitting state Representative Paul Ogren (HD 13B, 1981-1983; HD 14A, 1983-1993). Gardebring resigned on September 7, 1998. Governor Arne Carlson appointed Joan Ericksen Lancaster to fill the vacancy on September 8, 1998. Lancaster was a resident of Golden Valley, Fourth Judicial District Judge, and former U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota.
Peterson was an attorney from Marine on St. Croix, former member of the Hennepin County Board of Park Commissioners (1958-1962), candidate for HD 32 in 1962, and nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1996 and 1998.