William A. Herauf

Presiding Judge

Appointed: 2006 - Present

Judge Herauf was appointed as District Court Judge by Governor John Hoeven in 2006 for the Southwest Judicial District judgeship #2 located in Dickinson, ND.  He was then elected in 2008, re-elected in 2010 and 2016.  

Born in 1957 in Dickinson, ND, Judge Herauf graduated from Dickinson High School in 1975. He received his Bachelors of Administration from the  University of North Dakota in 1979, and received his  Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1982. He was admitted to the N.D. Bar on October 11, 1982.  He worked in pivate practice in Dickinson, ND until his judgeship in 2006.  

Roland A. Heringer

District Court Judge

Elected: 1961 - 1960

Judge Heringer was born in Wishek, North Dakota, May 28, 1914. He attended school at Wishek and Ashlely, North Dakota, where he graduated from high school in 1933. He then attended the University of North Dakota and graduated from the Law School in June, 1937. Shortly after graduating he opened his law practice in Rugby, North Dakota, he served as State's Attorney of Pierce County from 1939 to 1942 and again from 1947 to 1951. In 1955 he was elected President of the State Bar Association, due to ill health he resigned before completing his term. He was elected Judge of the Second Judicial District on November 8, 1960. He died on December 23, 1960, before entering the duties as Judge.

Douglas R. Herman

District Court Judge

Appointed: 2004 - 2019

Born in 1949. B.A., Baylor University, 1971; J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1975. General counsel, Great Plains Software, 1997-2004. Private legal practice, Vogel Law Firm, 1977-1997. Appointed District Judge of the East Central Judicial District 2004 by Governor John Hoeven. Elected 2006, 2010, 2016. Married: wife, Sarah. Three sons, Matthew, Samuel, Joseph.

Ronald L. Hilden

District Court Judge

Elected: 1995 - 2006

Born in 1945, Hettinger, ND. United States Marine Corps 1966-1970. B. A. University of North Dakota 1972, J.D., University of North Dakota School of Law 1976. Private practice in Fargo, ND 1976-81. Appointed Stark County Judge 1983. Elected District Judge 1994, 1998 and 2004. SBAND Board of Governors 1986-88. Board member ABA, National Conference of Special Court Judges, 1988-94. Admitted in North and South Dakota. Member Ruger Collectors Association and Goldwing Riders Club. Retired Nov. 1, 2006. Judge Hilden died June 29, 2009 in Lead, South Dakota.

James S. Hill

District Court Judge

Appointed: 2014 - Present

Judge Hill was appointed as District Court Judge by Governor Jack Dalrymple in 2014 for the South Central Judicial District judgeship #8 located in Linton, ND.  He was elected in 2016.  

Born in 1949; Judge Hill is a native of Grand Forks.  He received his Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1974, and was admitted to the N.D. Bar on July 24, 1974. 

Judge Hill served five years as assistant U.S. attorney in Bismarck. He has served as a representative of the State Bar Association and House of Delegates to the ABA Board of Governors.  He was in private legal practice in Bismarck from 1981 until his judgeship in 2014.  

Gordon O. Hoberg

District Court Judge

Appointed: 1983 - 1991

Born September 13, 1929, at Burnstad, N.D. Graduate of Bismarck High School; Jamestown College, 1956; University of North Dakota School of Law, 1959; National Law College. Veteran of Korean Conflict. Admitted to North Dakota Bar, 1959; practiced law in Wishek and Napoleon, 1959-1983; Logan County State's Attorney for 20 years. Appointed District Judge, August 12, 1983. Elected 1984 and 1990. Retired as District Judge, 1991. Appointed Surrogate Judge, 1992. Member: Court Services Administration Committee, National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges, North Dakota Bar Association, Stutsman County Bar Association, Lions, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Jamestown College Alumni Board. Married to Shirley Feil. Four children: Grayson, Connie, John, and Eric.

William F. Hodny

District Court Judge

Elected: 1975 - 1998

Born December 3, 1932, Lankin, North Dakota. U.S. Air Force, 1950-53. Graduate of University of N.D. Law School, 1960. Practiced law in Mandan, 1960-67. Morton County Judge, 1967-74. Elected District Judge: 1974, 1980, 1986, and 1992. Retired as District Judge, March 11, 1998. Appointed Surrogate Judge, 1998. Married: wife, Joann; three children.

