The Hon. Tanya O. O'Brien is a judge for the 1st Judicial District Court of Minnesota. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Mark Dayton on April 9, 2018, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Michael A. Fahey.
The First Judicial District includes Carver County, Dakota County, Goodhue County, Le Sueur County, Scott County, and Sibley County.
Prior to her appointment, O’Brien was an assistant county attorney for the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. Before that, she spent time with the Scott County Attorney’s Office. Over the course of her legal career, O’Brien specialized in family violence matters, including criminal sexual conduct cases and physical assaults involving children.
O’Brien earned a bachelor’s degree from Hamline University. She then completed a J.D. at Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
After graduating from law school, O’Brien began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Lynn C. Olson and the Hon. Ellen L. Maas of the 10th Judicial District Court.
Her memberships have included the Prior Lakes Athletics for Youth Board. She has also been involved with FOCUS Minnesota, La Ola Del Lago, and the St. George Eastern Orthodox Church.