ST. PAUL, MN - The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today that it is recommending three candidates for consideration to fill the upcoming vacancy in Minnesota’s First Judicial District. The vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable David L. Knutson.?This seat will be chambered in Hastings in Dakota County.

Kelly Staples: Kelly Staples is a court-appointed counsel in paternity, child support, and civil commitment matters and a volunteer conciliation court referee in Dakota County. She also maintains a private family law practice focusing on child custody and domestic abuse cases. Staples’s community involvement includes serving on the board of directors for Legal Assistance of Dakota County, judging high school mock trial, volunteering at legal self-help clinics through 360 Communities, and supporting her children’s many activities.

Nicholas Wanka: Nicholas Wanka is the director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General. He manages a team of prosecutors, investigators, and support staff who investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud and the abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. He previously worked as an assistant attorney general, as an assistant county attorney in Aitkin County, and in private practice. His community involvement includes coaching youth flag football and hockey and volunteering at his children’s schools.

Aaron Winter: Aaron Winter is a supervising attorney at the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, where he represents the Minnesota Department of Human Services in civil litigation and civil commitment proceedings. He previously served as an assistant attorney general in Tennessee, where he represented the state in criminal appeals and federal habeas litigation. Winter’s community involvement includes coaching youth soccer and flag football, judging high school mock trial, and coaching high schoolers in speech and debate.

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