SAM HANSON:
An Inventory of His Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society
Manuscripts Collection
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Hanson, Sam, creator. | |
| Title: | Sam Hanson papers. | |
| Dates: | 1940-2012 (bulk 2000-2012). | |
| Language: | Materials in English. | |
| Abstract: | Correspondence, memoranda, photographs, speeches and speech notes, newspaper and magazine clippings, memorabilia, and articles by and about Sam Hanson (1939- ), an attorney with the Briggs & Morgan law firm who served as a justice on the Minnesota Court of Appeals (2000-2002) and as an associate justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court (2002-2007). Most of the materials pertain to Hanson's court appointments and service. | |
| Quantity: | 1.5 cubic feet (2 boxes, 1 oversize folder in 1 partial box, and 1 oversize folder, unboxed). 29 image files: JPEG (23.7 MB). | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations. |
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Samuel Lee Hanson (1939- ) was the son of Les and Marge Hanson. He had two brothers, Dale and Perry. He graduated from Mankato High School (1957), and from St. Olaf College (1961), where he studied economics and history.
Hanson earned his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in 1965. He then joined the Briggs & Morgan law firm, where he specialized in civil litigation and utility regulation; he served as the firm's president from 1988 to 1993. Hanson served as a justice on the Minnesota Court of Appeals from 2000 to 2002, and as an associate justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 2002 to 2007. He returned to Briggs & Morgan in 2008.
Hanson married Beret Brown in 1962, and the couple had three children: Greta Elizabeth, Chrystina Ellen, and Benjamin Daniel. He married Mirja Karikoski in 1979, and the couple had three children: Leif Oliver, Luke Anthony, and Jai Nicholas.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Availability:
The collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Sam Hanson papers. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Location of Master Files:
Digital masters of the image files are maintained on the Society's secure digital collections storage servers and are managed and preserved in accordance with archival best practices.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 17,027
Processing Information:
Catalog ID number: 008643185
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| Box | |||||||||||
| 142.K.19.2F | 1 | Biographical articles, 1990-2009. 2 folders. | |||||||||
| Family photographs. | |||||||||||
| Family photographs and diary entries, 2002-2007. | |||||||||||
| Includes Father of six: a diary of the wonder (November 2002), a typescript containing reminiscent diary entries and color photographs for January-July 2002. | |||||||||||
| Career book presentation, May 5, 2010. | |||||||||||
| Includes a program, planning memos, guest list, speech notes and acknowledgment text, and two compilations of personal information and family history prepared for the formal presentation to the Supreme Court of a bound edition of photocopied documents relating to Hanson's life and career, compiled by the Minnesota State Law Library. | |||||||||||
| A copy of the completed volume, The judicial career of Sam Hanson (2009), is in the Minnesota Historical Society Library. | |||||||||||
| Childhood and high school, Mankato, 1950s-2003. | |||||||||||
| Includes Hanson's Mankato High School diploma (1957); newspaper articles on his career as a high school track star and on other high school activities; class memorabilia; and photographs as a child and teenager. | |||||||||||
| St. Olaf College, late 1950s. | |||||||||||
| William Mitchell College of Law, 1964-1965. | |||||||||||
| Includes a commencement program, scholastic awards, College Court of Honor banquet invitation and program, letters on Hanson's graduation and admission to the bar, New Lawyers Luncheon invitation and program, article on his William Mitchell moot court participation; his article, "Continuing definition of the scope of FELA" (William Mitchell Opinion, December 1964); signed and numbered sketch of the college by Michael Bond. | |||||||||||
| Law clerk to Justice Sheran, 1965. | |||||||||||
