Two file for 6th district judge

With the recent announcement by Judge Kenneth Sandvik that he will not seek re-election this fall, two candidates have stepped forward to fill the vacancy.

Mike Cuzzo, a partner in the Cuzzo & Envall law firm and 26-year trial attorney, said he is seeking the position “because I think my broad experience and record as a trial attorney, arbitrator, mediator and teacher, as well as my ties to northeastern Minnesota, provide the background needed to serve the citizens of this region well.”

Since beginning his legal career in 1983 after receiving his law degree from the University of Minnesota, Cuzzo has represented more than 1,000 people and organizations, is frequently asked to serve as an arbitrator and mediator, and has earned the respect of his colleagues throughout the state and country.

Cuzzo lives in Duluth with his wife and son and has a cabin on the edge of Superior National Forest, where they enjoy hunting and fishing.

Also entering the race is Juhl Halvorson, a Duluth attorney. Halvorson stated, “I believe that my experience and community service will serve the residents of Lake and Cook counties very well. I bring a common sense approach, a deep knowledge of the law and respect for all individuals who come into the courtroom.”

Halvorson operates a private law practice and is an assistant professor of business law at the University of Minnesota- Duluth. His law practice currently focuses on family law, estate planning, probate, and small business representation. He also has experience in criminal matters, employment law, real estate and has argued cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Halvorson has also been a two-term chair of the board of directors for Northwood Children’s Services; he is president-elect of the Duluth Harbortown Rotary Club and president of the Hermans Scholarship Fund.

Halvorson is a 1992 graduate of St. Olaf College and a 1995 cum laude graduate from William Mitchell College of Law. He is married and has two children who attend Duluth public schools.

Minnesota’s sixth judicial district covers Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties. The primary election is Aug.10; the general election is Nov. 2.