Stearns and Clay County Judicial Vacancies Narrowed to Five Finalists

(KNSI) – Two area lawyers are on the shortlist to fill two judgeships in Stearns and Clay Counties.

The open seats will be chambered in St. Cloud and Moorhead. The Commission on Judicial Selection recommends that the governor pick from Amy Chantry, Ole Tvedten, Simon George, Michael Leeser, and Michael Minard.

Chantry serves as a judicial referee in the Tenth Judicial District, where she presides over housing, harassment, domestic violence, minor criminal, and minor civil matters. Her community involvement includes volunteering as a high school mock trial judge and for various student activities at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School.

Tvedten is the head of the Criminal Division of the Stearns County Attorney’s Office. He was previously an assistant county attorney in the Stearns County Attorney’s Office, where he was a trial prosecutor and appellate attorney. Tvedten’s community involvement includes serving on the Stearns County Opioid Community Advisory Committee, the Minnesota County Attorney Association’s Appellate Advisory Committee and Trial School, the Stearns County Domestic Violence Partnership, the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Multi-Disciplinary Team, and the Stearns County Substance Abuse Court Steering Committee. He volunteers with Project Connect, judges mock trials, and coaches girls’ youth sports.

George is the managing attorney of the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender’s Offices in Becker and Douglas counties. He was previously a part-time public defender in the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender’s Office while also operating a private criminal defense practice.

Leeser is an assistant county attorney in the Clay County Attorney’s Office, prosecuting adult criminal and juvenile cases. He was also an adjunct professor at Minnesota State University Moorhead, where he taught a course on the introduction to law for the Healthcare Administration program.

Minard is an assistant public defender in the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender’s Office in Moorhead. He represents low-income defendants charged with criminal offenses. His community involvement includes serving as the vice president of the Clay County Bar Association and volunteering for the Moorhead Youth Hockey Association.

Stearns County Judge Sarah Hennesy was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court on May 13th, which left her spot vacated.

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