Community Service Awards
This award recognizes outstanding volunteer
service that has enhanced the quality of life in
the recipient’s community. The award is given
to individuals who have displayed adherence
to the highest professional standards during
their careers and who have displayed a long-
term commitment to volunteer service outside
the legal profession in their local community.
Deb Hoffarth –
North Central Judicial District
Debra Hoffarth is committed to volunteering
in her community. She is a member of the
Ward County Bar Association. She has
volunteered with John Larson Post No. 247
of the American Legion in Petersburg, N.D.,
as a Taps player with the Honor Guard
since 1988, and with Junior Achievement
since 2001. She has served on the boards of
Metigoshe Ministries, Lutheran Campus
Ministry at Minot State University, and
Children’s Museum of Minot, Inc. Hoffarth
is a member of First Lutheran Church, where
she has served on the Renewal and Personnel
Committees. She has also served on the CLE
Commission Committee. Hoffarth works
to encourage the next generation of lawyers
by volunteering to job shadow high school
students, participating in career events at local
schools, and coaching Surrey Public School’s
Mock Trial Team.
Albert Wolf –
South Central Judicial District
Al Wolf, who was admitted to the North
Dakota Bar in 1957 and just celebrated his
88th birthday, has been instrumental in many
community activities during his years of
practice in Bismarck. He is a past president,
and still a board member, of the Bismarck-
Mandan Symphony Orchestra and God’s
Child; he has been a leader in the Bismarck
Rotary Club; he is a District Governor for the
Serra Club, which fosters Catholic vocations;
he serves on the St. Gabriels Community
Foundation Board; and has played a major
role in fundraising efforts for the University of
Mary, St. Mary’s High School, Corpus Christi
Catholic Church, God’s Child, St. Gabriels,
and the Lawrence Welk Pioneer Homestead.
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THE GAVEL
Scott Sandness –
Southeast Judicial
District
Scott Sandness is from Jamestown
and, like many small-town
attorneys, his practice is diversified,
but he spends most of his time
with criminal defense and family
Deb Hoffarth, right, is presented with a Community
law clients. Sandness has a
Service Award by Zack Pelham, left, and Carrie Francis,
contract with the Indigent Defense center.
Commission to provide public
defender services for Stutsman County.
develop and start the Adult Drug Court for
For many years, he represented clients on
Stutsman and Barnes Counties. His office
involuntary mental health commitments
assistant also shared that Sandness has made
from the State Hospital. In the community,
a tremendous contribution to the life of her
Sandness has been very active with his
and her husband. Her husband is a stroke
church, chairing the finance committee,
survivor and resides in the nursing home due
serving on the pastoral council, and reading
to his need for constant care. Sandness allows
at Sunday Mass. He has been involved with
his assistant to bring her husband to the office
the Stutsman and Barnes County Juvenile
daily, where he has made him an integral part
Drug Court and, from its inception, has
of the office. Sandness gives him various tasks
served as its defense counsel. Sandness is
to do and always interacts with him, which has
currently working with the stakeholders to
given her husband a renewed sense of purpose.