Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court

Personal

Born in 1965 in Grand Forks and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Helena, Montana, and East Grand Forks, Minnesota; married to Linda Bata.

Education

Graduated with a BS in Accounting from Minnesota State University Mankato, Mankato, Minnesota, 1987. Earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law, 1990.

Professional Experience

Law Clerk, North Dakota Supreme Court, Bismarck, 1990 to 1991; private practice, Grand Forks, 1991 to 2013; Northwest Airlines, Egan, Minnesota, 2000-2001; District Judge, Northeast Central Judicial District, Grand Forks, 2013-2017, appointed by Governor Jack Dalrymple in 2013 and elected to a six-year term in 2016; appointed to the North Dakota Supreme Court by Governor Doug Burgum in August 2017; and elected to a full ten-year term in 2020; elected Chief Justice in December 2019 by vote of the district court judges and Supreme Court justices and re-elected for a full five-year term in 2020. Stepped down as Chief Justice December 2025.

Memberships and Committees

Caseflow Management Committee, 2016-2017. Juvenile Drug Court Advisory Committee, 2017-2021. Pretrial Detention Workgroup, 2018- 2020. Court Services Administration Committee, 2017-2019. Judicial Nominating Committee, 2026 to present. President, Grand Forks County Bar Association, 1999. Past Chair, North Dakota CPA Taxation Committee. Chair (North Dakota), ABA Real Property Taxation Section, 1996-1999. Member: American Bar Association; North Dakota State Bar Association Taxation Section; Minnesota State Bar Association; Ninth Judicial District (Minnesota) Bar Association. Member: North Dakota Society of Certified Public Accountants – Taxation Section and Public Relations Committee; Grand Forks County and Bismarck/Mandan Society of Certified Public Accountants (local chapters).