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Crime, Law and Justice
Estelle Timar-Wilcox

Biden nominates assistant U.S. attorney to serve as federal judge in Minnesota

A woman speaks at a podium
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino (right) speaks to reporters at a news conference on March 31, 2023 alongside Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda Williams and Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. Provinzino on Wednesday was nominated to serve as a federal judge.
Matt Sepic | MPR News

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President Joe Biden has nominated Laura Provinzino to serve as Minnesota’s next federal judge.

Provinzino, a St. Cloud native, is a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota. There, she prosecuted violent crimes and human trafficking cases, including the 2023 sex trafficking case against former GOP donor Anton Lazzaro.

Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith praised the nomination. Provinzino was one of the senators’ recommendations to the president for the job. 

“Laura Provinzino has spent her career serving Minnesotans, advancing justice and protecting the rule of law,” Smith said. “She will make an exceptional U.S. District Court judge.”

Last year, Provinzino received the U.S. Attorney General’s David Margolis Award for Exceptional Service — the highest award given by the office — for her work prosecuting a case against an international sex trafficking network.

The U.S. Senate will vote on Provinzino’s nomination. If confirmed, Provinzino will replace Wilhemina Wright, who retired earlier this year.