Interviews are Thursday for open 6th Judicial District judge position

CEDAR RAPIDS - Applicants for the vacant 6th Judicial District judge position will be interviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission on Thursday.

Commission members will interview 19 applicants at the Linn County Courthouse. The interviews are not open to the public. 

The vacancy, held open for six months based on statewide budget constraints, was created when Judge Robert Sosalla retired in July. Sosalla, who has taken senior status, was appointed to the associate district bench in 1982 and was then appointed as a district court judge in 2003.

The 19 applicants are: Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Cole of Marion; Brandon Schrock of North Liberty; James Kringlen of Solon; Patricia Hoffman-Simanek of Cedar Rapids; Andrew Chappell of Iowa City; Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Tremmel of Cedar Rapids; Ellen Ramsey Kacena of Swisher; Phillip Parsons of Cascade; Matthew Reilly of Cedar Rapids; Assistant Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith of Iowa City; Michael Lahammer of Mount Vernon; Tama County Attorney Brent Heeren of Toledo; Lynn Rose of Solon; Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lightfoot of Cedar Rapids; Assistant Linn County Attorney Jason Besler of Cedar Rapids; James Moriarity of Cedar Rapids; Douglas Davis of Cedar Rapids; Kristopher Lyons of Anamosa; and John Bruzek of Iowa City.

Two nominees selected by the commission will be submitted to Gov. Terry Branstad who will make the appointment.

Chief Judge Patrick Grady will announce the two nominees at the end of the day Thursday or early Friday.

l Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com