JUDGE BOBBI WEILER South Central Judicial District
Judge Bobbi Weiler earned a bachelor ’ s degree in social and behavioral sciences from the University of Mary prior to earning her juris doctor from the Thomas M . Cooley Law School at Western Michigan University in Lansing , Mich . She then entered private practice , becoming a partner at the Bismarck law firm of Jackson , Thomason & Weiler , P . C . until her appointment to the bench .
She says she became interested in law when she was in high school , but her goal was to become a psychologist . It was a mentorship with South Central Judge Burt Riskedahl that turned her attention to law school . “ I never thought I would become a judge when I went to law school ,” says Weiler . “ In fact , I never wanted to be a trial attorney . However , I found in North Dakota , as a lawyer , you have to know a little about a lot of areas of law or be able to know how to research . When I took my first job as an associate attorney , it involved a lot of trial work . I found out that I loved trial work .” and compassionate . I want people to feel that even if they did not get the result they wanted , I was fair and treated them with respect . My long-term goal is to work on better addressing mental health issues in the law .”
She says the judgeship has had its challenges in the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic , but it has also had many rewards . “ The biggest reward so far is being able to help people and the community .”
JUDGE BONNIE L . STORBAKKEN South Central Judicial District
Judge Bonnie L . Storbakken held a degree in elementary education and was pursuing a master ’ s degree in social work when she decided to take the LSAT upon prompting from her mother . “ I put an application in to law school and got accepted . Then I had to decide ,” she says . “ I haven ’ t regretted that decision since .”
A few years ago , Weiler made a goal of running for a district judge and she began her judgeship in March 2020 . “ My goals as a district judge are simple : I want to be known as fair , impartial , consistent ,
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She says her experience as an educator and working with families in crisis was a benefit to her law career . “ I ’ ve always had an interest in making sure processes were fair ,” Storbakken notes . “ Everything
I have done has lent itself to that . Seeing
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Storbakken ’ s law career has also included working in private practice and mediation as well as serving as the North Dakota Labor Commissioner and as counsel to the North Dakota Governor . As a judge , she says her focus remains on respecting the judicial process . “ It is an acknowledgement of the people that have to walk through that process ,” says Storbakken . “ It ’ s important to me that everyone who comes before the court is treated with dignity and respect .”
One of the challenges she says she faces as a judge in a busy district is ensuring the schedule provides adequate time to properly address the issues before the Court , but Storbakken notes she is grateful she gets to set the tone for how she communicates with everyone during the process . “ I know I have respected the process and the people in the process . I love the job I am doing , even though I haven ’ t been in it long , I love the challenges and the position .”
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