Renee Worke Reprimanded

Renee Worke, a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals, was found stuck in a snowbank in Owatonna by a Steele County sheriff's deputy on November 29, 2025. Responding deputies reported Worke had glossy, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and the smell of alcohol on her breath; a breath test administered within two hours measured her blood alcohol content at 0.16, twice Minnesota's legal limit.

Worke pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving while impaired, and a separate DWI charge was dismissed as part of the plea; she was sentenced to one year of supervised probation, a $500 fine, and 15 hours of community work service. In February 2026, the Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards publicly reprimanded Worke over her conduct in connection with the incident.