The Hon. Tammy L. Merkins is a judge for the 7th Judicial District Court of Minnesota. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Mark Dayton on June 1, 2018, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of the Hon. Galen J. Vaa.
The 7th Judicial District includes Becker County, Benton County, Clay County, Douglas County, Mille Lacs County, Morrison County, Otter Tail County, Stearns County, Todd County, and Wadena County.
Prior to her appointment, Merkins was the County Attorney for Becker County, a position to which she was named in 2016. Before that, she spent time as an assistant county attorney for the Becker County Attorney’s Office (2006 to 2016). During her tenure, she specialized in serious felony and child protection cases, overseeing attorneys for the Drug Court, the Veterans Treatment Court, and the DWI Court.
Merkins earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Concordia College. She then completed a J.D. at the University of Minnesota Law School in 1999.
After graduating from law, Merkins entered into private practice. She started as an attorney at Westrick & McDowell-Nix. Then, in 2003, Merkins relocated to Detroit Lakes, where she became a partner at Thorwaldsen, Malmstrom, Sorum, Majors & Merkins.
Her memberships have included the Becker County Bar Association (president). She also sat on the Board of Directors of Lakes Crisis and Resource Center and the Board of Trustees of the Becker County Library.
Raised on a farm near Ada, Minnesota, Merkins was a resident of Detroit Lakes at the time of her appointment.