Kari Michelle Agotness

Judge Agotness was appointed as District Court Judge by Governor Doug Burgum in 2021 for the Northeast Judicial District judgeship #5 located in Cavalier, ND.  

Born in 1973; Judge Agotness is a native of Park River. She earned her peace officer’s certificate from Lake Region State College in Devils Lake and her undergraduate degrees from the University of North Dakota.  She graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Law, and was admitted to the N.D. Bar on October 8, 2007.

Judge Agotness served as Ramsey County Clerk of District Court for nine years. She was appointed Ramsey County State’s Attorney in 2017 and elected to the position in 2018, overseeing criminal prosecutions, juvenile court, child support enforcement and civil actions, among other duties. She previously worked as a domestic violence advocate, a police officer and a special assistant attorney general for regional child support in Jamestown.

She is a fellow of the National Center for State Courts’ Institute for Court Management in Williamsburg, Va., and served as president of the Lake Region Bar Association and as a member of the Human Trafficking Protocol Team for Ramsey County.