Spring 2020 Gavel 268650 SBAND Gavel Magazine_web | Page 6

Chief Justice Jon J. Jensen: Leading with
a passion for the North Dakota Judicial System
By Kylie Blanchard, Clearwater Communications
North Dakota Supreme Court Justice Jon J. Jensen has a passion
for the North Dakota Judicial System. He spent more than 20 years
in private practice before being appointed a North Dakota district
court judge in 2013. He was then appointed to the North Dakota
Supreme Court in 2017, and, late last year, was elected Chief
Justice through a vote of the state’s 52 district court judges and five
Supreme Court justices.
He stepped into the role of Chief Justice following a 27-year tenure
by Justice Gerald VandeWalle, who remains on the Supreme Court.
Jensen is serving as the state’s 44th Chief Justice and only the
third Chief Justice since 1973, following Chief Justices Ralph J.
Erickstad and VandeWalle. A passing of the gavel ceremony
was held on Jan. 6 in the Ralph J. Erickstad Courtroom at the
North Dakota Supreme Court, marking his transition to the
helm of the state’s judiciary.
He says his varied experience in the state’s judicial system helped to
prepare him for the role of Chief Justice. “I think having a variety
of practice experiences was helpful in preparing me for a role on
the bench,” Jensen says. “Just having an understanding of how
trial courts operate is something that helped to prepare me for the
Supreme Court.”
A Career in Law
Jensen grew up in Grand Forks and received an accounting degree
from Minnesota State University Mankato in Mankato, Minn., and
continues to be licensed as a certified public accountant (CPA). He
continued his education at the University of North Dakota (UND)
School of Law. “One of my older brothers was in law school when I
was in high school and that had a significant impact on my decision
to attend law school,” he says.
Chief Justice Jon J. Jensen
accepts the gavel from his
predecessor Justice Gerald W.
VandeWalle at the Passing of the
Gavel ceremony held in January.
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