FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 24, 2020
Contact: Teddy Tschann
teddy.tschann@state.mn.us
651-402-8841
Governor’s Merit Selection Panel Recommends Court of Appeals Candidates
[ST. PAUL, MN] – Earlier this year, Governor Tim Walz asked a merit selection panel consisting of leadership in the Governor’s Office, the Chair of the Commission on Judicial Selection, and the at-large members of that Commission, to solicit applicants, review candidates, and recommend finalists for appointment to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
The panel announced today that it is recommending four candidates for consideration to fill the current vacancy on the Court of Appeals. This vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable John Rodenberg. This is an at-large designated seat.
Rachel Bond: Ms. Bond is currently a managing attorney in the Office of the Minnesota Appellate Public Defender, where she represents indigent criminal defendants in their direct appeals to the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court. Previously, she was an attorney at Faegre & Benson LLP and at Shearman & Sterling. At the start of her legal career, Ms. Bond clerked for Chief Judge Boyce F. Martin, Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Ms. Bond’s community involvement includes serving as a member on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee for the Minnesota Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure, an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and a volunteer with the Girl Scouts of Minnesota & Wisconsin River Valleys and the Superior Hiking Trail Association.
Judge Jamie Cork: Judge Cork currently serves as a judge in the First Judicial District chambered in Hastings in Dakota County, where she presides over a variety of cases including criminal, civil, juvenile, probate, and family matters. Previously, she was a former Assistant Hennepin County Attorney where she worked in the Child Protection Division, specializing in Sexually Exploited Youth and Indian Child Welfare Act cases, including: traditional child protection, long term foster care, educational neglect, runaway, sexually exploited youth, Rule 20 incompetent delinquent, and truancy cases. Prior to becoming an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney, Judge Cork was an adjunct professor at Hamline University School of Law and St. Thomas School of Law, teaching Juvenile Justice, and Children and the Law. Judge Cork’s community involvement has included serving as co-chair of the Dakota County Domestic Violence Coordinated Community Response Team and the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Elimination of Racial Bias Committee. She is also an active member of the First District Equal Justice Committee, Minnesota Children’s Justice Initiative (CJI), CJI’s Indian Child Welfare Act training faculty and subcommittee, and CJI’s Parent Representation subcommittee.
Judge Theodora Gaïtas: Judge Gaïtas currently serves as a judge in the Fourth Judicial District chambered in Minneapolis in Hennepin County, where she presides over criminal matters and co-chairs the district’s Domestic Violence Steering Committee. Previously, she practiced with Matonich Law, where she represented individuals in medical negligence and medical device litigation throughout Minnesota. Prior to practicing at Matonic Law, Judge Gaïtas served as an appellate public defender with the Minnesota Appellate Public Defender’s Office, a trial-level public defender in Pennsylvania, and a judicial clerk at the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Judge Gaïtas serves as a member of the Minnesota Supreme Court Rules of Evidence Advisory Committee and on the board of Twin Cities Theatre Camp. Her previous community involvement included chairing the Jungle Theater’s board of directors and serving as secretary of Children of Incarcerated Caregivers.
Judge Gordon Moore: Judge Gordon Moore currently serves as a judge in the Fifth Judicial District chambered in Worthington in Nobles County, where he presides over a wide variety of criminal, civil, juvenile, probate, and child protection matters. Previously, Judge Moore served as the Nobles County Attorney, where he managed the office and was the county’s chief prosecutor. Prior to becoming the Nobles County Attorney, Judge Moore was an associate attorney and assistant city attorney at the Worthington law firm Malters, Shepherd & Von Holtum. He also was a special assistant and assistant attorney general under Attorney General Hubert Humphrey. Judge Moore’s community involvement has included service on the Worthington First United Methodist Church’s Board of Trustees, as a member of the Worthington Hockey Association’s Board of Directors, a youth hockey and soccer coach, founding director of the Worthington Futbol Club, and roles as chair with the boards of School District 518 and the Worthington Area YMCA. Judge Moore has also been recommended for consideration to fill the current vacancy on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit our website: https://mn.gov/governor/administration/judicialappointments/
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