Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced that he has accepted the recommendations of the Commission on Judicial Selection for a Sixth Judicial District trial court bench vacancy in the city of Duluth in St. Louis County. The vacancy is as a result of the Minnesota Supreme Court’s conversion of a vacant court referee position into a district court judgeship. The finalists are Michael J. Cuzzo, John E. DeSanto, and Thomas H. Pertler.

Cuzzo, of Duluth, has been an attorney and partner with the Duluth law firm of Cuzzo and Envall since 1999. He was an attorney with the Sieben, Grose and Von Holtum law firm in Duluth from 1994 to 1999, an attorney and partner with the Duluth law firm of Petersen, Sage, Cuzzo and Graves from 1987 to 1994, and an attorney with the firm’s predecessor, Gruesen, Petersen and Sage from 1983 to 1987. Cuzzo earned his juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1983, and his bachelor of science degree magna cum laude in 1980.

DeSanto, of Duluth, is an attorney in private practice in Duluth. He was an assistant St. Louis County Attorney in Duluth from 1973 to March 2008 and served as chief prosecutor in charge of the criminal division from 1976 to 2007. He was also a faculty member at the Bemidji State University Honorable James E. Preece Trial Advocacy School from 1982 to 2001. DeSanto earned his juris doctorate degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1973, and his bachelor of arts degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota – Duluth in 1968.

Pertler, of Cloquet, is the Carlton County Attorney, a position he has held since 2005. He is also an adjunct instructor at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Carlton. Pertler was an assistant Carlton County Attorney from 1995 to 2005, an associate attorney with the Anoka law firm of Randall, Dehn and Goodrich from 1991 to 1995, and an associate attorney with the Taylor Law Firm in Minneapolis from 1990 to 1991. Pertler earned his juris doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul in 1989, and his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota – Duluth in 1986.

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 10 applications for this judicial vacancy.