Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Toddrick S. Barnette, Jeannice M. Reding, and Robert M. Small to three Fourth Judicial District trial court bench vacancies in Hennepin County.  The vacancies are as a result of  the resignation of the Honorable Jeanne J. Graham,  the retirement of the Honorable Diana S. Eagon, and the upcoming  retirement of the Honorable Steven Z. Lange.  Forty-seven people applied for these positions.

Barnette is a senior assistant Hennepin County attorney in Minneapolis, a position he has held since 2004.  He was an assistant Fourth Judicial District public defender in Hennepin County from 1993 to 2004, becoming senior attorney in that office in 2001.  He was also a law clerk in the Hennepin County public defender's office from 1991 to 1992.  Barnette earned his juris doctorate degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1992, and his bachelor of arts degree from George Washington University in Washington, DC in 1988.

"Todd is known in Hennepin County for being well-prepared and for his strong interpersonal skills," Governor Pawlenty said.  "Having been both a prosecutor as well as a public defender, combined with his work ethic and personality will make him a great judge."

Barnette is a member of the Restorative Justice Peacemaking Project, Minnesota State Bar Association, Hennepin County Bar Association, Minnesota County Attorneys Association, Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, Black Prosecutors Association, Mavin Foundation, and has served on the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Black Law Students Association, Hennepin County Juvenile Advisory Committee, and was a board member of Chrysalis.

Barnette, 39, was born in Washington, DC and resides in Maple Grove with his wife, Gretchen Hoffman.  He has an adult son, Herman Mean, and two young children, Morgan, 3, and Myles, 1.

Reding is a Fourth Judicial District referee in the family court division.  She has also been a Fourth Judicial District contract child support magistrate from 1999 to 2004; a contract administrative law judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings from 1997 to 1999; and an attorney with the law firm of Best and Flanagan in Minneapolis from 1990 to 1997. Reding earned her juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1990 and her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1984.
 "As a Hennepin County District Court Referee, Jeannice has proven that she can handle the caseload efficiently while giving each individual case personal attention," Governor Pawlenty said.  "She has demonstrated her potential to be an outstanding district court judge through her performance as a referee."

Reding is a founding member and past treasurer of the Minnesota American Indian Bar Association; volunteers at her children's schools; and is a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Plymouth where she is the nursery coordinator, a Sunday school teacher, and actively involved in hosting homeless families at the church.  She has also served on the Church Council and the Facilities Planning Committee.  In addition, she has been a board member of Family and Children's Services in Minneapolis, and a Guardian ad Litem for children of tribal members in the tribal court of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

Reding, 43, was born in Park Falls, Wisconsin, and resides in Plymouth with her husband, Troy, and their three children, Eli, 15, Elizabeth, 11, and Sam, 9.

Small is the first assistant United States attorney in Minneapolis, a position he has held since 1998, except during 2001, when he was the acting United States attorney for the district of Minnesota.  He has been an attorney in the U.S. Attorney's office since 1981.  He was the administrative assistant to the chief of staff with the United States Veterans Administration Medical Center in Minneapolis from 1980 to 1981, an attorney in the Veterans Administration Office of District Counsel at Fort Snelling from 1975 to 1980, and a staff sergeant with the United States Marine Corps from 1964 to 1968, where he served a tour in Viet Nam.  Small earned his juris doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1975, and his bachelor of arts degree from the University of St. Thomas (then called the College of St. Thomas) in St. Paul in 1971.

"Bob has a great combination of experience, enthusiasm and wisdom," Governor Pawlenty said.  "The professional and personal life experiences - including his service in the military - that he will bring to the Hennepin County bench will make him an immediate asset to the court."

Small has been a baseball coach for the Richfield American Legion, Richfield High School, Richfield Babe Ruth, and Richfield Little League, and has served on the Babe Ruth and Little League Board of Directors.  He has also been an Assumption Catholic School Basketball coach and Girls Softball assistant coach, a Richfield Soccer Association coach, Richfield Youth Football Association coach, and was a coach and member of the Board of Directors with the Richfield Basketball Association.  He received the Richfield Chamber of Commerce Award for contributions to the Richfield sports community in 1998, and the Minnesota Athletic Directors Association 2004 Distinguished Service Award for Commitment to Youth of Richfield High School.  Small also served on the Richfield High School Committee on Gender Equity, and the Assumption Catholic School Finance Committee.

Small, 61, was born in Bogota, New Jersey, and lives in Richfield with his wife, Renee.  They have one adult son, Andrew.