Seamus Duffy appointed Ninth District judge

On Tuesday, April 9, Gov. Tim Walz announced the appointment of Seamus Duffy as a district court judge in Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District. Duffy, who is currently the Pennington County attorney, will be chambered in Mahnomen. “I am also honored to appoint Seamus Duffy,” said Walz. “His diverse experience dealing with criminal, family and juvenile law, as well as his dedication to public service, makes him well-suited for the Mahnomen County bench.” Matti Adam, the Itasca County attorney, was also appointed a district court judge. She will be chambered in Bemidji. They are succeeding the Honorable Shari Schluchter and Honorable Darlene Rivera Spalla. Schluchter has retired, and Rivera Spalla is retiring. Duffy and Adam were among five candidates for the positions. Minnesota’s Ninth Judicial District encompasses Aitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake and Roseau counties. Prior to serving as county attorney, Duffy was an assistant public defender in the Ninth Judicial District and an attorney at Duffy Law Office. Duffy holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Juris Doctor degree, both from the University of North Dakota. Duffy’s community involvement includes serving as a member of the Pennington County DWI Court and a lecturer at Northland Community and Technical College. His community involvement also includes volunteering with the Thief River Falls Amateur Hockey Association and the Thief River Falls Archery Club. More details may appear in this weekend's Northern Watch.