Associate Justice Stras was appointed to the Court by Governor Tim Pawlenty on July 1, 2010 to fill the vacancy caused by the appointment of Lorie Gildea to Chief Justice on July 1, 2010. Stras was a resident of Minneapolis and professor at the University of Minnesota Law School. Stras resigned on January 30, 2018 after being appointed by President Donald Trump to be a Circuit Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Governor Mark Dayton appointed Paul Thissen to fill the vacancy on April 17, 2018 and Thissen was sworn in on May 14, 2018. Thissen was an attorney from Minneapolis and sitting state Representative (HD 63A, 2003-2013; HD 61B, 2013-2018).
Tingelstad was an attorney from Bemidji, child-support magistrate for the Ninth Judicial District, former administrative law judge, former Assistant Beltrami County Attorney, and nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 2004, 2008, and 2010.