Douglas B. Heen

Judge Heen was born in Dunn Center, North Dakota on June 12, 1920. He attended schools in Grand Forks, graduating from Central High School, Grand Forks, North Dakota. He attended Cambridge University Law School, Cambridge, England, and graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1947. He practiced law in Devils Lake, North Dakota, served as State's Attorney of Ramsey County from 1947 to 1952 and Veterans Service Officer from 1955 until 1959, when he was appointed Judge of the Second Judicial District by Governor John E. Davis. With the reorganization of the district court system in 1979, he became Judge of the Northeast Judicial District, he served in that capacity until his retirement on July 10, 1986. He was Chief Presiding Judge 1980-1986, after his retirement he continued serving as surrogate judge until November 1993. In 1986 Judge Heen received the Distinguished Service Award, the most prestigious award given by the State Bar Association of North Dakota. Judge Heen died at age 80 on February 2, 2001.