Saint Paul -- The Commission on Judicial Selection today announced three finalists for a Second Judicial District trial court bench vacancy in Ramsey County. The vacancy occurred with the Supreme Court's conversion of a vacant referee position into a district court judgeship. The finalists are Diane Alshouse, Elizabeth Cutter and Elena Ostby.

Alshouse, of Roseville, is a managing attorney in the Ramsey County Public Defender's office in St. Paul. She has been an assistant Ramsey County public defender since 1985, except from 1997 to 1998, when she was an assistant county attorney in the Hennepin County attorney's office in Minneapolis. Alshouse earned her juris doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul in 1984, and her bachelor of arts degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in 1970.

Cutter, of St. Paul, is an assistant county attorney in the Hennepin County attorney's office in Minneapolis, a position she has held since 1988. She was a special assistant attorney general in the Minnesota Attorney General's office from 1980 through 1987. Cutter earned her juris doctorate degree cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul in 1980, her master of arts (1992), and bachelor of elective studies (1974) degrees from the University of Minnesota.

Ostby, of Roseville, has been an attorney in private practice in Roseville since 2001. She was an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Briggs and Morgan in St. Paul from 1986 to 2001. Ostby earned her juris doctorate degree (1986) and her bachelor of arts degree (1983) from the University of Minnesota.

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 32 applications for this judicial vacancy.