Hon. David W. Peterson (Ret.) was a judge for the 5th Judicial District Court of Minnesota in Redwood County. He joined the bench in 1990. Peterson retired on April 30, 2013, and went on to spend two years as a statewide senior judge.
The 5th Judicial District includes Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, and Watonwan Counties.
Prior to joining the bench, he was the County Attorney in Lyon County, a position he began in 1983. Peterson first joined the office as an assistant county attorney in 1979. In addition to his positions there, he had also worked as a private practice attorney for seven years beginning in 1979.
Before relocating to Lyon County, Peterson served as an assistant county attorney in Polk County (1977 to 1979).
He received a B.A. from St. John’s University in 1972. Peterson went on to complete a J.D. at the University of Minnesota Law School in 1975.