FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 22, 2021
Contact: Claire Lancaster
claire.lancaster@state.mn.us
651-219-2975
Commission on Judicial Selection Recommends Tenth Judicial District Candidates to Governor Walz
[ST. PAUL, MN] – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today that it is recommending five candidates for consideration to fill two vacancies in Minnesota’s Tenth Judicial District. These vacancies will occur upon the retirements of the Honorable John C. Hoffman and the Honorable Barry A. Sullivan. The seats will be chambered in Stillwater in Washington County and Anoka in Anoka County.
Siv Mjanger: Ms. Mjanger is the Criminal Division Chief at the Washington County Attorney’s Office. In addition to her management responsibilities, she advises the County Attorney on the development and execution of internal and external policies. She is the lead sexual assault and vulnerable adult prosecutor in Washington County. Ms. Mjanger was previously an Assistant Washington County Attorney and a private attorney working in the areas of family law and criminal defense. Ms. Mjanger began her career as an Assistant Hennepin County Public Defender. She serves on the Washington County Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Team and the Vulnerable Adult Multidisciplinary Team. Ms. Mjanger is an advocate for criminal justice reform, including bail reform, diversion reform, and additional support for offenders with substance abuse disorder to curtail recidivism.
Kelsey Kelley: Ms. Kelley is an Assistant Anoka County Attorney, where she represents the County in criminal, juvenile, civil, and administrative appellate cases. Additionally, Ms. Kelley serves on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee at the Anoka County Attorney's Office. Previously, Ms. Kelley was a law clerk for the Minnesota Court of Appeals. She is the Vice President of the Anoka County Bar Association. She is a member of the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure and co-chairs the Appellate Committee of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association. Ms. Kelley also serves on the Board of Directors of Minnesota Women Lawyers and co-chairs the Minnesota Women Lawyers Community Action & Advocacy Committee. Her community involvement includes volunteering with the MSBA High School Mock Trial Program, Hope 4 Youth, Stepping Stone shelter, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Helen Brosnahan: Ms. Brosnahan is an Assistant Dakota County Attorney in the Civil Division, where she handles matters including litigation, contracts, civil asset forfeiture, and water management. Previously, Ms. Brosnahan was an Assistant Dakota County Attorney in the Criminal Division, where she prosecuted adult criminal cases. Ms. Brosnahan has been recognized as a leader for her work with Dakota County’s initiative to champion inclusion, diversity, and equity, and serves on the Dakota County Attorney’s Office’s Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Alliance. Before joining Dakota County, Ms. Brosnahan was an attorney at LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A., an Assistant Olmsted County Attorney, and a law clerk for the Honorable Robert F. Carolan. Ms. Brosnahan served on the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure. She has been active with Minnesota Women Lawyers, where she has served in various leadership roles. Ms. Brosnahan has been a judge for the William McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition and the Minnesota State Bar Association Moot Court Competition.
Jennifer Stanfield: Ms. Stanfield is a Child Support Magistrate in the Tenth Judicial District. She previously worked as a Senior Assistant Carver County Attorney, where she worked in the areas of child support, child protection, maltreatment, commitments, and criminal law. Ms. Stanfield was also a Staff Attorney with the Minnesota State Court Administrator’s office. She has worked for the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland, and has volunteered for women’s legal aid programs in Ethiopia. Ms. Stanfield is also a member of the Minnesota Department of Human Services Advisory Committee, the Minnesota County Attorney’s Association, and the Minnesota Family Support and Recovery Council. She is the co-creator of the nationally recognized Carver County program Jobs Not Jail.
Amy Reed-Hall: Ms. Reed-Hall is an Assistant Anoka County Attorney, where she prosecutes adult felony cases with an emphasis on cases involving the abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults. Previously, Ms. Reed-Hall was the Chief Deputy Isanti County Attorney and an attorney in private practice. She has experience with family, real estate, labor and employment law, and appellate matters. Ms. Reed-Hall also clerked for judges at the Second Judicial District and the Minnesota Court of Appeals. She is a member of the Anoka County Elder Abuse Community Response Committee and the Anoka County Vulnerable Adult Multidisciplinary Team. She also works with the Minnesota Elder Justice Center to train Minnesota agencies on investigating elder abuse and neglect matters. Her community involvement includes serving as an MSBA High School Mock Trial competition judge, a Minnesota Women Lawyers mentor, a Minnesota Swimming Safe Sport member, a New Pathways Transitional Shelter Program volunteer, and a Feed Our Starving Children volunteer.
For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit:
https://mn.gov/governor/administration/judicialappointments/
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