Eric Tostrud Biography – Eric Tostrud Wiki
Eric Tostrud serves as the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for Minnesota, a role he assumed amid an illustrious legal career. Appointed by President Donald Trump in February 2018, Judge Tostrud received a unanimous Senate confirmation on September 6 of that year. On September 14, he officially took over from Judge Donovan W. Frank, who had transitioned to senior status.
His tenure as chief judge of this federal court began on July 1, 2026, following Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz’s decision to step down after leading the court for four years, ending his term on June 30, 2026.
According to 28 U.S.C. § 136, each of the nation’s 94 federal district courts is led by a chief judge who manages the court’s administration. The eligibility requirement specifies that the post goes to the judge in regular service with the greatest seniority, provided they are under 65, have served at least a year, and have not occupied the role before. This appointment typically spans seven years unless the judge chooses early retirement or reaches senior status at 65.
Education
Judge Tostrud’s educational journey began with a B.A. in Political Science and Speech from St. Olaf College, graduating cum laude in 1987. He furthered his legal education by earning a J.D. summa cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law in 1990, subsequently joining the Minnesota Bar a few months later in October.
Career
His early career highlights include clerking from 1990 to 1992 with Judge Edward J. Devitt of the U.S. District Court for Minnesota and subsequently with Judge George E. MacKinnon of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Washington D.C. Circuit in 1992.
Tostrud returned to Minnesota to begin a 27-year career at the Minneapolis law firm of Lockridge Grindal Nauen. He was made a partner of the firm in 1998 and was of counsel from 2015 until his appointment to the federal bench.
In 1993, Tostrud began teaching at William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law) as an adjunct professor and has taught at the University of Minnesota Law School since 2011. He served on Mitchell Hamline’s Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2015, at which time he began teaching full time at the school as a distinguished practitioner in residence.
Eric Tostrud Age
Eric Christian Tostrud was born in 1965 in St. Paul, Minnesota, to parents Alleen and Jerrol Tostrud. Jerrol died on October 3, 2024, at the age of 86.
Eric Tostrud Wife
Eric Tostrud is married to Laurie Sagedahl Tostrud. She graduated from St. Olaf College in 1989.
Eric Tostrud Family
Eric Tostrud and his wife, Laurie Sagedahl Tostrud, have two children, Elsa Tostrud and Ty Tostrud. He has two siblings, sister Karen Tostrud Hoffman and brother Jon Tostrud.
Eric Tostrud Political Party
Chief Judge Eric Tostrud was nominated to the federal bench by President Donald J. Trump, a member of the Republican Party.
Eric Tostrud Religion
Eric Tostrud is steadfast in his faith. When asked if he has a deeply held belief or value that guides him, he told the St. Olaf Magazine: “The Gospel is not a call to service of self, it’s a call to service of others.” He added: “I cannot allow principles of faith or my own biases to infect my decision-making.”
Minnesota Immigration Ruling
On July 20, 2026, U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud ruled against the Trump administration in a key case centered on local immigration policy in Minnesota. According to a filing, the administration affirmed that Minnesota “sanctuary” laws violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which states that federal law must be supreme to state and local law. The administration looked to have the laws and policies declared unconstitutional and asked the court to block them, per the filing.
The Trump-nominated federal judge dismissed the case in his ruling, writing that “the challenged provisions do not single the federal government out for less favorable treatment, at least not in any sense that shows an intergovernmental immunity violation.”