Judge David Minge will retire from the Minnesota Court of Appeals at the end of March, and Gov. Mark Dayton will begin the search for a replacement from the 2nd Congressional District.

Minge was a Democratic congressman from the 2nd District from 1993 to 2001. He was appointed to the Appeals Court by Gov. Jesse Ventura in 2002.

The Commission on Judicial Selection will review applications for a new judge and recommend finalists to the governor.

The district includes such cities as Burnsville, Eden Prairie, Northfield, Faribault, Farmington, Belle Plaine, Waconia, Waterville, Chaska, Shakopee, Prior Lake, Apple Valley, Jordan, Cottage Grove, Eagan, Watertown, Zumbrota, Cannon Falls, Hastings, Red Wing and the southern portion of Woodbury.

The governor’s office says they’re looking for applicants “who possess great integrity, legal knowledge, experience and a sense of fairness.”

Sounds like what we’d like in a judge.

Applications are available by writing to Lee E. Sheehy, chair of the Commission on Judicial Selection, at 130 State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155, or by contacting Tiffany Orth, appointments aoordinator, via e-mail at tiffany.orth@state.mn.us.

The application deadline is Monday, Feb. 20.