FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 26, 2023
Contact: Claire Lancaster
claire.lancaster@state.mn.us
651-219-2975
Commission on Judicial Selection Recommends Sixth Judicial District Candidates to Governor Walz
[ST.
PAUL, MN] – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today that
it is recommending three candidates for consideration to fill a vacancy
in Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District. The vacancy occurred upon the
untimely passing of the Honorable Sally L. Tarnowski. The seat will be
chambered in Duluth in St. Louis County.
Clarissa Ek:
Clarissa Ek is a child support magistrate for the Sixth Judicial
District. She was previously a senior assistant attorney for St. Louis
County and a staff attorney for the Indian Legal Assistance Program. She
has a diverse legal background working in child protection, family law,
and criminal law in both district and appellate courts. Ek is a veteran
of the U.S Airforce, and her community involvement includes
volunteering with the First Witness Child Advocacy Center and the
Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault.
Jessica Fralich:
Jessica Fralich is a district court referee for the Sixth Judicial
District, presiding over housing, harassment, order for protection,
conciliation, minor civil, and family court matters. She was previously
an assistant county attorney in the Criminal Division of the St. Louis
County Attorney’s Office and an attorney in private practice primarily
practicing real estate and family law. Fralich’s community involvement
includes serving as a member of the Domestic Violence Restorative
Circles program, the Domestic Violence Response Team, and the Range
Coordinated Community Response Team.
Nicole Hopps:
Nicole Hopps is the managing attorney for the Sixth Judicial District
Public Defender’s Office in Duluth. In this role, she supervises
attorneys and support staff serving indigent clients, including in the
areas of rehabilitative justice, diversion, and welfare programs. She
previously served in the Sixth Judicial District as an assistant public
defender. Hopps’s community involvement includes volunteering with the
Carlton County Community Outreach Program, the South St. Louis County
Mental and Behavioral Health courts, and the Indian Child Welfare Act
Court team.
For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.
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