Dempsey, Terence M. "Terry"
House 1979-80 (District 28B); House 1981-92 (District 23A)
Party when first elected: Independent Republican
Counties Served:
Brown, Cottonwood, Nicollet, Redwood
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
2/17/1932
Birth Place:
Henderson, Minnesota
Birth County:
Sibley
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
9/2/2023
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
Terry
City of Residence (when first elected):
New Ulm
Occupation (when first elected):
Attorney
EDUCATION
Henderson High School; Secondary;
College of St. Thomas; B.S.; Political Science, also listed as a B.A.
University of California, Hastings College of Law; J.D.; 1963
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Governor's Crime Commission, Region 9 (2 years);
19?? to 19??
Military:
United States Air Force (Pilot, 3 years);
19?? to 19??
Municipal Attorney:
New Ulm, Minnesota (City Attorney, 10 years);
19?? to 19??
State Public Defender/Office:
5th Judicial District, Minnesota (Public Defender, 2 years);
19?? to 19??
Judge:
Minnesota's Judicial District Court (Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson);
1992 to 2002
[Appointed]
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Board on Aging;
2002 to 01/04/2010
[Appointed]
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Combative Sports Commission;
01/2010 to 20??
[Appointed]
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Janet Helm (married in 1963)
Children:
One child (15 foster children): Matthew (son)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
Jerome Richard Dempsey
- Brother
GENERAL NOTES
Religion reported by a family member.
His funeral was held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, New Ulm, on October 14 at 11am.
Body:
House
District:
23A
Elected:
11/6/1990
Residence:
New Ulm
Term of Office:
1/7/1991 to 5/11/1992
(unfinished term)
Counties Represented:
Brown, Cottonwood, Redwood
Occupation:
Attorney; Somsen, Dempsey, and Schade Law Firm
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Property Tax
-
Taxes: State Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Ways and Means
Leadership Position:
Minority Leader
Leadership Notes: He resigned from the Minnesota Legislature on May 11, 1992 due to his appointment as a Minnesota Judge.
Reason for unfinished term:
Appointed to other office
Session Notes:
He was appointed to become a Minnesota Judicial District Court Judge.
Body:
House
District:
23A
Elected:
11/8/1988
Residence:
New Ulm
Term of Office:
1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
Counties Represented:
Brown, Cottonwood, Redwood
Occupation:
Attorney
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Civil Law
-
Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division
-
Judiciary: Criminal Justice Division: Children's Justice
-
Judiciary: Privacy
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Property Tax
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Air Transportation
-
Ways and Means
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body:
House
District:
23A
Elected:
11/4/1986
Residence:
New Ulm
Term of Office:
1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
Counties Represented:
Brown, Cottonwood, Redwood
Occupation:
Attorney; Partner in Somsen, Dempsey and Schade Law Firm
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Child Abuse/Child Protection
-
Judiciary: Crime and Family Law Division
-
Judiciary: Data Practices
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Property Tax Division
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Transportation Carriers
-
Ways and Means
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body:
House
District:
23A
Elected:
11/6/1984
Residence:
New Ulm
Term of Office:
1/7/1985 to 1/4/1987
Counties Represented:
Brown, Cottonwood, Redwood
Occupation:
Attorney
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Budget
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Civil Laws and Administration
-
Rules and Legislative Administration: Select Committee on the Staten Case (Chair)
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Local Government Finance Division (Chair)
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Special Subcommittee on Department of Transportation
Body:
House
District:
23A
Elected:
11/2/1982
Residence:
New Ulm
Term of Office:
1/3/1983 to 1/6/1985
Counties Represented:
Brown, Cottonwood, Redwood
Occupation:
Attorney
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Law Reform
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Tax Laws Division
-
Taxes: Tax Laws Division: Property Tax Policy and Administration Subcommittee
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Commercial and Passenger Transportation
-
Transportation: Highway and Motor Vehicle
Body:
House
District:
28B
Elected:
11/4/1980
Residence:
New Ulm
Term of Office:
1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
Counties Represented:
Brown, Cottonwood, Nicollet
Occupation:
Attorney; Partner, Somsen, Dempsey and Schade Law Firm
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Law Reform
-
Local and Urban Affairs: Local Government Financing
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Mineral Taxation
-
Taxes: Tax Laws Division
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Safety
Body:
House
District:
28B
Elected:
11/7/1978
Residence:
New Ulm
Term of Office:
1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
Counties Represented:
Brown, Cottonwood, Nicollet
Occupation:
Attorney
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Judiciary Law Reform
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Division II - Property and Natural Resources Division
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Bridges and Highways
Articles & Books About
-
"Dempsey, Terence M. 'Terry'." Star Tribune, September 24, 2023.
-
Price, Dave. "Members Leave House for New Experiences (Terry Dempsey)." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, April 17, 1992, p. 16.
-
"IR Leader Uses 'Reason' to Keep Caucus In Line." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 28, 1992, p. 14.
-
Price, Dave. "Dempsey Hopes to Avoid 'Arm-Twisting'." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 1, 1991, p. 11.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
Archive Collections
The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.