Crime Watch Minneapolis first reported that Worke was taken into custody in Steele County. The judge was held for several hours before being released pending further review of the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

Authorities say the arrest was made on probable cause for Driving While Intoxicated, although no formal charges had been filed as of Monday. Officials indicated that investigative work was still underway.

Few additional details have been made public. The Minnesota Judicial Branch did not respond to inquiries seeking comment about the judge’s arrest or her current status.

Worke has served on the Minnesota Court of Appeals since 2005. Her release, according to reports, occurred after a routine booking process while investigators continue evaluating evidence related to the case.

Her arrest comes during a broader national uptick in judges being detained for suspected impaired driving. Several recent cases across multiple states have raised new discussion about the accountability of judicial officers.

In a high-profile example last month, Iowa Chief Judge Adria Kester was arrested on charges of operating while intoxicated. Police alleged that she lost consciousness behind the wheel and drifted into oncoming traffic on U.S. Highway 30.

Witnesses found Kester slumped over her steering wheel and reportedly had to enter her vehicle through a back window to secure it in park. Officers later stated she could not stand on her own and refused sobriety testing.

Kester has pleaded not guilty, and the Iowa Supreme Court reassigned the case to avoid any conflicts of interest within her own judicial district. She is expected to appear in court next month.

Another recent case involved Georgia Superior Court Judge Robert Guy Jr., who was arrested in September. He allegedly backed his car into another vehicle outside a Jacksonville strip club and attempted to pay the driver cash to avoid exchanging insurance information.

Police reports indicated that Guy was slurring his speech and visibly impaired at the time of the incident. He was detained and later released while awaiting further legal proceedings.

Judge Worke, age 67, has previously faced public scrutiny for controversial decisions. In May 2024, she overturned a jury’s second-degree murder conviction in a widely watched Minneapolis homicide case involving the death of 15-year-old Deshaun Hill.

In that ruling, Worke determined that key statements made by the defendant, Cody Fohrenkam, were obtained unlawfully. The court ordered a new trial, concluding that his continued detention at the time of questioning was not legally justified.

Her decision sparked frustration from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, which said it was “deeply disappointed” and began reviewing possible legal options. Members of the victim’s family also met with prosecutors to discuss next steps in the case.

Worke’s arrest may now bring additional scrutiny to her role on the Court of Appeals, particularly if prosecutors choose to formally file DWI charges. The Minnesota Board on Judicial Standards has not commented on whether it has opened a disciplinary review.

Worke, appointed by former Governor Tim Pawlenty, has decades of experience in criminal and civil procedure and has instructed legal training programs for the state’s bar associations. Prior to joining the appellate court, she served as a district court judge in Freeborn County.

Authorities in Steele County have not yet released the full arrest report or disclosed any information about her blood-alcohol level. Those details are expected to emerge once the investigation progresses.

Her case contributes to a growing national discussion about judicial ethics, especially as more judges face allegations of alcohol-related misconduct. Several states have recently considered strengthening rules that require judges to report arrests or convictions to judicial oversight bodies.