Jon J. Jensen (born 1965) is an American lawyer and judge, who is the chief justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court.[1] He previously served as a district court judge in North Dakota from 2013 to 2017.
Jon Jensen | |
---|---|
Chief Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court | |
Assumed office January 1, 2020 | |
Preceded by | Gerald W. VandeWalle |
Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court | |
Assumed office August 15, 2017 | |
Appointed by | Doug Burgum |
Preceded by | Carol Ronning Kapsner |
Personal details | |
Born | 1965 (age 58–59) Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S. |
Education | Minnesota State University, Mankato (BS) University of North Dakota (JD) |
Jensen was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1965.[2] He graduated from East Grand Forks Senior High School.[3] Jensen completed a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting at Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1987, and a J.D. degree at the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1990.[2][4] He clerked for North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph J. Erickstad in 1990-91.[1]
Jensen was in private practice from 1991 to 2012 with the Grand Forks law firm Pearson Christensen, specializing in tax law and commercial litigation.[1] He and his wife Linda Bata then operated their own firm, Jensen Bata, in 2012-2013.[3] Jensen also taught trial advocacy as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Dakota School of Law, and occasionally served as a special assistant to the North Dakota Attorney General.[4]
The Governor of North Dakota Jack Dalrymple appointed Jensen as a state judge in November 2013, serving in the Northeast Central Judicial District, which covers Grand Forks and Nelson counties.[5] Jensen served as presiding judge in 2015-2017.[1] He was re-elected unopposed to a new six-year term in 2016.[6]
In April 2017, North Dakota Supreme Court justice Carol Ronning Kapsner announced that she would retire from the court, effective from July 31, 2017.[7] A judicial nominating commission provided the Governor of North Dakota Doug Burgum with three names of possible replacements for the vacancy: Jensen, and two other state judges, James Hill and Robin Schmidt.[8] Governor Burgum announced that he had selected Jensen to replace Kapnser on July 12.[8]
Jensen was sworn in as a justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court on August 15, 2017.[1] He was elected chief justice on December 12, 2019.[9] His current term on the court expires on December 31, 2030, and he is eligible to run for re-election to a new ten-year term.[7]