Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Kathleen A. Mottl and Sean C. Gibbs to two Tenth Judicial District trial court bench vacancies. Mottl will fill the vacancy that occurred with the retirement of the Honorable Bruce R. Douglas in Wright County and Gibbs will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Lynn C. Olson in Anoka County. The Supreme Court continued the chambers of these judgeships for the city of Buffalo in Wright County and the city of Anoka in Anoka County respectively.

Mottl is an assistant county attorney and the senior felony prosecutor in the Wright County attorney's office. She has been an assistant Wright County attorney since 1991. She was an attorney with the Anoka law firm of Dorn and Edwards from 1989 to 1991. Mottl earned her juris doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul in 1989 and her bachelor of science degree from the University of Minnesota in 1987.

"Kathy is universally respected by Wright County judges, court staff, co-workers in the county attorney's office, defense attorneys and law enforcement," Governor Pawlenty said. "She will bring her strong work ethic and compassion for people to the bench."

Mottl is a member of the Minnesota State and the Eighteenth District Bar Associations, and the Minnesota Association of Narcotics Investigators. She teaches continuing legal education courses and law enforcement officers and is a high school mock trial judge. Mottl also volunteers for Special Olympics, Minnesota Literacy Council-English as a second language, and is a parish lector, Eucharistic minister and adoration co-captain with her church.

Mottl, 52, was born in St. Paul and lives in Buffalo with her husband, Lawrence.

Gibbs is an attorney in the criminal division of the Anoka County attorney's office. He has been an assistant Anoka County attorney since 1995. Gibbs was an assistant Coon Rapids city attorney from 1994 to 1995 and an associate attorney with the St. Paul law firm of O'Neill, Burke, O'Neill, Leonard and O'Brien from 1992 to 1993. Gibbs earned his juris doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1992 and his bachelor of arts degree summa cum laude from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1989.

"Sean has handled many of the most challenging cases that come before the Anoka County attorney's office," Governor Pawlenty said. "He will be able to immediately step into the position and help with the ever-increasing caseload the bench sees."

Gibbs is an investigator with the Lawyers' Professional Responsibility Board's Twenty-first District Ethics Committee. He has been a criminal law instructor for law enforcement and annually edits the Minnesota Criminal Elements Handbook through the Minnesota County Attorneys' Association. Gibbs is a volunteer soccer coach and has been a member of the Coon Rapids Parks and Recreation Commission and the Minnesota Soccer Association.

Gibbs, 38, was born in Fridley and lives in Andover with his wife, Rachel Libi, and their two children, Sophia, 7, and Austin, 2.