Associated Press

MONTICELLO — A coalition of Tea Party groups in Minnesota expects a good turnout for their judicial candidates forum Wednesday night in Monticello.

An unusually high 24 candidates are on the November ballot for an open judgeship in the 10th District, which includes which includes Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties.

The North Star Tea Party Patriots say 14 of the 24 candidates have confirmed they’ll attend the 7 p.m. forum in the Monticello City Council chambers.

Recent court decisions have given judicial candidates new freedoms to state their views on political and legal issues, raise money and accept endorsements.

Many leaders in the state’s legal community fear the changes could turn Minnesota’s judicial races into expensive, partisan contests and undermine the impartiality of the courts.