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 will occur upon the retirement of the Honorable David M. Johnson.?The seat will be chambered in Duluth in St. Louis County.

Jeffrey Boucher: Jeffrey Boucher is the chief deputy attorney of the Carlton County Attorney’s Office, where he manages adult criminal prosecutions, complex violent felonies, and financial crimes. He serves as vice chair of the county policy committee and is a member of the Carlton Treatment Court team. Boucher was previously a special assistant county attorney in the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. His community involvement includes serving on the board of directors for First Witness Child Advocacy Center in Duluth.

Jessica Fralich: Jessica Fralich is the city attorney for the City of Duluth, where she oversees both civil and criminal litigation and advisory matters. She previously served as a referee for the Sixth Judicial District and as a prosecutor for the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office. Fralich has served as a team member for Domestic Violence Restorative Circles, the Domestic Violence Response Team, and the Range Coordinated Community Response Team. Her community involvement includes working with local agencies to develop and provide training designed to increase awareness regarding the impact of domestic abuse and ensure implementation of best practices by system professionals.

Aaron Welch: Aaron Welch is a senior assistant county attorney with the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office, where he works in the Range Criminal Division and serves as the legal training coordinator. He previously worked at the Kandiyohi County Attorney’s Office and in private practice. Welch’s community involvement includes serving on the Iron Range Equal Justice Committee, North St. Louis County Child Mortality Review Team, and the executive board of the Voyageurs Area Council. His community involvement has also included serving as president of the Range Bar Association.

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