District Court Judge Joseph Bueltel has been elected as the new chief judge of the state's Third Judicial District.
The William Mitchell College of Law graduate was appointed to serve as a judge in the district in April 2002. His term as chief begins on July 1. He is currently the assistant chief judge.
Before serving as a judge, Bueltel spent six years in private practice, and seven years as an assistant public defender and two years as the chief public defender in the Third Judicial District. His chambers are in the Steele County Courthouse in Owatonna.
District Court Judge Christina A. Long was elected to serve as the assistant chief judge for the district.
The University of Minnesota Law School graduate joined the bench in June 2010 and prior to that spent eight years in private practice, and 19 years as an Assistant Steele County Attorney. She is chambered at the Rice County Courthouse in Faribault.
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Both positions are two-year terms and were elected by the 24 judges who serve in the district. The chief judge of a judicial district exercises general administrative authority over the courts within the district, including assigning judges to serve in locations throughout the district, and also serves as a member of the Minnesota Judicial Council.
