Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Eric Hylden and Sally L. Tarnowski to two trial court bench vacancies in the Sixth Judicial District in the city of Duluth in St. Louis County. These vacancies occurred with the retirement of the Honorable David P. Sullivan on December 16, 2006, and the retirement of the Honorable John T. Oswald on December 31, 2006.

Hylden is an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Reyelts, Leighton, Bateman, and Hylden in Duluth, a position he has held since 1992. He was an associate attorney with the firm from 1987 to 1992. Hylden earned his juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1987 and his bachelor of arts degree magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota – Duluth, in 1984.

“With the recent retirement of three judges in Duluth who were distinguished civil trial practitioners prior to becoming judges, the bench has lost a significant amount of expertise in civil law,” Governor Pawlenty said. “Eric brings nearly 20 years of complex civil litigation experience and an excellent reputation to the position.”

Hylden is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, where he served on the Civil Litigation Governing Council from 1999 to 2006. He is also a member and past president of the 11th District Bar Association, member of the American Bar Association, Wisconsin Bar Association, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin, Defense Research Institute, and Volunteer Attorney Program, where he received the “Volunteer Attorney of the Year” award in 1992-93. He has also been named a “Super Lawyer” by Minnesota Law and Politics every year since 2000.

Hylden is also active with the North Shore Tae Kwon Do, where he has been a martial arts instructor since 2001; and the National Wild Turkey Federation, where he served as local chapter president and teaches turkey hunter education classes. He was a member of the Duluth Parks and Recreation Board and earned his Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America in 1978.

Hylden, 46, was born in International Falls and lives in Duluth with his wife, Debbie, and their two children, Luke, 16, and Hannah, 11.

Tarnowski is an attorney in private practice in Duluth, a position she has held since 2003. Previously, she was a law clerk, associate attorney, and shareholder with the law firm of Johnson, Killen and Seiler in Duluth from 1986 to 2003. Tarnowski earned her juris doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1986, and her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota – Duluth in 1982.

“Sally has distinguished herself in the field of family law, which accounts for a large and growing number of cases that come before the bench in Duluth,” Governor Pawlenty said. “She is respected among family law practitioners for being intelligent, fair-minded, and having a good temperament and calm demeanor, all of which are important characteristics for judges to possess.”

Tarnowski is a member of the American Bar Association, Minnesota and Wisconsin State Bar Associations, serves on the board of the Volunteer Attorney Program, and is a mock trial judge for the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Mock Trial Program. She is a past co-chair of the Congdon Park Parent-Teacher Association where she has also chaired various PTA committees, is a Sunday school teacher, and has served on Christian Education and finance committees at her church. She has also been a softball coach, and served on the board of directors of the Junior League of Duluth.

Tarnowski, 47, was born and raised in Duluth where she lives with her husband, Greg, and their two children, Katie, 13, and Ben, 11.