Esther Tomljanovich, a trailblazing presence in Minnesota’s legal world and a former state Supreme Court justice, died on July 26 at her home in Lake Elmo. She was 94. Family members are working with a local funeral home on arrangements.
According to the Pioneer Press, Tomljanovich died at her Lake Elmo residence on July 26, and Bradshaw Funeral is handling the arrangements.
Tomljanovich was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1990 and served there until her retirement in 1998, closing out a long run on the trial bench. She had been appointed to the 10th Judicial District in 1977 and was elected assistant chief in 1989, after earlier rising through the Office of the Revisor of Statutes following a stint in private practice. The Minnesota State Law Library records her work in the revisor’s office, her years on the trial court and her time on the Supreme Court.
From Law School to the Bench
Tomljanovich earned her law degree from St. Paul College of Law in 1955, the only woman in her graduating class. Decades later, she helped launch an annual Celebration of Women in Law tea that has become a Mitchell Hamline tradition and now carries her name, reflecting her long commitment to mentoring younger lawyers. Mitchell Hamline has profiled the program and its connection to her legacy.
On the Bench
During her years on the Supreme Court, Tomljanovich wrote opinions across a wide range of issues and pressed for a judiciary that felt more accessible and open to the public. “I’m sure the opinions that I’ve made have not always pleased everybody, but I’ve followed my oath to uphold the constitution,” she told reporters near the time of her retirement, according to the Pioneer Press.
Public Service After Retirement
After leaving the bench, Tomljanovich stayed active in public life, serving on boards and commissions and continuing to mentor lawyers coming up behind her. The Medica Foundation has honored her work by naming a strategic initiative after her, and has cited her long service on the foundation’s board in connection with community health grants.
Survivors and Services
Tomljanovich was preceded in death by her husband, William Sylvester Tomljanovich, who died in May 2025 at age 98. His obituary is posted on the Bradshaw Funeral & Cremation Services website. Survivors include a son and other family members. Bradshaw Funeral & Cremation Services is assisting with arrangements and will release service details when they are available.
