NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 1, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT: Chelsie Hollencamp
218-726-2323 or hollencampc@stlouiscountymn.gov
Assistant St. Louis County Attorneys Admitted to Practice in Federal Court
DULUTH, Minn. — On October 1, twelve prosecutors from the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office were admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, expanding the office’s longstanding federal litigation capacity. U.S. Magistrate Judge Leo I. Brisbois presided over the ceremony at the federal courthouse in Duluth.
While the office primarily prosecutes criminal cases in state court, federal district court admission allows these attorneys to maintain case continuity if a conviction is challenged in federal court—often years after sentencing. This continued responsibility often arises in the most serious prosecutions carrying the longest sentences. In those instances, defendants seek federal court review after unsuccessfully exhausting all state court appeals.
“Our responsibility to a case and the pursuit of justice does not always end at sentencing,” said St. Louis County Attorney Kim Maki. “This helps ensure we have attorneys prepared to defend convictions even when a case reaches federal court. Our office is grateful to continue serving our communities while respecting the legal review process.”
The attorneys admitted were Annika Beck, Michael Hagley, Tyler Kenefick, Claire Klein, Bonnie Norlander, Kirstyn Oye, Amber Pederson, Jacqueline Primeau, Angel Ricker, Michael Ryan, Aaron Welch, and Angela Wilson. These prosecutors, who office in Duluth, Virginia, and Hibbing, join the ranks of other Assistant St. Louis County Attorneys who remain admitted to practice in federal court.
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