Walz appoints Godzala, Welle to 7th District bench

Gov. Tim Walz has appointed Luke Godzala and Laura Welle as District Court Judges in Minnesota’s 7th Judicial District. Godzala will replace Judge William J. Cashman and will be chambered in St. Cloud in Stearns County, and Welle will replace Judge Gail T. Kulick and be chambered in Milaca in Mille Lacs County.

“Luke Godzala is a strong addition to the Stearns County bench,”  Walz said in a news release. ”His deep experience working in the courthouse he will now preside in, coupled with his commitment to serving the community he calls home, will enable him to make an immediate and meaningful impact on the bench.”

“Mille Lacs County is gaining a remarkable legal talent in Laura Welle,” Walz added. ”She is not only fair, balanced, and principled in her approach to the law, but she also manages cases in a way that respects the dignity and interests of all parties. That ability reflects years of experience and compassionate public service.”

Minnesota’s 7th Judicial District consists of Becker, Benton, Clay, Douglas, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, and Wadena counties.

About 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, where he served on the Stearns County Drug Court Team, and a law clerk for the Honorable Leonard A. Weiler of the Seventh Judicial District. His community involvement includes serving on the boards of directors of Magnifi Financial and Oasis Central Minnesota, as well as serving as a member director of the Stearns Benton Bar Association. He is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion Post 46. He earned his B.A. from the University of Saint Thomas and his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law.

About Laura Welle

Laura Welle is an assistant county attorney in the Morrison County Attorney’s Office, where she primarily handles non-drug felony and child protection matters. She previously worked as an assistant county attorney in Crow Wing County and Becker County. Welle’s community involvement includes serving as site director of the BIO Girls Program in Little Falls, treasurer of the Little Falls Dandee Lions Club, and vice chair of the Morrison County Employee Association. She earned her B.A. from Montana State University and her J.D. from the University of North Dakota School of Law.