Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced that he has accepted the recommendations of the Commission on Judicial Selection for a Seventh Judicial District trial court bench vacancy.  The opening occurred as a result of retirement of the Honorable Timothy J. Baland on April 4, 2006.  The Supreme Court transferred the chambers of this judgeship from Wadena County to the city of Long Prairie in Todd County.  The finalists are Susan R. Anderson, Mark F. Hansen, Todd Kosovich, and Frank J. Kundrat.

Anderson, of Alexandria, is an attorney and partner with the Alexandria law firm of Swenson, Lervick, Syverson, Anderson, Trosvig, Jacobson, P.A.  She has been an attorney with the firm, which also includes serving as an assistant Alexandria City Attorney, since 1990.  Anderson earned her juris doctorate degree form the University of Minnesota Law School in 1990, and her bachelor of arts degree summa cum laude from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks in 1986.

Hansen, of Ottertail, is an attorney and partner with the Wadena law firm of Hansen and Pederson, a position he has held since 1985.  He is also a part-time assistant Wadena County Attorney; city attorney for Aldrich, Bertha, Sebeka, and Wadena; a prosecuting attorney for the cities of Menahga and Verndale; and township attorney for Blueberry Township and Deer Creek Township.  Prior to forming Hansen and Pederson, Hansen was an associate attorney with the law firm of Kennedy and Nervig in Wadena from 1974 to 1985, and an Eighth Judicial District law clerk in Chippewa County from 1972 to 1974.  Hansen earned his juris doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1972, and his bachelor of arts degree cum laude from Macalester College in St. Paul in 1969.

Kosovich, of Little Falls, is an assistant Morrison County Attorney, a position he has held since 2004.  He was a solo practitioner in St. James as well as an assistant Watonwan County Attorney from 1992 to 2004.  He was also the St. James city prosecutor from 1995 to 2004, and a law clerk to Fourth Judicial District Judge Eugene Minenko in Hennepin County from 1988 to 1992.  Kosovich earned his juris doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul in 1987, his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1984, and his associate of arts degree from Hibbing Community College in 1981.

Kundrat, of St. Cloud, owns Kundrat Law Office in St. Cloud.  He has practiced law in that office since 1999.  He was an attorney with the St. Cloud law firm of Hall and Byers from 1983 to 1999, chief, counsel (1981 to 1983), assistant director of law (1978 to 1981), and an assistant prosecutor (1976 to 1978) with the city of Shaker Heights, Ohio.  Kundrat earned his juris doctor degree from Cleveland-Marshall Law College in Cleveland, Ohio in 1976, and his bachelor of arts degree cum laude from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland in 1973.

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 15 applications for this judicial vacancy.