ST. PAUL, MN - The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today that it is recommending three candidates for consideration to fill a vacancy in Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial District. The vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable Leonard A. Weiler.?The seat will be chambered in Little Falls in Morrison County.

Luke Godzala: Luke Godzala is a senior attorney in the Civil Division of the Stearns County Attorney’s Office. He was previously an assistant city attorney in the St. Cloud City Attorney's Office, a law clerk for the Honorable Leonard A. Weiler, and a member of the Stearns County Drug Court Team. His community involvement includes serving on the board of directors of Magnifi Financial and Oasis Central Minnesota and as a member director of the Stearns Benton Bar Association. Godzala is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion Post 46 and a past president of the Stearns Benton Bar Association.

Meriel Lester: Meriel Lester is an assistant chief in the Criminal Division of the Stearns County Attorney’s Office, where she has worked extensively in criminal prosecution with a focus on intimate partner violence and other personal crimes. She was previously an assistant county attorney in the Stearns County Attorney’s Office. Lester assisted in the development of the Stearns County Domestic Violence Court and currently serves as the designated prosecutor for the Central Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force. Her community involvement includes serving as a youth hockey team manager and as vice president of both the Sartell Sauk Rapids Lacrosse Association and Sartell Sapphire Gymnastics.

Laura Welle: Laura Welle is an assistant county attorney in the Morrison County Attorney's Office, where she primarily handles felony prosecution and child protection matters. She previously served as an assistant county attorney in the Crow Wing and Becker county attorney's offices. Welle’s community involvement includes serving as site director of the BIO Girls Program in Little Falls, volunteering with the Little Falls Dandee Lions Club, and serving as vice chair of the Morrison County Employee Association.

For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.