--- title: "Gerald W. VandeWalle | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerald-w-vandewalle-5347" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Gerald W. VandeWalle North Dakota Supreme Court · Justice ## Profile - Court: North Dakota Supreme Court - State: North Dakota - Role: Justice - Service status: former - Last verified: 2026-10-02 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, North Dakota Supreme Court, 1979-present - 2019: Stepped down as Chief Justice but continued serving on the Court until retirement in 2023 - North Dakota Supreme Court from1978 until retirement inJanuary2023 and as chief justice in1993–2019 - American lawyer and jurist who held the role of a justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1978 until his retirement in January 2023, and as the state’s Chief Justice — 1993–2019 - 1993–2019: Elected Chief Justice by vote of district court judges and Supreme Court justices; re-elected in 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 - He entered the state bar in1958 and held a position as special assistant attorney general, becoming first assistant in1975 - The longest-serving Chief Justice in North Dakota history and, at the time of his retirement, the oldest Chief Justice in the nation ### Education - Juris Doctor magna cum laude in 1958 from the University of North Dakota School of Law, held the role of editor of the North Dakota Law Review, and was elected to the Order of the Coif and Phi Alpha Delta - Raised in Noonan, he obtained a University of North Dakota commerce B.S. in1955 and magna cum laude J.D. in1958, editing the law review and receiving Order of the Coif honors ### Additional information - Honors include the2015 Rough Rider Award and honorary doctorates - He received numerous awards, including the North Dakota State Bar Association Distinguished Service Award (1998), National Center for State Courts Paul C. Reardon Award (2003), ABA Robert J. Kutak Award (2009), and the University of North Dakota Doctor of Letters (2015) - Governor Arthur Link appointed him to the Supreme Court inAugust1978; he won election that November and reelections in1984,1994,2004 and2014 - VandeWalle chaired the North Dakota Judicial Conference (1985–1987), held the role of President of the Conference of Chief Justices (2000–2001), and held leadership roles in the American Bar Association’s Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, the National Center for State Courts, and the Federal/State Jurisdiction Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States - VandeWalle was born and raised in Noonan, ND, and graduated in 1955 with a B.S. in Commerce from the University of North Dakota, earning honors and memberships in several professional and honorary fraternities - Born August 15, 1933, in Noonan, North Dakota - Date of birth: 1933-08-15 - A new biography, Call Me Jerry, details his 65-year public service career and personal character - His tenure saw major judicial reforms, equitable school funding advances, family law mediation, and influential rulings on issues from same-sex custody to corporate taxation - His portfolios included education, oil and gas, and retirement matters - His leadership included the state Judicial Conference, Conference of Chief Justices, ABA legal-education section and federal/state jurisdiction committee - Birth place: Noonan ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### remote hearing and evidence Scope: statewide North Dakota Administrative Rule 52 permits reliable electronic-means proceedings in district and municipal courts on the court's or a party's motion; a party seeking the proceeding must give notice and obtain court approval. Evidence excerpt: Parties seeking to hold an electronic means proceeding must provide notice to the other parties and obtain approval from the court. [North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 52: Reliable Electronic Means Proceedings](https://www.ndcourts.gov/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-supreme-court/general-news/remote-proceedings-by-electronic-means-a-useful-tool) Source checked: 2026-07-27 ### remote hearing and evidence Scope: statewide North Dakota's official Rule 52 guidance states that in civil actions a court may conduct a hearing, conference, other proceeding, or take testimony by reliable electronic means. Evidence excerpt: In a civil action, the court may conduct a hearing, conference, or other proceeding, or take testimony, by reliable electronic means. [North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 52: Reliable Electronic Means Proceedings](https://www.ndcourts.gov/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-supreme-court/general-news/remote-proceedings-by-electronic-means-a-useful-tool) Source checked: 2026-07-27 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/justices) - [Official roster](https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/justices) - [North Dakota Supreme Court current judicial profile](https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/justices) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5347/gerald-w-vandewalle/) - [North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 52: Reliable Electronic Means Proceedings](https://www.ndcourts.gov/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-supreme-court/general-news/remote-proceedings-by-electronic-means-a-useful-tool) - [Gerald W. VandeWalle | North Dakota Office of the Governor](https://www.governor.nd.gov/theodore-roosevelt-rough-rider-award/gerald-w-vandewalle) - [North Dakota Court System - Gerald W. VandeWalle](https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/justices/geraldwvandewalle) - [Wikidata: Gerald W. VandeWalle](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5549660) - [North Dakota Supreme Court current judicial profile](https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/justices) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5347/gerald-w-vandewalle/) - [North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 52: Reliable Electronic Means Proceedings](https://www.ndcourts.gov/news/north-dakota/north-dakota-supreme-court/general-news/remote-proceedings-by-electronic-means-a-useful-tool) - [Gerald W. VandeWalle | North Dakota Office of the Governor](https://www.governor.nd.gov/theodore-roosevelt-rough-rider-award/gerald-w-vandewalle) - [North Dakota Court System - Gerald W. VandeWalle](https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/justices/geraldwvandewalle) - [Wikidata: Gerald W. VandeWalle](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5549660) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerald-w-vandewalle-5347", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerald-w-vandewalle-5347", "name": "Gerald W. VandeWalle | KnowJudges", "description": "Gerald W. VandeWalle, North Dakota Supreme Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-07", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerald-w-vandewalle-5347#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerald-w-vandewalle-5347#judge", "name": "Gerald W. VandeWalle", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerald-w-vandewalle-5347", "jobTitle": "Justice", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "North Dakota Supreme Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/justices", "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5347/gerald-w-vandewalle/" ], "birthDate": "1933-08-15", "birthPlace": "Noonan", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of North Dakota" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of North Dakota" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of North Dakota" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of North Dakota School of Law" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "North Dakota", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/north-dakota" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gerald W. VandeWalle", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/gerald-w-vandewalle-5347" } ] } ] } ```