Justice Hudson began her legal career as a staff attorney with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services in 1982, where she represented indigent clients in housing matters. She then transitioned to practice employment law and general civil litigation in 1986 as an associate attorney at the law firm of Robins, Zelle, Larson & Kaplan (now Robins Kaplan).

In 1989, Justice Hudson’s career shifted from litigation to academia, when she became an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Hamline University School of Law. Justice Hudson served in this role until 1992, when she became the St. Paul City Attorney.

In 1994, Justice Hudson went on to practice before the state appellate courts in the Criminal Appellate Division of the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General. The diversity of her underlying experience, and depth of appellate practice prepared Justice Hudson well for her appointment to the Court of Appeals in 2002, a post to which she was twice re-elected. In August, 2015, Justice Hudson was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

During her career, Justice Hudson has served actively as a member of many professional associations, committees, and task forces, including the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Minnesota Women Lawyers Advisory Board, and the Minnesota Supreme Court Racial Bias Task Force and Implementation Committee on Multicultural Diversity and Fairness in the Courts. Her outreach and liaison activities on behalf of both the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Minnesota Supreme Court has taken Justice Hudson throughout the state, fostering excellent relationships with judges, attorneys, litigants, and the diverse communities that the judicial system serves.

Justice Hudson has likewise been an active member of her community in the Twin Cities. The wife of a former pastor, Justice Hudson has been active with her husband in several local churches for over thirty years, primarily mentoring youth in youth ministry programs. She has also been deeply involved in women’s ministry programs. Justice Hudson has also served as a “reading buddy” to elementary school students in St. Paul Public Schools and is a frequent speaker at middle schools and high schools throughout the state. She also speaks regularly to community and civic groups across Minnesota about the state’s judicial system and its role in the lives of every Minnesota citizen.

Justice Hudson and her husband, the Reverend Willie Hudson, are longtime residents of the Twin Cities, and frequent visitors to the Duluth area where, like most Minnesotans, they enjoy the scenic beauty of Northern Minnesota. Reverend Hudson, a former St. Paul Police Officer, served as pastor of two Twin Cities churches and as a chaplain for the St. Paul Police Department prior to his retirement. Justice Hudson and her husband remain active in local church activities. Justice Hudson’s son, Kobie, is an attorney and is employed with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.