3 judges recommended for Court of Appeals

A merit selection panel, consisting of administration leadership and at-large members of the Commission on Judicial Selection, is recommending three candidates for Gov. Tim Walz’s consideration to fill a vacancy on the Minnesota Court of Appeals. The vacancy will occur upon the retirement of Judge Michelle A. Larkin. The seat is designated for Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District.

John Bowen: John Bowen is a judge in the 10th Judicial District, chambered in Wright County. Bowen serves as the presiding judge of the Wright County Treatment Court and as a delegate to the Minnesota District Judges Association. He previously served as the assistant civil division chief in the Wright County Attorney’s Office, where he represented the Wright County Board of Commissioners and all Wright County departments. His community involvement includes judging and coaching speech and mock trial. Bowen is also a member of the Buffalo Community Orchestra and The Reasonable Doubts, a musical group composed of current and former Minnesota Supreme Court justices and district court judges.

Nathaniel Welte: Nathaniel Welte is a judge in the 7th Judicial District, chambered in Stearns County. As a judge, he has been assigned to the Stearns County Domestic Violence Court and has participated in statewide initiatives to advance digital accessibility and improve search warrant applications and orders. Before joining the bench, he served as an assistant county attorney in the Becker County Attorney’s Office, an assistant public defender in the 7th Judicial District, and an attorney in private practice. Welte’s professional service includes serving on the Minnesota Digital Accessibility Workgroup and the Stearns County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee. He also serves on the Minnesota District Judges Association Digital Accessibility Committee, the Minnesota District Judges Foundation Board of Directors, and the 7th Judicial District Judicial Policy Committee.

Heather Wynn: Heather Wynn is a judge in the 10th Judicial District, chambered in Pine County. She serves as the lead Children’s Justice Initiative judge for Pine, Isanti, Chisago, and Kanabec counties. Wynn also serves as faculty for various judicial education programs and as a mentor judge for both the New Judge Orientation Program and new judges in the 10th Judicial District. She previously served as an assistant county attorney in Kanabec County and as a solo practitioner in Pine City. She is also a member of the Pine County Law Library Board, the Pine County Restorative Practices Advisory Council, and Project Rise, a collaboration of justice partners, educators, and community members working to improve outcomes for youth in Pine County.