Randall L. Hoffman

District Court Judge

Elected: 1995 - 1999

Born in Kensal, ND, in 1955. Owned and operated a farm from 1973 through 1984. B.S., North Dakota State University, 1985; J.D., University of North Dakota School of Law, 1991. Engaged in private practice from 1991-94 with emphasis on family and criminal law. Elected district judge in November 1994. Resigned effective April 30, 1999.

Daniel B. Holt

District Court Judge

Appointed: 1932 - 1946

Judge Holt was born in Woodsville, New Hampshire, on October 21, 1866. He attended St. Johnsbury Academy of Vermont; received his A. B. degree from Harvard University, 1890. He moved to Fargo, North Dakota in 1892, and began his study of law, in the law firm of Colonel John D. Benton and Charles F. Amidon. He was admitted to the North Dakota Bar in 1898. He engaged in the practice of law at Fargo, North Dakota for many years. Under an appointment of Judge John Burke, he conducted a study of workmen's compensation insurance, and did much of the preliminary work and study resulting in the enactment of the present North Dakota Workmen's Compensation Law. In May, 1932 he was appointed Judge of the First Judicial District, by Governor George F. Shafer. Due to ill health he retired in the fall of 1946. Judge Holt died in the City of Wilmington, Delaware, March 16, 1947.

Robert W. Holte

District Court Judge

Elected: 1995 - 2006

Born in 1941, Minot, ND. Graduated from University of North Dakota with B.S. degree 1963; M.S. degree 1966; J.D. degree 1971. Law Clerk, North Dakota Supreme Court 1971-72. Public and private practice 1973-85. Appointed to county court judgeship for Burke, Divide, and Mountrail Counties 1985. Elected to District Court in 1994, and 2000. Retired as district judge Dec. 31, 2006. Married. Four children.

Gary A. Holum

District Court Judge

Appointed: 1981 - 2004

Born in 1937, Minot, ND. Undergraduate at Harvard University 1955-56 with BSBA degree from University of North Dakota 1960. J.D. degree from University of North Dakota School of Law 1971. Admitted to Bar - North Dakota and U.S. District Court 1971. Private practice 1971-81. Appointed Ward County Judge 1981 and elected thereafter. Elected District Judge in 1992, and 1998. Retired as District Judge Dec. 31, 2004. Died Sept. 9, 2007.

James D. Hovey

District Court Judge

Appointed: 2010 - Present

Judge Hovey was appointed as District Court Judge by Governor John Hoeven in 2010 for the Southeast Judicial District judgeship #4 located in New Rockford, ND. He was elected in 2014, and re-elected in 2016.  

Born in 1964; Judge Hovey received his Bachelor of Administration degree in Russian and Soviet Studies from the University of North Dakota in 1987.  He graduated from the University of Arizona with a Masters in Administration in Russian Language and Literature in 1991. He received his Juris Doctor with distinction from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1996, and was admitted to the N.D. Bar on September 27, 1996.  

Judge Hovey served as an instructor for the University of North Dakota Center for Legal studies in 2002, taught basic Russian as a graduate student and completed 260 hours of language instruction at Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia. He was the city attorney in Larimore, N.D. from 2001 until his judgeship in 2010. 

Maurice R. Hunke

District Court Judge

Appointed: 1981 - 2000

Born in 1939, Richardton, ND. Graduate: Taylor High School; BA, Dickinson State College; JD, University of North Dakota School of law. Two years active duty, U. S. Army. Admitted to Bar 1963. Law clerk to the Honorable Charles J. Vogel, U. S. Judge of Court of Appeals; private practice in Dickinson; Dickinson City Attorney 1973-81. Appointed District Judge 1981. Elected 1982, 1988, 1994. Member Association of Trial Lawyers of America, American Judicature Society. Married: Diana Lamprecht; two daughters: Carolyn and Linda. Left office as District Judge December 31, 2000. Surrogate Judge March 1, 2001-December 31, 2001. Judge Hunke died May 21, 2016.

Michael P. Hurly

District Court Judge

Appointed: 2017 - Present

Judge Hurly was appointed as District Court Judge by Governor Doug Burgum in 2017 for the Northeast Judicial District judgeship #2 located in Rugby, ND.  

