Devaney was appointed to the Court by Governor Floyd Olson on September 7, 1933 following the resignation of Chief Justice Samuel Wilson on September 6, 1933 to enter private practice. Devaney was an attorney from Minneapolis.
Peterson was an attorney from St. Paul, former Albert Lea High School principal, former Chaska Public Schools Superintendent, former professor, former assistant Attorney General, and nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1938.
Mitchell was a resident of Faribault and Democratic nominee for the 7th CD in 1920.
Melin was an attorney from Minneapolis making his first of 12 bids for the Court. Melin was also a candidate for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1942, 1944, and 1946, nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1948, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1958, and 1962, nominee for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1954, and candidate for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1960.