Associate Justice McMillian was elected to a second term. He was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Stephen Miller following the resignation of Charles Flandrau on July 1, 1864. McMillan was a First Judicial District Judge from St. Paul.
Berry was an attorney from Faribault, Territorial Representative (HD 08, 1857), candidate for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1857, and sitting state Senator (SD 08, 1863-1865).
Hamlin was an attorney, the first Mayor of St. Cloud, former Judge of the Fourth District Court (1858), Democratic nominee for Governor in 1861, candidate for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1871, and candidate for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1869.
Wilder was an attorney from Red Wing, former Judge of the Court of Common Please in Ohio, and Democratic nominee for the 2nd CD in 1876.