Courts in North Dakota
| More information on North Dakota's state courts: |
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| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In North Dakota there is one federal district court, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes, which are outlined in the sections below.
Click a link for information about that court type.
The image below depicts the flow of cases through North Dakota's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.
Judicial selection process
- See also: North Dakota judicial elections
The five justices on the supreme court are elected to 10-year terms in nonpartisan elections.[1][2] The supreme court selects judges for the court of appeals from a pool of active and retired district court judges, retired supreme court justices and lawyers. Judges serve a maximum of one year.[3]
To read more about judicial elections in North Dakota, click here.
Federal courts
The federal district court in North Dakota is the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota.
Appeals from these courts are heard in the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.
Active Judges
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 5, 2019 - |
North Dakota State University, 1989 |
University of North Dakota, 1997 |
||
| January 13, 2020 - |
University of North Dakota, 1994 |
University of North Dakota School of Law, 1997 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 0
- Republican appointed: 2
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
Bankruptcy courts
There is one federal bankruptcy court in North Dakota. This court has subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy court in North Dakota is:
State supreme court
- See also: North Dakota Supreme Court
The North Dakota Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has five judgeships. The North Dakota Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction and administrative authority over the state's lower courts.[4]
The following judges sit on the court:
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Supreme Court | Douglas Bahr | Nonpartisan | February 1, 2023 |
| North Dakota Supreme Court | Daniel Crothers | Nonpartisan | 2005 |
| North Dakota Supreme Court | Jon Jay Jensen | Nonpartisan | 2017 |
| North Dakota Supreme Court | Lisa Fair McEvers | Nonpartisan | January 1, 2014 |
| North Dakota Supreme Court | Jerod Tufte | Nonpartisan | January 1, 2017 |
State court of appeals
The North Dakota Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court and hears only the cases assigned to it by the Supreme Court. Its three judges serve for temporary terms of up to one year and are chosen from among active and retired district court judges, retired supreme court justices, and lawyers. The court hears cases infrequently. It can only hear cases assigned to it by the North Dakota Supreme Court. In some years, the supreme court assigns no cases to the court of appeals.[2][5]
Trial courts
District Courts
- See also: North Dakota District Courts
The district courts serve each of North Dakota's 53 counties and are split into eight judicial districts. These district courts have general jurisdiction in all cases and also serve as juvenile courts. The district courts have exclusive jurisdiction in criminal cases.[6]
Municipal Courts
- See also: North Dakota Municipal Courts
The municipal courts have jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances. The courts do not have jurisdiction over violations of state law. Every municipality with a population under 5,000 can establish a municipal court.[7]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ State of North Dakota Courts, "About Us," accessed March 5, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: North Dakota," archived November 15, 2018
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedstructure - ↑ State Historical Society of North Dakota, "Archives - State Agencies - Supreme Court," accessed September 21, 2019
- ↑ State of North Dakota Courts, "Administrative Rule 27 - Court of Appeals," accessed March 5, 2021
- ↑ State of North Dakota Courts, "District Court," accessed March 5, 2021
- ↑ State of North Dakota Courts, "Municipal Courts," accessed March 5, 2021
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of North Dakota • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of North Dakota
State courts:
North Dakota Supreme Court • North Dakota Court of Appeals • North Dakota District Courts • North Dakota Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in North Dakota • North Dakota judicial elections • Judicial selection in North Dakota
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