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 Third Judicial District. This vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable Debra A. Jacobson, and will be chambered at Rochester in Olmsted County.

Jacob Allen: Mr. Allen currently serves as a partner and attorney at O’Brien & Wolf, LLP, where his practice focuses on criminal, commitment, and guardianship matters. Previously, he was an owner and attorney at Allen & Associates, LLC, an Assistant Public Defender for the Third Judicial District, and a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Joseph F. Wieners, Third Judicial District. Mr. Allen is a volunteer with the Schaeffer Academy and Autumn Ridge Church and is the Olmsted County Bar Association’s representative on the Olmsted County Justice Council.

Lisa Swenson: Ms. Swenson is the Olmsted County managing attorney in the Office of the Third Judicial District Public Defender, where she is responsible for managing and assigning felony cases while maintaining an adult criminal caseload. Previously, she was an associate at George F. Restovich and Associates, a Senior Assistant Olmsted County Attorney, an Assistant Winona County Attorney, and an adjunct professor at Winona State University. Ms. Swenson is Co-Chair of the Olmsted County Court Scheduling Work Group, a member of the Century Panthers Band Board, and a former member of Olmsted County Legal Assistance.

Eric Woodford: Mr. Woodford is the Chief Deputy in the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office, where he supervises a team of attorneys while maintaining a caseload of adult criminal matters. Previously, he was an associate attorney at Johnson, Larson & Peterson, P.A., and a judicial law clerk at the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Mr. Woodford is a member of the Operations Committee of the Mayo Clinic Child and Family Advocacy Center and the Education Committee of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, Secretary of the Rochester Better Chance Board, and a volunteer for Interfaith Hospitality Network.

Minnesota’s Third Judicial District consists of Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, and Winona Counties.

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