DULUTH — An attorney for the city of Duluth will be the next judge in the state's Sixth Judicial District.
Gov. Tim Walz announced Thursday, Oct. 19, the appointment of Attorney Steve Hanke. Hanke will replace Judge Michael J. Cuzzo and will be chambered in Two Harbors in Lake County and Grand Marais in Cook County. Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District also encompasses Carlton and St. Louis counties.
Hanke practices civil law and prosecutes criminal matters. He is also an adjunct professor in the Human Behavior, Justice, and Diversity Department at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
His community involvement includes volunteering with the Minnesota State Bar Association as a high school mock trial judge and the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association. He also serves as the president of the 11th District Bar Association and as a board member for the Damiano Center and Duluth Area Family YMCA.
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And: Walz releases anti-fraud package after Trump administration announces Minnesota Medicaid cuts; Rachel Anthony murder still unsolved after 25 years; Staples-Motley are state wrestling champs.
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The Boys and Girls Club of Bemidji Area operates a branch at J.W. Smith. Families and staff are concerned about the future of the grant-funded program if the school closes.
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Darrin Smedsmo's vintage aircraft was impounded following an emergency landing within the Red Lake Nation in October 2025, and he is still waiting for a day in tribal court.