Susan R. Miles, a district court judge in Washington County, has been elected president of the Minnesota District Judges Association. She will be responsible for addressing policy issues in courts and promises to protect the state judicial system against budget cuts.
Miles, 57, of Scandia, has been a 10th District judge for 13 years. She succeeds Judge Charles Porter of Minneapolis as president. Judge John Smith, of Walker, Minn., replaces Miles as the organization's vice president.
"We've been studying the proposal to change the way judges are elected," she said in a statement. "There is an effort to have all district court judges appointed by the governor and then be reviewed by a performance evaluation commission. The judges then would be up for reelection for a second eight-year term."
Miles has served as the lead judge for the Washington County Children's Justice Initiative, a pilot program that works with county departments involved in juvenile court problems.
She also has won championships in horse-jumping competitions.
Her current term as a judge expires in 2015.
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