In 1979 the Supreme Court directed a complete reorganization of the district court system. Effective July 1, 1979, the state was divided into seven districts identified in terms of their geographic locations. Five new judgeships were authorized by the 1979 Legislature. Two additional judges were added in 1981 and one more in 1989. The 1991 Legislature unified the trial courts by abolishing the county courts and combining their functions into the district court. Twenty-five additional judges were added in 1995.
EAST CENTRAL JUDICIAL DISTRICT: Created in 1979 to include Cass, Steele and Traill counties.
John O. Garaas 1979-1988
Norman J. Backes 1979-2004
Michael O. McGuire 1979-2004
Lawrence A. Leclerc 1979-2004
Cynthia A. Rothe-Seeger 1988-present
Frank L. Racek 1995-present
Georgia M. Dawson 1995-present
Ralph R. Erickson 1995-2003
John C. Irby 2002-present
Wade L. Webb 2003-present
Douglas R. Herman 2004-present
Steven L. Marquart 2005-present
Steven E. McCullough 2005-present
NORTHEAST JUDICIAL DISTRICT: Created in 1979 to include Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, McHenry, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Renville, Rolette, Towner and Walsh counties.
Douglas B. Heen 1979-1986
James H. O'Keefe 1979-1994
William A. Neumann 1979-1992
Lee A. Christofferson 1986-present
Lester S. Ketterling 1995-2005
Donovan Foughty 1995-present
Thomas K. Metelmann 1995-1998
M. Richard Geiger 1995-present
John C. McClintock Jr. 1995-present
Laurie Fontaine 1998-present
Michael Sturdevant 2006-present
NORTHEAST CENTRAL JUDICIAL DISTRICT: Created in 1979 to include Grand Forks, Griggs and Nelson counties. In 2000, Griggs County was transferred to the Southeast Judicial District.
Albert C. Bakken 1979-1987
Kirk Smith 1979-2000
Joel D. Medd 1979-present
Bruce E. Bohlman 1987-2004
Lawrence E. Jahnke 1989-present
Debbie Gordon Kleven 1995-present
Karen Kosanda Braaten 2001-present
Sonja Clapp 2005-present
NORTHWEST JUDICIAL DISTRICT: Created in 1979 to include Burke, Divide, McKenzie, Mountrail, Ward and Williams counties.
Roy A. Ilvedson 1979-1980
William Beede 1979-1992
Everett Nels Olson 1979-2002
Wallace D. Berning 1979-1998
Jon R. Kerian 1980-1992
Bert Wilson 1981-1991
Gary A. Holum 1993-2004
Gerald H. Rustad 1993-present
David W. Nelson 1995-present
Glenn Dill III 1995-2001
Robert W. Holte 1995-2006
William W. McLees 1995-present
Douglas Mattson 2003-present
Gary Lee 2005-present
Richard L. Hagar 2007-present
SOUTH CENTRAL JUDICIAL DISTRICT: Created in 1979 to include Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, Kidder, Logan, McIntosh, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sioux and Sheridan counties.
Larry A. Hatch 1979-1991
William F. Hodny 1979-1997
Gerald G. Glaser 1979-1994
Benny A. Graff 1979-2004
Dennis A. Schneider 1979-1998
Warren H. Albrecht 1994-1994
Burt L. Riskedahl 1995-2006
Bruce B. Haskell 1995-present
Gail Hagerty 1995-present
Thomas J. Schneider 1995-present
Keith Wolberg 1995-1995
James Vukelic 1995-2000
Donald L. Jorgensen 1995-present (transferred from SWJD)
Robert O. Wefald 1999-present
Bruce A. Romanick 2001-present
Sonna Marie Anderson 2004-present
David Reich 2006-present
SOUTHEAST JUDICIAL DISTRICT: Created in 1979 to include Barnes, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, LaMoure, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Stutsman and Wells counties. In 2000, Griggs County was transferred to this district from the Northeast Central Judicial District.
Martin C. Fredricks 1979-1983
Hamilton E. Englert 1979-1980
Robert L. Eckert 1979-1995
John T. Paulson 1981-present
Gordon O. Hoberg 1983-1991
James A. Wright 1992- 1997
James M. Bekken 1995-present
Ronald E. Goodman 1995-2006
Mikal Simonson 1995-present
Richard W. Grosz 1995-present
Randall L. Hoffman 1995-1999
John E. Greenwood 1999-present
Daniel D. Narum 2006-present
SOUTHWEST JUDICIAL DISTRICT: Created in 1979 to include Adams, Billings, Bowman, Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Slope and Stark counties.
Norbert J. Muggli 1979-1981
Lyle G. Stuart 1979-1984
Maurice Hunke 1981-2000
Allan Schmalenberger 1981-present
Donald L. Jorgensen 1985-1995 (transferred to SCJD)
Ronald L. Hilden 1995-2006
Zane Anderson 1995-present
William Herauf 2006-present