Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced that he has accepted the recommendations of the Commission on Judicial Selection for a Third Judicial District trial court bench vacancy in the city of Faribault in Rice County that occurred with the retirement of the Honorable Gerald J. Wolf on September 14, 2007. The finalists are Karen R. Duncan, Ross L. Leuning, and Thomas M. Neuville.

Duncan, of Owatonna, is the managing attorney in the Third Judicial District Public Defender’s office in Owatonna. She has been an assistant Third Judicial District public defender since 2000 and was also a self-employed attorney from 2000 to 2001. She was an associate attorney with Charnetski, Olson, Lacina and Garland in Grinnell, Iowa from 1999 to 2000, an assistant Benton County attorney in Vinton, Iowa from 1994 to 1999, an assistant Olmsted County attorney in Rochester from 1993 to 1994, an assistant Rice County attorney in Faribault from 1989 to 1993, and a Rice County judicial law clerk from 1988 to 1989. Duncan earned her juris doctorate degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1988 and her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1985.

Leuning, of Owatonna, is an associate Olmsted County attorney in Rochester, a position he has held since July. He has also been a Judge Advocate with the U. S. Naval Reserve since 1991. Leuning was an attorney and partner with Walbran, Furness and Leuning from 1991 to 2007, an assistant professor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland from 1989 to 1991, and a Judge Advocate with the U.S. Navy at the Great Lakes Naval Base in Great Lakes, Illinois from 1986 to 1989. Leuning earned his juris doctorate degree from the University of Oregon Law School in Eugene in 1986 and his bachelor of science degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion in 1983.

Neuville, of Northfield, is an attorney and partner with Grundhoefer, Neuville and Ludescher in Northfield, where he has practiced since 1976. He has served as the Dundas City Attorney since 1990, was the Lonsdale City Attorney from 1978 to 1980, a part-time contract assistant state public defender from 1985 to 1996, and a part-time contract assistant Rice County public defender from 1977 to 1985. Neuville is also serving his sixth term as a Minnesota state Senator, where he represents Senate District 25.

Neuville earned his juris doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1976, and his bachelor of science degree with honors from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan in 1972.

The Commission on Judicial Selection screens judicial candidates and makes recommendations to the Governor for district court vacancies that occur during the term of a judge. The commission consists of 13 members: nine at-large members and four members from the judicial district. The commission members include attorneys and non-attorneys appointed by the Governor and the Minnesota Supreme Court. The commission received 11 applications for this judicial vacancy.