Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Legislators Past & Present
    • >
  • Member Record
    • Legislators Past & Present Home

    Freeman, Michael O. "Mike"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 1983-90 (District 40)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 5/7/1948
    Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Birth County: Hennepin
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Mike
    City of Residence (when first elected): Richfield
    Occupation (when first elected): Trial Attorney; Popham Haik Law Firm, Minneapolis

    EDUCATION

    Rutgers College; B.A.; 1970
    University of Minnesota, Law School; J.D.; 1974

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Judicial Administration: United States District Court (Law Clerk for United States District Court Judge Earl Larson); 1974 to 1975
    Judicial Administration: United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals (Law Clerk for United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Gerald W. Heaney); 1975 to 1976
    Municipal Board/Commission: Richfield, Minnesota (Housing and Redevelopment Commission); 1979 to 1983
    County Attorney: Hennepin County, Minnesota; 1991 to 1999 [Elected]
    County Attorney: Hennepin County, Minnesota; 01/2007 to 20??

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Teresa "Terry" Mathison
    Children: Three children: Katie, Beth, and Matthew
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: education, housing, energy, local government, senior citizens, employment.

    He was the son of former Governor of Minnesota Orville L. Freeman.

    He sought the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsement for Minnesota Governor in 1994 and 1998.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 2926

    SESSIONS SERVED

    76th Legislative Session (1989-1990) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Trial Attorney; Popham Haik Law Firm, Minneapolis
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Rural Development
    • Agriculture and Rural Development: Agricultural Credit
    • Agriculture and Rural Development: Rural Development
    • Commerce
    • Commerce: Banking
    • Commerce: Insurance
    • Finance
    • Finance: Education Division
    • Finance: Health and Human Services Division
    • Governmental Operations
    Leadership Position: Majority Whip

    75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Trial Attorney; Popham Haik Law Firm, Minneapolis
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Credit
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Products/Processing
    • Commerce
    • Commerce: Banking
    • Commerce: Insurance
    • Finance
    • Finance: Health and Human Services Division
    • Governmental Operations
    Leadership Position: Majority Whip
    term photo
    Click to view

    74th Legislative Session (1985-1986) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/5/1987
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Trial Attorney; Popham Haik Law Firm, Minneapolis
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Economic Development and Commerce
    • Economic Development and Commerce: Consumer Protection
    • Economic Development and Commerce: Economic Development (Chair)
    • Energy and Housing
    • Energy and Housing: Research and Alternative Financing
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Judicial Administration
    • Judiciary: Privacy
    • Local and Urban Government
    • Local and Urban Government: Land Use, Planning and Zoning
    • Local and Urban Government: Urban Government
    term photo
    Click to view term photo
    Click to view

    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Richfield
    Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/5/1987
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Trial Attorney; Popham Haik Law Firm, Minneapolis
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Economic Development and Commerce
    • Economic Development and Commerce: Consumer Protection
    • Economic Development and Commerce: Economic Development (Chair)
    • Energy and Housing
    • Energy and Housing: Research and Alternative Financing
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Judicial Administration
    • Judiciary: Privacy
    • Local and Urban Government
    • Local and Urban Government: Urban Government

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Archive Collections
    Michael O. Freeman Papers, 1957-1998 (bulk 1985-1998) - Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections

    The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.

    Legislators Past & Present Home