John C. Irby
Surrogate Judge
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.