| Briggs & Morgan, 1965-1995. | |||||||||||
| Includes Hanson's employment offer and acceptance (1965); announcement of his joining the firm (July 25, 1966); certificate of admission to practice before the United States District Court for Minnesota; newspaper coverage and two memoranda about some of his early cases; a letter from Hubert Humphrey following Humphrey's speech at St. Paul's Ten Outstanding Young Men Luncheon (1968) and from James Oberstar regarding the Great Lakes Regional Commission (1981); awards; some Briggs & Morgan memorabilia; and related miscellany. | |||||||||||
| Selections from Briggs & Morgan, P.A.: the first 125 years, 2008. | |||||||||||
| Minnesota Court of Appeals: | |||||||||||
| Court of Appeals application, 2000. | |||||||||||
| Hanson's application for a vacancy on the Court of Appeals to replace Jack Davies. | |||||||||||
| Court of Appeals application interview, August 2000. | |||||||||||
| Court of Appeals appointment, October-December 2000. | |||||||||||
| Notifications to clients of appointment to Court of Appeals, October-November 2000. | |||||||||||
| Court of Appeals swearing-in ceremony, November 27, 2000. 1 folder and 1 videocassette (VHS). | |||||||||||
| Court of Appeals service, circa 2002. | |||||||||||
| Includes a formal portrait. | |||||||||||
| Minnesota Supreme Court: | |||||||||||
| Supreme Court application, 2002. | |||||||||||
| Supreme Court appointment, June 2002. | |||||||||||
| Includes a letter and notice of appointment signed by Governor Jesse Ventura, news release, news coverage. | |||||||||||
| Appointment congratulations, June-September 2002. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Retirement ceremony, Edward C. Stringer, June-August 2002. | |||||||||||
| Swearing-in ceremony, September 3, 2002. | |||||||||||
| Supreme Court service, 2002-2007. | |||||||||||
| Includes news articles, a list of Hanson's opinions, 2005 Clerkies Awards as Fastest Opinion in the West and Most Likely to Arm Wrestle Jesse the Body and Win, and a few photographs, including a formal group portrait of the justices. | |||||||||||
| Retirement from Supreme Court, December 2007. | |||||||||||
| Includes a news release; acceptance of Hanson's request for retirement and certificate of recognition for service, signed by Governor Tim Pawlenty; news coverage of his retirement, his return to Briggs & Morgan, and his replacement by Christopher Dietzen; retirement ceremony announcement, photographs, and miscellany; text or notes for speeches by Hanson, his daughter Greta, and Brian Melendez; retirement ceremony transcript. | |||||||||||
| Retirement congratulations, October 2007-January 2008. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| "A legacy of scholarship: the judicial decisions of Justice Samuel L. Hanson," 2008. | |||||||||||
| Offprint of an article by Jeffrey A. Ehrich published in William Mitchell Law Review, 34:8, 2008. | |||||||||||
| Briggs & Morgan, 2008-2011. | |||||||||||
| Includes a resume; printed e-mails announcing return; news coverage of newborn blood screening (2011), an issue before the Supreme Court during Hanson's service; article on fund raising for the Supreme Court Historical Society, Hanson as the Society's chairman; program for bar investiture ceremony including Hanson's daughter Greta. | |||||||||||
| Awards and tributes, 2002-2012. | |||||||||||
| Judicial election materials, 2003-2006, 2012. | |||||||||||
| Volunteer work, undated, 1978-2008. | |||||||||||
| Access to democracy, Justices Helen Meyer, Sam Hanson, undated. 1 videocassette (VHS). | |||||||||||
| 30-minute videotape of presentations by, or interviews with, Justices Helen Meyer and Sam Hanson. | |||||||||||
| Speeches and presentations: | |||||||||||
| Hanson's notes and charts for speeches and presentations, sometimes accompanied by topical or event-related background material. | |||||||||||
| State/Federal dual legal system presentation, undated. | |||||||||||
| Law Day speech, undated. | |||||||||||
| First Amendment speech, Bemidji, undated. | |||||||||||
| Tribute to Chief Justice Amdahl, December 19, 1988. | |||||||||||
| Typed text, submitted to William Mitchell Law Review. | |||||||||||
| Legal trends presentation, Minnesota State Bar Association, March 1992. | |||||||||||
| Altman Weil Strategies (litigation strategies), circa 2000. | |||||||||||
