ST. PAUL, MN -The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today it is recommending three candidates to Governor Mark Dayton for consideration to fill the current vacancy in Minnesota's First Judicial District. This vacancy was created upon the retirement of the Honorable Michael V. Sovis. This district court judgeship will be chambered at Hastings in Dakota County in the First Judicial District.

Sharon Freiling: Ms. Freiling is a partner at the South St. Paul firm of Montpetit, Freiling and Kranz, L.L.P., practicing primarily in the family law and criminal law areas. Ms. Freiling also serves as an Assistant Public Defender for the First Judicial District in the Juvenile Court Division, and as a contracted attorney for parents involved in the Dakota County Child Protection system. Ms. Freiling serves on the Executive Board of the Dakota County Bar Association, and is a member of the Children's Justice Initiative and the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Court Process Committee.

Colleen Goggins King: Ms. King works as a partner with Wornson, Goggins, Zard, Neisen, Morris and King, P.C., where she maintains a general practice that includes family law, criminal defense, estate planning, probate, conservator/guardianship matters and civil litigation. Previously, she served as a part-time public defender for Scott, Dakota and McLeod Counties and was an attorney with McDonough, Wagner and Ho, L.L.P. Ms. King is a founding board member of the New Prague Area Education Foundation and is a volunteer teacher for St. Wenceslaus Church's Children's Liturgy.

Gary Voegele: Mr. Voegele is an attorney at Gary L. Voegele, P.A., where his practice includes family law, personal injury, real estate, probate, business law and civil and criminal matters. He also works as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas' Opus College of Business. Previously, Mr. Voegele was a Child Support Magistrate and contract Administrative Law Judge at the Office of Administrative Hearings. Mr. Voegele is a board member of the Minnesota State Bar Foundation and the Faribault Foundation, and the former chair of the Family Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association.

Minnesota's First Judicial District consists of Carver, Dakota, Goodhue, LeSueur, McLeod, Scott, and Sibley Counties.

An announcement of the appointment will be made following an interview process over the next few weeks.