Saint Paul, MN - Governor Mark Dayton today announced the appointment of the Second and Seventh Judicial District members to the Commission on Judicial Selection. The Second Judicial District is comprised of Ramsey County, and the Seventh Judicial District covers the counties of Becker, Benton, Clay, Douglas, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd and Wadena.

Governor Dayton appointed the following:

Molly Thornton, who resides in Saint Paul, is an attorney with Briggs and Morgan. Previously, she clerked for the Honorable Paul A. Magnuson. Thornton is a Minnesota Women Lawyers Board member and will be a 2011-12 co-chair of the Federal Bar Association's Communications Committee. Thornton is appointed as a Second District Attorney member to the Commission.

Yvonne Cheung Ho, who resides in Saint Paul, is the president and CEO of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association, where she works for the welfare of the minority business community. Cheung Ho previously worked at IBM as a systems engineer. She serves on the boards of the Great Neighborhood! Development Corporation, the Minneapolis Foundation and North Memorial Health Care. Cheung Ho is appointed as a Second District Non-Attorney member to the Commission.

Stephen F. Rufer, who resides in Fergus Falls, is a partner with Pemberton, Sorlie, Rufer and Kershner where he practices primarily in civil litigation. He is a past chair of the Civil Litigation Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association and was elected to the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association Board of Governors. Rufer is appointed as a Seventh District Attorney member to the Commission.

Jane M. Olsen, who resides in St. Cloud, is the founding Director of the St. Cloud State University Women's Center. She is also an adjunct faculty member at St. Cloud State University where she occasionally teaches in the Division of General Studies, Honors Program and in the Department of Human Relations and Multicultural Education. Olsen is a member of the National Women's Studies Association and serves on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Women's Consortium. She is appointed as a Seventh District Non-Attorney member to the Commission.

The Commission on Judicial Selection recruits and reviews judicial candidates for judgeship vacancies that occur within district courts and for openings that take place during the term of a judge on the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals. The Commission then puts forth three to five recommendations to the Governor for consideration. 49 members are appointed to the Commission; 27 are appointed by the Governor, and 22 by the Supreme Court. 9 members serve in an at-large capacity while 4 members serve per each judicial district.

For more information on the Commission, please visit our judicial page at http://mn.gov/governor/appointments/judicial.jsp.