| "Composing a life in the law," William Mitchell Student Honors and Leadership Banquet, April 1, 2001. | |||||||||||
| "The Chinese century: an American judge's observations of the Chinese legal system," November 2001. | |||||||||||
| Offprint of article published in the William Mitchell Law Review 28:1, 2001, with a list of milestones in Chinese legal history. | |||||||||||
| "Ten guidelines for an effective oral argument," May 2002-2003. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Hamline School of Law presentation on work of the Supreme Court, circa November 2002. | |||||||||||
| William Mitchell College of Law Christian legal students speech, 2003. | |||||||||||
| Mankato State University Pi Sigma Alpha speech, April 2003. | |||||||||||
| "The relationship between bar admissions and law schools," August 2003. | |||||||||||
| Published in The Bar Examiner 72:3, August 2003. Original issue and reprint. | |||||||||||
| Box | |||||||||||
| P3112 | 2 | William Mitchell College of Law celebration of diversity presentation, September 2003. | |||||||||
| Connect USA-Russia presentation, September 2003. | |||||||||||
| Winona high school and community presentations, October 13-14, 2003. | |||||||||||
| Small or solo practice ethics issues, circa 2004. | |||||||||||
| Olmsted County Bar Association speech, February 11, 2004. | |||||||||||
| Preparing a bench memo, circa 2005. | |||||||||||
| William Mitchell College of Law commencement speech, 2005. | |||||||||||
| Tennessee Bar Admissions Committee speech, 2006. | |||||||||||
| "Justice matters: cases that shaped law and society" television program, 2006-2008. | |||||||||||
| Alexandria Technical College police students speech, circa 2007. | |||||||||||
| Minnesota Public Radio interview, December 27, 2007. | |||||||||||
| Typed transcript of interview with Kerri Miller on Minnesota Public Radio's Midmorning program. | |||||||||||
| Briggs & Morgan litigation meeting regarding appellate court decisions, circa 2007-2008. | |||||||||||
| National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) child protection presentation, June 2007. | |||||||||||
| Bar admission ceremony speech, October 26, 2007. | |||||||||||
| Hamline Law School leadership series presentation, March 2008. | |||||||||||
| Bruce Beneke roast, March 6, 2008. | |||||||||||
| "Effective appellate advocacy," May 1, 2008. | |||||||||||
| Presentation at an American College of Trial Lawyers Law Day Seminar. | |||||||||||
| Annual Hennepin County bar memorial speech, May 7, 2008. | |||||||||||
| Printed bar memorial special session, including Hanson's address as keynote speaker. | |||||||||||
| Remarks at Eric Magnuson swearing-in ceremony as Minnesota Chief Justice, June 3, 2008. | |||||||||||
| Eulogy for Chief Justice Robert J. Sheran, June 30, 2012. | |||||||||||
| "The rule of law in America: a model for the world, but a challenge at home," November 2, 2012. | |||||||||||
| Color printout of slides from a presentation at St. Olaf College distinguished alumni award celebration. | |||||||||||
| Fun stuff. | |||||||||||
| Jokes, funny stories, courtroom anecdotes, presumably gathered for use in speeches. | |||||||||||
| Folder | |||||||||||
| 142.G.13.1B-2 | 1 | Memorabilia: | |||||||||
| William Mitchell College of Law certificate of appreciation as member of Board of Trustees, May 23, 2006. | |||||||||||
| Supreme Court retirement party, December 2007. | |||||||||||
| St. Olaf College Distinguished Alumni Award, November 2, 2012. | |||||||||||
| Folder | |||||||||||
| +351 | 2 | Certificate: Justice Sam Hanson, Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, William Mitchell College of Law, May 18, 2008. | |||||||||
| Internet | Images from Hanson's retirement party slideshow, December 2007. 29 image files: JPEG (23.7 MB). | ||||||||||
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CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
- Topics:
- Courts -- Minnesota.
- Judges -- Minnesota.
- Persons:
- Meyer, Helen, 1954- , author.
- Sheran, Robert J., 1916- .
- Organizations:
- Briggs & Morgan, author.
- Minnesota. Court of Appeals.
- Minnesota. Supreme Court.
- St. Olaf College, author.
- William Mitchell College of Law, author.
- Document Types:
- Photographs.
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