Saint Paul – The Commission on Judicial Selection today announced four finalists for a Tenth Judicial District trial court bench vacancy in the city of Elk River in Sherburne County.  The opening occurred with the retirement of the Honorable Mary E. Carlson on June 13, 2004.  The Supreme Court transferred the chambers of this position from Washington County to Sherburne County.  The finalists are Kim Brandell, Sean C. Gibbs, Thomas N. Price and Mary Yunker.

Brandell, of Elk River, has been the owner of the Brandell Law Office and Mediation Center in Elk River since 2001.  He was an attorney and partner with the Elk River law firm of Terpstra, Black and Brandell from 1989 to 2001, an assistant Sherburne County attorney from 1983 through 1988 and an associate attorney with the Anoka law firm of Dorn and Berglund from 1981 to 1983.  Brandell earned his juris doctorate degree from the University of North Dakota in 1981, his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1977 and his associate of arts degree from North Hennepin Community College in 1975.

Gibbs, of Andover, works 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.

Price, of Elk River, is an assistant Sherburne County attorney.  He has also served as chief deputy and first assistant county attorney, and has worked in the Sherburne County attorney’s office since 1978.  Price was also an attorney with the MacGibbon-Danforth Law Firm in Elk River from 1980 to 1984, a Wright and Sherburne County misdemeanor prosecutor from 1978 to 1979, and has served as a special appointed prosecutor for Anoka, Benton, Stearns and Wright counties.  Price earned his juris doctorate degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1977 and his bachelor of arts degree from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul in 1972.

Yunker, of St. Cloud, is the chief deputy Sherburne County attorney, a position she has held since 2003.  She was an assistant Stearns County attorney, where she served as chief of the criminal division, from 1986 to 2003, assistant Scott County attorney in 1985, assistant Mankato city attorney from 1984 to 1985, a law clerk in the Ninth Judicial District in Brainerd from 1982 to 1984, and a staff attorney with the Civil Aeronautics Board in Washington, DC from 1980 to 1982.  Yunker earned her juris doctorate degree from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois in 1980 and her bachelor of applied studies from the University of Minnesota in 1977.

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 21 applications for this judicial vacancy.