Three are finalists for Superior Court

PALMER — The list of candidates to replace retiring Superior Court Judge Beverly Cutler has been narrowed to three.

Cutler plans to retire in September. In March, seven attorneys and lower-court judges applied for the seat. In mid-June the Alaska Judicial Council culled the list, leaving two Valley applicants.

• Gregory Heath works at the Palmer Courthouse where he’s a District Court judge.

• Nick Spiropoulos is the Matanuska-Susitna Borough’s attorney and represents the borough’s interest in lawsuits and on cases springing from infractions like animal cruelty and trashy yards.

• Michael Gershel is the only non-Valley lawyer on the list. He was born on Long Island in New York and came to Alaska in 1985 working on domestic violence issues.

He entered private practice in 1996.

The three names were sent to Gov. Sarah Palin on June 17. Palin has 45 days from that date to pick a nominee.