A judicial nominating committee has narrowed a field of 16 lawyers to five finalists for an open judge seat in North Dakota's Northeast Central Judicial District, which covers Grand Forks and Nelson counties.
The seat was vacated by Judge Joel Medd when he retired Sept. 1. Gov. Jack Dalrymple now has 30 days to choose one of the finalists, ask for a different list of nominees or call for an election.
Whoever is chosen will serve as judge until the next general election after two years as judge, according to a press release from the North Dakota Supreme Court.
The finalists are Don Hager, Larimore; Jon Jensen, Grand Forks; M. Jason McCarthy, Grand Forks; Lolita Romanick, Grand Forks; and Jon Thelen, Grand Forks.
