Associate Justice Gilbert was appointed to the Court by Governor Arne Carlson on January 29, 1998 to fill the vacancy caused by Associate Justice Kathleen Blatz's appointed to Chief Justice on January 29, 1998. Gilbert was an attorney from Minneapolis and candidate for HD 59A in 1972. Gilbert resigned on June 30, 2004 to launch a mediation practice. Governor Tim Pawlenty appointed Barry Anderson to fill the vacancy effective October 13, 2004. Anderson was a resident of Hutchinson, sitting Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge (1998-2004), and former Hutchinson City Attorney (1987-1998).
Wersal was an attorney from Golden Valley, candidate for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1998, and nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 2010.