The Hon. Karen A. Asphaug (Ret.) served as a judge for the 1st Judicial District Court of Minnesota. Asphaug was appointed to the bench by former Governor Arne Carlson on June 29, 1995. She retired on January 7, 2020, and became a senior judge for the State of Minnesota.
The First Judicial District includes Carver County, Dakota County, Goodhue County, Le Sueur County, Scott County, and Sibley County.
Asphaug earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 1977. She then completed a J.D. at William Mitchell College of Law in 1982.
After graduating from law school, Asphaug began her legal career as an assistant county attorney for the Dakota County Attorney’s Office. She served in that capacity until her appointment to the bench, holding assignments in the Human Services Division (1982 to 1985), the Juvenile Prosecution Division (1985 to 1986), and the Criminal Division (1986 to 1995).
Her memberships have included the Dakota County Bar Association. She has also been involved with the Dakota County Task Force on Policies & Programming for Women Offenders, the State of Minnesota Advisory Task Force on the Female Offender, the Dakota County Domestic Violence Task Force, and the Supreme Court Gender Fairness Implementation Committee.