UPCOMING EVENTS
CONTENTS
FEATURES
Can You Enter Canada with a Criminal Record?............................................................. 6 The North Dakota Office of Administrative Hearings..................................................... 8 Celebrating a Legacy: Honoring Judge Donovan Foughty’ s Retirement....................... 10 Judge Willam Severin: Long-time Municipal Judge has Stories to Tell......................... 12 UND School of Law Students Tour Fargo..................................................................... 13 ALPS: Why You Never Want to Set the Comfort Trap................................................. 14
Judge Jane Kelly Presents Historical Perspective of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals......................................................................... 16
Debiasing the Law: How Understanding Cognitive Biases Leads to a More Just Legal System................................................................................ 18
DEPARTMENTS
Fall 2025 VOLUME 72, NUMBER 4
SBAND President............................................................................................................ 4
North Dakota Supreme Court Highlights by Scott O. Diamond, Ian McLean, and Joshua A. Swanson............................................... 22
Understanding North Dakota’ s Limited Number of Law School Applicants by Bradley Myers.............................................................................................................. 24
Legislative and Rule Amendments to North Dakota’ s Rural Attorney Recruitment Program by Andy Forward......................................................................... 26
The Importance of a Network by Zack Pelham................................................................ 27 The Legal Writing Corner by Jennifer Cook and Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich................... 28 LSND: Building the Next Generation of Lawyers......................................................... 29 Young Lawyer Showcase................................................................................................ 30 Get to Know Your Board Member................................................................................. 32 Bar Foundation Update.................................................................................................. 34 Ethics Opinion............................................................................................................... 36 Discipline....................................................................................................................... 38
State Bar Association of North Dakota Officers
Board of Governors
Debra Hoffarth, Minot President Rob Manly, Fargo President-Elect Hon. Ted Sandberg, Grand Forks Immediate Past-President Paul Myerchin, Bismarck Secretary-Treasurer Zack Pelham, Bismarck ABA Delegate Robin Johansen, Fargo EC Judicial District Ben Sand, Bismarck SC Judicial District Diane Schull, Grand Forks NEC Judicial District
Ashley Ensrud, Minot NC Judicial District Hernando Perez, Williston NW Judicial District Amanda Engelstad, Dickinson SW Judicial District Ashley Lies, New Rockford SE Judicial District Ashley Samuelson, Devils Lake NE Judicial District Brian Pappas, Grand Forks Dean, UND Law School Erica Hovey, Fargo Young Lawyers Section Tony J. Weiler, Bismarck Executive Director
SBAND EDITORIAL BOARD
Sheldon Smith, Bismarck Chair
Joshua Swanson, Fargo Scott Diamond, Fargo Hope Hogan, Bismarck
Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich, Grand Forks
Jennifer Cook, Grand Forks Elizabeth Kriz, Bismarck Kat McNamara, West Fargo Jessica Klein, Minot Elizabeth Alvine, Fargo Katie Winbauer, Bismarck
THE
GAVEL
UPCOMING EVENTS
Dec. 4 • Bismarck 2025 Business & Corporations Section Seminar
Dec. 4-5 • Bismarck 2025 Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section Seminar
June 10-12 • Grand Forks 2026 SBAND Annual Meeting
State Bar Association of North Dakota
The Gavel is published by the State Bar Association of North Dakota
1661 Capitol Way, Suite 104LL Bismarck, ND 58501 info @ sband. org
Statements of opinions expressed herein are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of the State Bar Association of North Dakota, its officers, Board of Governors or staff. No endorsement of any product or service offered by any advertisement is intended or implied by publication in The Gavel. Contributions to The Gavel are welcome, but the right is reserved to select material to be published. All members of the Association receive The Gavel as part of their annual fees. Annual subscription price to nonmembers is $ 25. Third class postage paid at Bismarck, North Dakota 58502.
It is the policy of The Gavel to provide the magazine at no cost to current and former members of SBAND. To request a subscription, contact the SBAND office at 800-472-2685 or info @ sband. org.
On the Cover: South Central Judicial District Judge Marina Spahr was sworn in on Oct. 10. Photo provided by North Dakota State Courts.
FALL 2025 3