Judges

Bradley A. Cruff

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 16:17:26 GMT

Judge Cruff was elected as District Court Judge in 2012 for the Southeast Judicial District judgeship #3 located in Wahpeton, ND.

Born in 1964; Judge Cruff is a native of Valley City, ND. Judge Cruff was raised on the family farm and ranch at rural Rogers, North Dakota. He attended Barnes County North High School graduating in 1982. He graduated from Valley City State College in 1986; and received his Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1994. He was admitted to the N.D. Bar on October 5, 1994.

After graduation, Judge Cruff became an associate at the Carol S. Nelson law firm of Valley City. He was elected and served on as the Valley City Municipal Judge from 1996-1998 at which time the Nelson and Lenaburg, Fitzner, Hooper firms merged and he served in the capacity of Assistant City Attorney for Valley City. He was elected the Barnes County Commissioner in 1998 and served until 2002.

In 2000 Judge Cruff became a partner in the firm of Lenaburg, Fitzner, Nelson, Hooper & Cruff. In 2005, he served briefly as City Attorney for Valley City before being appointed as the Barnes County State’s Attorney where he practiced as a prosecutor until he was elected to the bench.

James D. Hovey

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 16:12:39 GMT

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.

Troy J. LeFevre

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 21:13:37 GMT

Judge LeFevre was elected as District Court Judge in 2016 for the Southeast Judicial District #7 located in Jamestown, ND.

Born in 1974; Judge LeFevre is a native of Jamestown, ND graduating from Jamestown High School in 1992. He received his Bachelor's of Adminisration in Political Science from the University of North Dakota in 1996, and received his Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2002. He was admitted to the N.D. Bar on October 4, 2002.

Judge LeFevre worked in private legal practice from 2002-2004 and worked as a Law Clerk for the Southeast Judicial District from 2004-2006. He was the Chief Assistant State's Attorney for Stutsman County from 2006 until his judgeship in 2016.

Jay A. Schmitz

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 16:15:50 GMT

Judge Schmitz was elected in 2010 as District Court Judge for the Southeast Judicial District #6, located in Valley City, N.D. He was re-elected in 2010 and 2016.

Born in 1962 in Pierre, S.D.; Judge Schmitz was raised on a cattle ranch near Verona, N.D. He graduated from Oakes High School in 1980. He received his Bachelors of Administration in Political Science from Moorhead State University in 1985. He received his Juris Doctor from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, CA in 1989; and was admitted to the N.D. State Bar on May 1, 2000.

After graduation, Judge Schmitz worked in private legal practice in Los Angeles, CA from 1989-1995. After moving back to North Dakota, he worked in private legal practice in Oakes, N.D. from 2000-2002. He served as the Stutsman County Chief Assistant State's Attorney in Jamestown, N.D. from 2003-2010.

James T. Shockman

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 20:52:42 GMT

Judge Shockman was appointed as District Court Judge by Governor Doug Burgum in 2024 for the Southeast Judicial District, Judgeship #1, located in Jamestown, ND.

Born in 1986; Judge Shockman was raised in Berlin, N.D., where he is still active on his family's farm. He attended LaMoure High School, graduating in 2004. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management from St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, and his Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN in 2011. He was admitted to the Arizona State Bar in 2011, and the N.D. State Bar on April 30, 2013.

Judge Shockman served as LaMoure State's Attorney from January 2019 to 2023. Judge Shockman also had a solo private legal practice from 2015 until his judgeship in 2024. Judge Shockman also worked as an attorney for Murnane Brandt in Bismarck, N.D. and practiced law in the area of securities litigation in Phoenix, AZ.

Nicholas D. Thornton

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:12:21 GMT

Judge Thornton was elected as District Court Judge in 2022 for the Southeast Judicial District judgeship #2 located in Valley City, ND.

Born in 1980; Judge Thornton is a native of Jamestown. He graduated from Jamestown High School in 1998 and attended Minnesota State University in Moorhead, MN receiving his Bachelor of Administration in Criminal Justice in 2003. He graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Law and received his Juris Doctor in 2006. Judge Thornton was admitted to the N.D. Bar on September 25, 2006.

Judge Thornton served as a law clerk for Justice Carol Ronning Kapsner at the North Dakota Supreme Court from 2006-2007. He was in private legal practice at the Serkland Law Firm from 2007-2008; Assistant Public Defender at the Fargo Public Defender’s Office 2008-2013; and in private legal practice at the Fremstad Law Firm, 2013-2022.