Passing of the gavel ceremony set for Jan. 6 Friday, January 3, 2020

The passing of the gavel ceremony from Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle to incoming Chief Justice Jon Jensen will occur at 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 6, in the Supreme Court Courtroom in Bismarck.

The passing of the gavel is a formal ceremony intended to memorialize the transition of chief justices. Justice Jensen was chosen Dec. 12 to replace Chief Justice VandeWalle and assumed his new duties on Jan. 1.  

Chief Justice VandeWalle announced in September 2019 that he would not continue in his position. He has served as Chief Justice since 1993 and on the Supreme Court since 1978.

Justice Jensen graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1990.  He was a law clerk to the Supreme Court for the 1990-1991 term and then in private practice from 1991 to 2013. He was appointed Northeast Central Judicial District Judge in 2013 and appointed to the Supreme Court in 2017.