North Dakota Judicial Conference
June 8-11, 1999
Bismarck
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m., June 8, 1999. The following members of the Judicial Conference were present:
Supreme Court Justices VandeWalle, Neumann, Sandstrom, Maring, Kapsner.
District Court Judges Graff, Hagerty, Jorgensen, Vukelic, Olson, McLees, Christofferson, Foughty, Geiger, McClintock, Kleven, Medd, Smith, Schmalenberger, Anderson, Backes, Leclerc, Cynthia Rothe-Seeger, Paulson, Bekken, Goodman, Simonson.
Surrogate Judges Beede, Glaser, Kerian, O'Keefe.
Clerk of the Supreme Court Miller.
Members of the Bar Moore, Hill, Lies, Sturdevant.
Judge Rustad, on behalf of the District Judges Association, nominated Judge Bekken as chair elect of the Judicial Conference. Judge Vukelic seconded the nomination. Judge Bekken was elected by acclamation.
It was announced that the District Judges Association appointed Judge Goodman and Judge Wefald to the Executive Committee.
For the Good of the Order
Judge Hagerty announced that retired Judge Dennis Schneider is in St. Vincent's Home.
Judge Graff also announced Judge Tom Schneider has been rehospitalized after his bypass surgery.
Judge Rustad moved, on behalf of the District Judges Association, that the attached resolution regarding judicial pay be approved. Judge Smith seconded the motion. Carried.
Judge Smith expressed his thanks to the Conference for the opportunity to serve as chair. He then passed the gavel to Justice Dale Sandstrom.
Justice Sandstrom presented a plaque to Judge Smith in recognition of his service to the conference.
Justice Sandstrom read a portion of the statute outlining the duties of the Judicial Conference.
The meeting adjourned at 11:25 a.m. The education portion of the conference continued as a part of the State Bar Association of North Dakota annual meeting.
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Keithe E. Nelson, Executive Secretary
Resolution Regarding Judicial Pay
WHEREAS, members of the judiciary rank 50th in the nation with respect to annual pay;
WHEREAS, it is critical to the administration of justice in North Dakota to have an independent and capable judiciary.
WHEREAS, it is appropriate that this issue be studied through the interim legislative process.
WHEREAS, an interim legislative committee on judicial matters would be the appropriate forum to study this question;
NOW, THEREFORE be it resolved by the Judicial Conference that we call upon the appropriate interim legislative committee to undertake the task of studying the question of judicial pay, and that a committee of members of this body be formed to work with the interim legislative committee.
Passed at the Judicial Conference, Bismarck, North Dakota, Wednesday, June 9, 1999