State Bar Association of North Dakota

Chief Justice to run for fourth term

Chief Justice Gerald W. VandeWalle announced today he will seek a fourth term on the North Dakota Supreme Court. Saying he hopes to “see through to conclusion” the major judicial reorganization plan that has been in the development stages for several years, the Chief said he would be very honored to lead the judicial branch through the transition to the new system.

North Dakota’s Chief Justice is widely regarded as the dean of the nation’s chief justices. The Chief served as the chair of the Board of Directors of the National Center of State Courts and as president of the Conference of Chief Justices. He is acclaimed as one of the country’s foremost experts in state-federal court relations, law school accreditation, multi-jurisdictional practice and bar admissions issues. At the American Bar Association’s mid-year meeting in San Antonio in February, Chief Justice VandeWalle will be addressing the National Conference of Bar Presidents on the ABA’s recent changes to the MJP rules.

On August 15, 2003, the Chief celebrated his 70th birthday and 25th anniversary on the Supreme Court bench. He was initially appointed by Governor Art Link in 1978 to fill an unexpired term when Robert Vogel resigned. He ran successfully for the unexpired term that November and was re-elected to ten-year terms in 1984 and 1994. He was elected chief justice by his colleagues in 1993 and was re-elected in 1995 and 2000.

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