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 Sixth Judicial District. This vacancy occurred upon the appointment of the Honorable James B. Florey to the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and will be chambered at Virginia in St. Louis County.
Michelle Anderson: Ms. Anderson is the Range Division Head in the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office, where she supervises attorneys and criminal caseloads in Hibbing and Virginia offices. Previously, she was an Assistant St. Louis County Attorney, associate attorney at the Law Offices of Richard E. Prebich, and a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Gary J. Pagliaccetti, Sixth Judicial District. Ms. Anderson is the Vice President of the North St. Louis County Sexual Assault Program Board, a member of the Mountain Iron-Buhl Public Schools Board and Vice President of its Parent Teacher Association, and member of the YMCA Strategic Planning Committee.
Terri Port Wright: Ms. Port Wright is a solo practitioner at the Port Wright Law Office, where she practices in the areas of family law, criminal defense, child protection, and probate work. Previously, she was an attorney in the Sixth Judicial District Public Defender’s Office, the Executive Director of the Sugarloaf Interpretive Center Association, and the Staff Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety for Continental Airlines. Ms. Port Wright is member of the Carlton County Children’s Justice Initiative Committee, a parent attorney representative on the St. Louis County Indian Child Welfare Act Collaborative Committee, and a member of Minnesota Women Lawyers.
Andrew Peterson: Mr. Peterson is a shareholder at Cope & Peterson, Ltd., where he represents clients in all aspects of civil litigation, criminal law, real estate, business law, and municipal law. Previously, he was a law clerk at SiebenCarey, and completed an internship and externship for the Honorable Donovan W. Frank, U.S. District Court Judge, District of Minnesota. Mr. Peterson is a volunteer attorney and board member of the Volunteer Attorney Program, a member of the Virginia Community Foundation Board, a member of the Twentieth District (Range) Bar Association, and was an investigator for the Twentieth District Ethics Committee.
Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District consists of Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis Counties.
An announcement of the appointment will be made following an interview process over the next few weeks.
