ST. PAUL, MN – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today it is recommending three candidates to Governor Mark Dayton for consideration to fill the upcoming Sixth Congressional District vacancy on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. This vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable Randolph W. Peterson.
Judge Jeanne Cochran: Judge Cochran is an Administrative Law Judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings, where she presides over a wide range of regulatory matters. Previously, she was an Assistant Minnesota Attorney General in the Civil Litigation Division, an Assistant Minnesota Attorney General in the Residential and Small Business Utilities Division, an attorney/legislative analyst in the House Research Department of the Minnesota House of Representatives, an associate attorney in the Public Law Group at Leonard, Street, and Deinard, and an associate attorney at the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. Judge Cochran has been an EveryBody Wins MN volunteer, and a member of the Stillwater Alpine Ski Team Booster Club and the YMCA Widjiwagan Board of Directors.
Judge Sarah Hennesy: Judge Hennesy is the Assistant Chief Judge in the Seventh Judicial District, where she presides over the full range of district court cases and assists the Chief Judge in the management of the district bench. Previously, she was staff attorney with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, an associate attorney at Damiani & Damiani, P.C., Deputy Public Defender at the Alexandria, VA Public Defender’s Office, an associate attorney at Kohn & Einstein, and an Assistant Appellate Defender at the Iowa State Appellate Defender’s Office. Judge Hennesy is a parent volunteer at South Jr. High and Oak Hill Elementary and the Chair of the Justice for All Judicial Steering Committee.
Judge Michael Wentzell: Judge Wentzell is a District Court Judge in the First Judicial District, where he presides over criminal, civil, family, juvenile, and probate matters. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, teaching Appellate Advocacy. Previously, he was the Chief Deputy Carver County Attorney, an Assistant Carver County Attorney, and an associate attorney at Collins, Buckley, Sauntry & Haugh. Judge Wentzell serves on the State Court Technology Committee, State Court Re-engineering Committee, Minnesota District Court Judges Association Education Committee, and the Sexual Violence Judicial Faculty Development Team. He is a member of the Chaska Rotary Club and coaches Chaska-Chanhassen Girls Hockey.
An announcement of the appointment will be made following an interview process over the next few weeks.
