Last week, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the appointment of an Urbandale attorney to serve as a district judge in Iowa Judicial Election District 5A. Charles Sinnard currently serves as the Dallas County Attorney following his election in 2018, with previous experience as an assistant county attorney in the same office. Sinnard earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and his law degree from the Drake University Law School. He will fill the vacancy created by the upcoming retirement of Judge Martha Mertz. Judicial Election District 5A encompasses six central Iowa counties, including Guthrie County.