Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Rene Diebold to the Commission on Judicial Selection.

Diebold, of Granite Falls, is an attorney in private practice in Marshall. Her practice focuses on family and real estate law, mediation and arbitration. Diebold replaces Christopher Dietzen, who resigned from the Commission on Judicial Selection when he was appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, as an at-large attorney member to complete a four-year term that expires on January 1, 2007.

The Commission on Judicial Selection solicits judicial candidates, evaluates applicants and recommends three to five finalists to the governor for district court and Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals vacancies that occur during the term of a judge. The commission consists of 49 members; 27 appointed by the Governor, and 22 by the Supreme Court.