Former Washington Parish Chief Criminal Deputy Dan Foil, 57, has been named Commissioner to the 22nd Judicial District Court, which covers Washington and St. Tammany parishes. He took over the job June 8. Foil is only the second person to ever be appointed to the position, which was created in 1998 to alleviate some of the burden, caused by swelling dockets, on the district’s 12 judges.

The commissioner takes care of low-level court matters. Duties of the job include handling bail, bonds, non-support, protective orders and warrants, and supervising conditions of bail bonds, protective orders, domestic violence and other probation issues. The judges are charged with appointing the commissioner.

James Gleason III held the position from its inception until he died in February 2009. Don Fendlason, a resident of Washington Parish who had just retired as district judge, took over until a replacement commissioner could be selected. He reportedly did not want to keep the job permanently. Foil was a public defender for the court, and is a former assistant district attorney. He worked with the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office as an investigator. And when Aubrey Jones became sheriff in Nov. 2001, he asked Foil to take the second-in-command position of chief criminal deputy. Foil accepted the offer, and kept that job until 2007. Now he says he’s looking forward to a new challenge.

“I’m very honored the judges have the confidence in me to select me for the position,” he said. “I’ll continue to try to do the good job the prior commissioners have done – Jim Gleason and Don Fendlason – who filled in.”

The new commissioner said he feels the position has proved helpful to the courts.

“Oh yes, I think it is definitely a needed position that serves some very vital functions in the system,” said Foil.