The State Bar Association of North Dakota Spring 2015 Gavel Magazine | Page 4

SBAND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
in line with increases given to executive
branch employees, and additional staff
positions.  The Court will have additional
space at the Capitol, space which was
vacated by moving the State’s technology
division to a new building. 
The budget also includes funding for an
additional four district court judges, with
chambers to be assigned by the Supreme
Court. At one point, the legislation would
have provided for five additional judges
and specified chambers, but through
negotiations, the number was reduced and
the Supreme Court was given discretion as
to where the judges will be chambered.

TONY J. WEILER
SBAND Executive Director
The legislators have come and gone!  The
64th Legislative session finished its work
on April 29, after being in session for 78
days.  Under North Dakota’s constitution,
the legislature may meet for 80 days each
biennium.  That means the legislators
could return to Bismarck for two days
before the next legislative session in 2017. 
The biennial state budget was the focus
of the legislative session.  Because of its
importance to the State Bar Association,
the court system budget was a priority
during the session.  The summary
following this column shows more detail.
In his State of the Judiciary address at the
beginning of the session, Chief Justice
Gerald VandeWalle stressed the need
for additional judges, additional court
personnel, and additional space.  These
needs were driven by an increased caseload
and a need to be responsive to those who
utilize the court system.  The legislators
heard the Chief Justice – loud and clear
– and increased the overall budget for the
judicial branch by more than $15 million. 
The increase includes additional
compensation for court system employees,
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THE GAVEL

The Supreme Court has also ordered that
the judgeship vacated by Judge Lawrence
Jahnke in the Northeast Central Judicial
District be retained by that district. 
That means that the Judicial Nominating
Committee will be busy, and that a call will
go out soon for North Dakota attorneys
to apply for judgeships.  Recruiting
and retaining highly qualified judges is
important to SBAND.  In the past two
years, Governor Jack Dalrymple has
appointed 10 new district court judges and
one Supreme Court justice.
Other important legislation was adopted
during the session.  Legislation for the
prevention of and remedies for human
trafficking was a focus this session.
Driving under the influence statutes were
amended and clarified, and several uniform
acts w