Nelson, Kristen Busch
Jud District Court Law ClerkTrial CourtsHennepin CountyPart-time
4th Hennepin Referee. Minnesota state employee pay history, from State of Minnesota salary data.
Pay by fiscal year
Total paid across all records in each year, overtime included, compared with consumer prices.
From FY 2017 to FY 2026, pay went up 845% while consumer prices went up 35%. After inflation, pay is up 599% (it beat inflation).
| Year | Paid | Change | Prices (CPI) | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 | $54,287 | +9.3% | +3.1% | +6.0% |
| FY 2025 | $49,672 | +8.1% | +2.6% | +5.4% |
| FY 2024 | $45,938 | +14.2% | +3.3% | +10.5% |
| FY 2023 | $40,233 | +25.6% | +6.3% | +18.2% |
| FY 2022 | $32,031 | −0.1% | +7.2% | −6.7% |
| FY 2021 | $32,047 | −41.2% | +2.3% | −42.5% |
| FY 2020 | $54,472 | +70.5% | +1.6% | +67.9% |
| FY 2019 | $31,949 | — | — | — |
| FY 2017 | $5,748 | — | — | — |
Each change compares a year with the one before. Large swings usually come from a partial year, extra hours or a change of job rather than a raise. Prices: Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, U.S. city average) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, averaged July to June; FY 2026 uses 11 months because October 2025 was not published.
Compared with the same job title
FY 2026 · Jud District Court Law Clerk
Paid more than 32% of the 419 people with this job title that year. The median was $66,852.
Uses the amount paid in the year, so partial years and part-time positions read low.
See everyone with this job titleEvery record
9 records, newest first
| FY | Agency | Job title | County | Base pay | Overtime | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Trial Courts 4th Hennepin Referee | Jud District Court Law Clerk Part-time | Hennepin | $36.56 /hr | — | $54,287 |
| 2025 | Trial Courts 4th Hennepin Referee | Jud District Court Law Clerk Part-time | Hennepin | $36.11 /hr | — | $49,672 |
| 2024 | Trial Courts 4th Hennepin Referee | Jud District Court Law Clerk Part-time | Hennepin | $33.91 /hr | — | $45,938 |
| 2023 | Trial Courts 4th Hennepin Referee | Jud District Court Law Clerk Part-time | Hennepin | $28.35 /hr | — | $40,233 |
| 2022 | Trial Courts 4th Hennepin Referee | Jud District Court Law Clerk Part-time | Hennepin | $28.35 /hr | — | $32,031 |
| 2021 | Trial Courts 4th Hennepin Referee | Jud District Court Law Clerk Part-time | Hennepin | $27.66 /hr | — | $32,047 |
| 2020 | Trial Courts 4th Hennepin Referee | Jud District Court Law Clerk Full-time | Hennepin | $26.99 /hr | — | $54,472 |
| 2019 | Trial Courts 4th Hennepin Referee | Jud District Court Law Clerk Full-time | Hennepin | $25.67 /hr | $17 | $31,949 |
| 2017 | Public Defense Board Tenth Judicial District 2 | Public Defense Law Clerk Part-time · left during year | Anoka | $13.75 /hr | — | $5,748 |
The state reports one pay total per person per year, covering all of their positions, so it appears on one of that year’s lines and the others show no separate pay.
Highest paid in Trial Courts
FY 2026, amount paid
- Lindahl-Pfieffer, Sarah R$217,269Jud District Administrator B
- Gonsalves, Sara Germain$214,079Jud District Administrator C
- Ellefson, Michelle R$210,990Jud District Administrator B
- Kendall, Heather M$210,989Jud District Administrator B
- Gardner, Victoria A$206,980Jud District Court Judge
- Jones, Brian E$206,898Jud District Administrator B
- Austad, Jana Marie$199,622Jud District Court Chief Judge
- Beckman, Stephanie Lynn$199,622Jud District Court Judge
Highest paid as Jud District Court Law Clerk
FY 2026, amount paid
- Mazzarese, Sheree L$85,934Trial Courts
- Shirk, Yvonne DW$85,934Trial Courts
- Schaefer, Gregory$85,524Trial Courts
- Bergerson, Jamian S$85,434Trial Courts
- Metzen, Joseph H$85,434Trial Courts
- Arndt, David Alden$85,310Trial Courts
- Gardner, Leanne Kay$85,207Trial Courts
- Anderson, Valerie A$85,044Trial Courts