The North Dakota Supreme Court is the highest court of law in the state of

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

. The Court rules on questions of law in appeals from the state's district courts. Each of the five justices are elected on a no-party ballot for ten year terms, arranged such that one seat is contested every two years. The Chief Justice is elected from the Justices every five years (or upon vacancy) by vote of the Supreme Court justices and the District Court judges. The Supreme Court is empowered to constitute a Court of Appeals consisting of a three-member panel chosen from active and retired District Court judges, retired Supreme Court justices, and lawyers. The Court of Appeals only hears cases specifically assigned to it by the Supreme Court, which is done only infrequently. Under Article 6, Section 4 of the North Dakota Constitution, The North Dakota Supreme Court "shall not declare a legislative enactment unconstitutional unless at least four of the members of the court so decide." North Dakota and

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

are the only two states that require a supermajority of state Supreme Court justices to rule a legislative provision unconstitutional.

Justices

Current composition

Vacancies and pending nominations

References

External links

* Government of North Dakota

North Dakota law 1889 establishments in North Dakota Courts and tribunals established in 1889 {{NorthDakota-stub