News Item

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Mark E. Betters Appointed to Fill Fifth Judicial District Vacancy

Posted: Thursday, January 26, 2017

Today, Governor Mark Dayton announced the appointment of Mark E. Betters as District Court Judge in Minnesota’s Fifth Judicial District. By order of the Minnesota Supreme Court, a vacant referee position in the Fifth Judicial District was converted into a district court judgeship. Mr. Betters is replacing Referee Susan Chambers, and will be chambered at Mankato in Blue Earth County.
 
“Mr. Mark E. Betters has a strong history of public service, both as a volunteer attorney, and on boards and committees that do important work for their communities,” said Governor Dayton. “This commitment to service, along with his extensive legal experience, have prepared him well to serve as District Court Judge for Minnesota’s Fifth Judicial District.”
 
Mr. Betters is a shareholder and president at Betters Wienandt Attorneys at Law, Ltd., where his practice focuses on criminal defense and family law matters. Previously, he was a public defender for the Fifth Judicial District and an attorney at Manahan Bluth Law Office, Chtd. He earned his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and his J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
 
Mr. Betters is a member of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra Board, a member investigator of the Sixth District Ethics Committee, a family drug court legal clinic volunteer, and a pro bono attorney through Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services.
 
Minnesota’s Fifth Judicial District consists of Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, and Watonwan Counties.
 
More information on the Commission on Judicial Selection, as well as vacancies it is currently considering, can be found at http://mn.gov/governor/appointments/judicial-appointments/.