Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Crime, Law and Justice
The Associated Press
St. Paul

Minnesota high court yanks judicial candidate's law license

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday indefinitely suspended the law license of frequent justice candidate Michelle MacDonald, affirming a referee's finding that she violated the state's rules of professional conduct by falsely impugning the integrity of a judge.

The high court also said MacDonald cannot petition for reinstatement for four months, calling it an appropriate penalty for repeating her misconduct by knowingly making false statements about the integrity of the same judge while still on probation in an earlier disciplinary case.

The judge was Dakota County Judge David Knutson, who presided over the 2013 child-custody trial of MacDonald’s client, Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, who was herself later convicted of hiding her two daughters from their father for two years. MacDonald was suspended for 60 days in 2018 and put on probation for two years after that. In 2014, she was acquitted of a drunken driving charge but later convicted of a misdemeanor for obstruction of the legal process.

Associated Justices Paul Thissen and Margaret Chutich, who MacDonald challenged in 2020 and 2018 respectively, took no part in the disciplinary case.

MacDonald, a conservative family law specialist from West St. Paul, has run for a seat on the high court four times. She got 41 percent of the vote against Thissen and 44 percent against Chutich.