Information from the Governor's press office:

Gov. John Lynch has nominated Hillsborough County Attorney Marguerite Wageling of Manchester, Richard McNamara of Bedford, David Garfunkel of Canterbury, and Jacalyn Colburn of Concord to serve on the Superior Court. The Executive Council, which must approve the nominations, will hold a public hearing on all five nominations on September 23 at the statehouse.

McNamara is being nominated to serve as the first judge for the state's new business court.

"Marguerite Wageling, Richard McNamara, David Garfunkel and Jackie Colburn will make great additions to the New Hampshire Superior Court System. They possess an in-depth knowledge of the law and keen intellects," Gov. Lynch said. "They have diverse backgrounds, but they have all have demonstrated a commitment to justice and community, qualities essential to our judicial system."

The Judicial Selection Commission recommended all four candidates.

Wageling, 52, currently serves as Hillsborough County Attorney. She was first elected county attorney in a special election in 2004, and has been re-elected twice. Prior to her election as county attorney, Wageling served as state assistant attorney general as the lead attorney in the administrative prosecution unit. She has also served as an assistant attorney in Hillsborough and Rockingham counties.

She graduated from Trinity College in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in economics and she received her law degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center in 1984.

"Possessed of a fine intellect and considerable trial and people skills, Ms. Wageling has risen from a frontline prosecutor of high-level felony cases to an important and visible leadership position as the lead prosecutor for one of the state's busiest trial courts," Emily Rice and Philip Waystack, the co-chairs of the Judicial Selection Commission, wrote in recommending Wageling.

McNamara, 59, is a partner in the Wiggin & Nourie law firm in Manchester. In his 30 years as a respected litigator, McNamara has handled most of the varieties of civil litigation that come before New Hampshire courts. He is the immediate past president of the New Hampshire Bar Association. Prior to entering private practice, McNamara served as state assistant attorney general in the criminal bureau.

McNamara received his bachelor's degree from Boston College in 1972 and his law degree from Boston College Law School in 1975.

"Mr. McNamara has had extraordinary experience as a litigator at both the trial and appellate levels," Waystack and Rice wrote in their recommendation. "His sharp intellect and his demonstrated ability to manage and resolve complex business and commercial litigation make him an excellent choice to serve as the first justice of the new business court."

Colburn, 48, is the director of legal services for the New Hampshire Public Defender's Office, where she is responsible for the supervision of approximately 120 attorneys. She is also an adjunct professor at Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord. Colburn has spent her entire legal career in the public defender's office.

She received her bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of New Hampshire and her law degree from Franklin Pierce law Center in 1996.

"[Colburn] has extensive knowledge of the criminal legal system, an unusually outgoing and engaging personality, and exceptional communication skills, along with a strong dose of common sense. This skill set makes her an outstanding candidate for the Superior Court bench," Waystack and Rice wrote in their recommendation.

Garfunkel, 63, is an attorney with Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell in Concord, where he has been a litigator for the last 20 years. His diverse practice has included criminal defense and commercial litigation.

In 1979, Garfunkel began his career in New Hampshire when he was named director of the Public Defender Program of New Hampshire Legal Assistance. He served as the first executive director of the New Hampshire Public Defender office when it began an independent organization. At the time of Garfunkel's departure in 1989, the public defender's office had grown to 40 attorneys serving all 10 New Hampshire counties.

Garfunkel received his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from the University of Michigan in 1971. Immediately after law school, Garfunkel became a staff attorney in the Defender Association of Philadelphia.

"Mr. Garfunkel has a broad spectrum of legal experience in criminal, civil and ethical matters," Waystack and Rice wrote in their recommendation. "Mr. Garfunkel's sage wisdom, acute intellect and calm demeanor make him a fine choice for the Superior Court bench."

The Governor has also nominated Lynn E. Aaby of Portsmouth to serve as a marital master. A pubic hearing on her nomination will also be held on September 23.