Governor Pawlenty announces an appointment to the First Judicial District trial court bench in Le Sueur County. Michael Baxter is an attorney and shareholder with the Baxter Engen Law firm in Burnsville. He is also an adjunct professor at William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul. Baxter was chosen after an extensive search by the Governor's office to fill the seat. Gov. Tim Pawlenty says, "You take charge of a courtroom like this and you have a lot of power. And there's an old saying that character is revealed when people confront adversity and that's for sure true, but character is also revealed in how they wield power." Judge Michael Baxter says, "I thank all of you who have supported me in this effort. I thank the governor for his trust in me, and I look forward to the challenge of being a district court judge. Thank you." Judge Baxter takes the place of Carver County Judge, the Honorable Jean A. Davies who died in March. Judge Davies' position was transferred to Le Sueur County.