Southeast Judicial District looking to retain judgeship seat in Valley City, ND

JAMESTOWN — The Southeast Judicial District is looking to retain a judgeship seat in Valley City, North Dakota, after it was vacated due to a retirement earlier this month. Judge Jay Schmitz retired on Oct. 3. He was first elected in 2010 as a district court judge for the Southeast Judicial District. Upon his retirement, Judge Schmitz will have served the State of North Dakota and the legal profession with dedication and professionalism for 37 years, wrote Gov. Kelly Armstrong in a letter to North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lisa Fair McEvers. I look forward to working with you to appoint a successor. Daniel Narum, presiding judge of the Southeast Judicial District, said the North Dakota Supreme Court sets a time period for comments to fill the judgeship seat, which closed on Friday, Oct. 9. He said the next step in the process is for the North Dakota Supreme Court to make a decision on the vacancy. The North Dakota Supreme Court has 90 days to deter