The Mower County government center was closed early Friday when news of the death of a popular judge was announced.

Saturday, June 17, 2000

The Mower County government center was closed early Friday when news of the death of a popular judge was announced.

The Honorable District Judge Michael H. Seibel, 49, died at his Austin home.

Patricia Ball, Mower County Court Administrator, knew Seibel well.

When he first came to Austin 22 years ago, he was hired as an Assistant Mower County Attorney and Ball worked in his office.

Then, Seibel went into private practice as a criminal law attorney for the Leighton, Meany, Cotter, Enger Ltd. law firm.

When he was appointed a Third Judicial District Court Judge, filling a vacancy created when Judge Paul Kimball retired, Ball was the Mower County Court Administrator.

"He was definitely one of the best people I’ve ever known," said Ball. "He was honest and fair as a judge and he was a really good boss."

"We’re all going to miss him deeply," said Ball.

Terrence Meany of the Leighton, Meany, Cotter, Enger Ltd. law firm, remembers when he came to work for the Austin law firm.

"He was such a young man, when he was appointed judge," Meany said of his former law partner. "I knew him as a colleague and a friend and as a judge."

"He was a very competent judge and I also know that he certainly enjoyed refereeing sports activities; particularly basketball in his free time," said Meany.

"He was so interested in sports, when he was younger," said Meany.

The attorney also praised the judge’s wife, Linda, and their family. "He had a beautiful wife, who was so supportive and strong for him, during his illness," said Meany.

State Rep. Rob Leighton’s father, Robert (now deceased) hired Seibel to join the law firm, but the representative, a practicing attorney, also remembers Seibel’s love of sports.

"I knew him since he was a basketball referee," said Leighton. "He refereed games when I was a kid."

"I think the common response you would hear about Judge Seibel is that he was one of the nicest people you could ever meet," said Leighton. "He was just a really great guy, had a great family and was active in the community."

Appointed by then-Governor Rudy Perpich to become a Third Judicial District Court judge at the age of 36, Seibel was one of the youngest to gain the appointment. "That spoke well for him, too, to be thought of so highly to gain the appointment to the bench," said Leighton.

"As far as lawyers go, I think they all would say he was a fair and impartial judge," said Leighton.

That prompted Leighton to observe how Seibel dealt with his debilitating illness.

"He suffered a long and difficult illness," said Leighton, "and the fact that he would return to the bench and serve after the painful treatments and try to work is by itself amazing."

Retired District Court Judge William J. Nierengarten remembers Seibel, the attorney.

"He appeared before my bench in court and he was a very good attorney. He came very well prepared," said Nierengarten. "I have nothing but good memories of him."

(Details of the funeral service appear on Page 2 of today’s edition.)