Born in 1984; Judge Hurly received his Bachelor's degree in philosophy from North Dakota State University in 2000.  He received his Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2005, and was admitted to the N.D. Bar on October 8, 2007.  

Judge Hurly served as a law clerk for the 16th Montana Judicial District from 2005 to 2006. He was in private legal practice in Devils Lake from 2007 until his judgeship in 2017.

William H. Hutchinson

District Court Judge

Appointed: 1929 - 1956

Judge Hutchinson was born in Alexandria, Minnesota, July 24, 1882. He came to North Dakota in 1886 and attended the rural school of LaMoure County. He attended Valley City State Teachers College in 1903, and graduated with a law degree from the University of North Dakota in 1907. He served as LaMoure City Attorney, and State's Attorney of LaMoure County. He was appointed Judge of the Third Judicial District, by Governor George F. Schafer in 1929, he served in that capacity until his retirement in 1956. Judge Hutchinson died on May 3, 1969.

Roy A. Ilvedson

District Court Judge

Elected: 1948 - 1980

Judge Ilvedson was born in Minot, North Dakota, February 17, 1910. Graduated from the Minot High School, attended Minot State University and studied law with Attorney Ed Sinkler for four years. He then passed the North Dakota bar exam in 1934 and opened his own law office. He later served as State's Attorney of Ward County and was also a partner in the Ilvedson, Pringle & Herigstad Law Firm. He also served as president of the North Dakota Bar Association. He served as Judge of the Fifth Judicial District from 1948 until 1952. In 1962 he was elected Judge of the Fifth Judicial District, term to begin January 1963. With the reorganization of the district court system in 1979, he became Judge of the Northwest Judicial District, he served in that capacity until his retirement in 1980. Judge Ilvedson died January 29, 1993.

John C. Irby

Presiding Judge

Appointed: 2002 - Present

Judge Irby was appointed as District Court Judge by Governor John Hoeven in 2002 for the East Central Judicial District #8 located in Fargo, ND. He was elected in 2006, re-elected in 2012 and 2018.  

Born 1956, Judge Irby is a native of Warroad, MN.  He graduated from Falls Senior High School in International Falls, MN.  He received his Bachelor of Administration from Moorhead State University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming in 1982, and was admitted to the N.D. Bar on  May 4, 1982.   

Judge Irby was a legal intern for Legal Services for Southeastern Wyoming, Inc. in 1980. He was in private legal practice in Casselton, ND from 1982-2002.  He served as the city prosecutor and assistant city attorney from 1982 until his judgeship in 2002.  

William A. Jacobsen

District Court Judge

Elected: 1943 - 1952

Judge Jacobsen was born in Burlington Township, Ward County, North Dakota, August 31, 1901. He graduated from Minot High School in 1920 and the University of North Dakota in 1924. He received his law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1926, and moved to Watford City to open his law practice. He served as McKenzie County State's Attorney during the 1930's and 1940's, he was also City Attorney and Magistrate of Watford City. Served as Judge of the Fifth Judicial District, from 1943 to 1948, before joining the United States Department of State as a War Crimes Judge in Germany. He held that position until 1952 when he returned to Watford City. Judge Jacobsen died on December 31, 1990.

Paul W. Jacobson

District Court Judge

Appointed: 2013 - 2023

Born September 1948 in Valley City. Graduated Fargo North H.S., 1966. North Dakota State University, B.A., History and Economics, 1970. University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 1973. Served in U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps 1974-1979. Private legal practice, Williston, 1979-1993. Assistant Disciplinary Counsel, 1993-1999. Disciplinary Counsel, 1999-2013. Appointed District Judge in 2013, elected 2016.

Lawrence E. Jahnke

District Court Judge

Appointed: 1989 - 2015

Born in 1942, Minneapolis, MN. Undergrad: UND - June 1964 (B.S.B.A.). J.D. degree University of North Dakota 1966. Active duty as Judge Advocate, United States Air Force 1966-86. Private practice 1986-89. Appointed District Judge May 1989 by Governor George A. Sinner. Elected District Judge in 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2014. Admitted to North Dakota, Montana, and Federal District Court for North Dakota, United States Supreme Court, and United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Married. Wife, Shirley. Three children. Retired as district judge in March 2015.