Photo by Poppy Mills / State of North Dakota focuses of Fair McEvers’.“ As a member of the North Dakota Children’ s Cabinet, I hope we can do more to get children who are involved in juvenile court appropriate services for their needs,” she notes of another goal for her tenure.
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY
Fair McEvers says the greatest reward of serving on the Supreme Court is working collaboratively with her colleagues to make their opinions easy to read and understand.“ I also really enjoy working with young people and law students we have the chance to interact with knowing that exposure to the court gives them examples of how they could actively participate in the practice of law,” she notes.
While not pointing to a specific case heard by the Supreme Court, Fair McEvers said there are certain types of cases that have left an impact on her.“ Some of the most memorable are instances when there was a novel issue, such as whether there can be insurance fraud by a party who let their insurance lapse before they attempt to make a claim, or where the role I played in a court proceeding made a profound difference in protecting vulnerable people, such as children or the elderly, the public, or a person whose personal liberty is being restrained when it shouldn’ t be,” she says.
Fair McEvers has served on many committees and boards, working to improve the judicial system and its processes, including: the Judicial Education Commission, 1992 to 1994; the Judiciary Standards Committee, 2004 to 2009; the Rough Rider Industries Prison Advisory Board, 2005 to 2013; the Domestic Violence Benchbook Subcommittee, 2009 to 2011; the Commission on the Alternatives to Incarceration, 2011 to 2017; the Cass County Resource Committee on Elder Abuse, 2013; the North Dakota Judges Association, 2013 to 2016; the Personnel Policy Board, 2013 to 2017; the Juvenile Policy Board, past chair, 2013 to 2023; the Juvenile Drug Court Advisory Committee, past chair, 2014 to 2017; the North Dakota Attorney General’ s Human Trafficking
Chief Justice Fair McEvers pictured with her husband, John P. McEvers.
Commission, 2015 to 2016; the North Dakota Dual Status Youth Initiative Group, 2015 to 2016; the Executive Committee of Judicial Conference, 2017 to 2020; and the Joint Procedure Committee, past chair, 2017 to 2026. She also serves on the United Tribes Criminal Justice Advisory Board, 2014 to present; and the Children’ s Cabinet, 2019 to present.
In addition to being a member of the State Bar Association of North Dakota( SBAND), she has also served on and was later chair of the SBAND Commission for Continuing Legal Education, 2006 to 2010, and the Pattern Jury Instruction Commission, 2012 to 2013. Fair McEvers is a member of the Big Muddy Bar Association, past member of the Cass County Bar Association, a member of the SBAND Women’ s Lawyers Section, and a member of the National Association of Women Judges.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORT
Fair McEvers says she is grateful for the support she has received as the state’ s newest Chief Justice.“ I have received hundreds of notes, emails, texts, and phone calls wishing me well, some from people I hardly know.”
But she also notes, she has learned the importance of nurturing this support throughout her career.
“ One of the biggest challenges in this position is one of my own making: the commute back and forth from West Fargo, but my husband and I make it work,” Fair McEvers says.“ I am incredibly grateful to the many people who have supported me throughout my career, but especially my husband, James P. McEvers. He has sacrificed much for me to follow my aspirations.”
From this support also comes her advice for young lawyers or those considering a law career.“ Chose your partner wisely, whether on a trial or appellate advocacy team in law school, in practice, or in your life partner. Your partner can either lift you up or drag you down.”
Fair McEvers and her husband have four sons and nine grandchildren, and when not serving on the bench, she says she enjoys watching her grandchildren’ s activities, walking, riding bike, and being active in her church.“ I also enjoy playing bagpipes and, when I am able, performing with a pipe band,” she says.
With the support of her family, colleagues, and those who served in the judiciary before her, Fair McEvers says she looks forward to serving as North Dakota’ s Chief Justice and continuing to build on the court’ s strong foundation.
8 THE GAVEL