Douglas G. Swenson (August 16, 1945 – February 1, 2009) was an American politician, lawyer, and judge. He served in the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

as a Republican and later as a Minnesota district court judge.

Early life and education

Swenson was born in St. Peter, Minnesota and graduated from Bethany Lutheran High School in

Mankato, Minnesota Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, Blue Earth, Nicollet County, Minnesota, Nicollet, and Le Sueur County, Minnesota, Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The ...

, in 1963. He pursued higher education at

Gustavus Adolphus College Gustavus Adolphus College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans led by Eric Norelius and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Gustavu ...

and then earned his

Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...

degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in 1971.

Career

After completing his legal education, Swenson practiced law in Forest Lake, Minnesota. His legal career was complemented by his involvement in politics. Swenson served in the

from 1987 to 1998, representing the Republican Party. Swenson was known for his work on public safety issues and was instrumental in creating laws to toughen penalties for driving while intoxicated and addressing underage drinking. He was succeeded in the Legislature by his brother, Howard Swenson. After his tenure in the House, he continued his career in the judiciary as a Minnesota district court judge.

Personal life

Swenson resided in

Forest Lake, Minnesota Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, Washington County, Minnesota, United States, located 27 miles northeast of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Saint Paul. The population was 20,611 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Histor ...

with his wife and family, where he was an active member of the community. He was a

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

Death

Swenson died on February 1, 2009, due to leukemia at the United Hospital in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...

References

1945 births 2009 deaths People from Forest Lake, Minnesota People from St. Peter, Minnesota Gustavus Adolphus College alumni Hamline University School of Law alumni Minnesota lawyers Minnesota state court judges Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Deaths from cancer in Minnesota Deaths from leukemia in the United States Lutherans from Minnesota 20th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature Swenson family {{Minnesota-MNRepresentative-Republican-stub