Supreme Court seeks judgeships; Possibly one in Dickinson

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BISMARCK (AP) — North Dakota’s chief justice said he will be asking the Legislature to approve new judgeships to help handle cases in the state’s booming western oil-producing region.

A report compiled by the nonprofit National Center for State Courts states that three to six new judgeships are needed, including at least two in northwestern North Dakota in the center of the state’s oil

development.

The report was given to The Associated Press by state Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle.

VandeWalle said he hasn’t decided how many judgeships to request but that he’ll ask for an increase.

North Dakota has 44 district judges handling trials. During the 1990s, the number of county and district judges was cut from 53 under a consolidation plan.

But some of those eliminated positions are now needed, VandeWalle said.

The Legislature agreed three years ago to add new state district judgeships in Minot and Jamestown.

The new workload report estimates that along with at least two new judges in the six-county district in northwestern North Dakota, court workloads also justify putting two new judges in Fargo, one in Bismarck and perhaps one in Dickinson.

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