[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 Seventh Judicial District. The vacancy will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable Daniel A. Benson. The seat will be chambered in Long Prairie in Todd County. 

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 St. Cloud, a law clerk for the Honorable Leonard A. Weiler, and a member of the Stearns County Drug Court Team. Godzala’s community involvement includes serving on the board of directors of Oasis Central Minnesota and as a member director of the Stearns Benton Bar Association. He is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion Post 46, a past president of the Stearns Benton Bar Association, and a board member of Magnifi Financial. 

Heidi Hovis: Heidi Hovis is an assistant public defender in the Seventh Judicial District Public Defender’s Office and an adjunct professor in the paralegal program at North Hennepin Community College. She is a member of Stearns County Treatment Court and also serves as a volunteer conciliation court referee in Wright County. Hovis previously worked as a staff attorney with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and as senior associate general counsel at the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Her community involvement includes serving on the board of Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity and the Minnesota Women Lawyers Central Chapter, as well as serving on the advisory board of the Wirth Center for the Performing Arts. 

Franz Vancura: Franz Vancura is a partner at Quinlivan & Hughes, P.A., where he represents clients in real estate, business, probate, estate planning, and family law matters. He was previously a partner at Brown, Krueger, & Vancura, P.A. and a law clerk to the Honorable John P. Smith and Jana M. Austad. Vancura’s past professional and community involvement includes serving on the boards of directors for Paws & Claws Animal Rescue + Resort and Serving, Teaching, and Empowering People (STEP) in Browerville and Camphill Village. He is also a member of the Central Minnesota Estate Planning Council.

For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.