The new district judge in Fargo won't be a stranger to the Cass County courts over which she'll preside.
Lisa K. Fair McEvers, the state labor commissioner and a former Cass County prosecutor, was tapped by Gov. John Hoeven on Friday to fill the East Central Judicial District seat Judge Georgia Dawson will open when she retires Sept. 1.
"This is where I cut my teeth," McEvers said at the announcement in a Cass County courtroom as five of the district's judges sat in the jury box. "I learned a lot from these judges."
Hoeven said he was impressed by the balance and deliberation he credited McEvers with showing as the Labor Department head since 2005 and her experience as an assistant state's attorney in Cass County, the job she held prior to joining Hoeven's cabinet.
"She's represented the people and represented them very well," he said.
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Hoeven praised her as one of the most conscientious people he knows.
"I hate to see her going," he said.
McEvers said she's long had her eye on the bench, years before she graduated from the law school at the University of North Dakota in 1997. It's why she wanted to work as a prosecutor.
"I thought that would be the very best place to learn everything I could," said McEvers, a native of Minto, N.D., who has also worked in private practice.
Cass County State's Attorney Birch Burdick said McEvers was an aggressive prosecutor, handling drug cases mostly. He said she's bright and a hard worker, traits he considers particularly crucial in cases that extend beyond the routine.
"I think she could be a great judge," Burdick said.
Dawson, who began a six-year term in 2009, offered a glowing endorsement of her successor. The judge, who has been on the bench in Cass County since 1988, said McEvers' appointment is a prime reason she will leave the district in better shape than when she arrived.
In an evaluation survey conducted by the State Bar Association, McEvers came in third among four finalists for the judgeship in the category of overall qualification. Her average score was 3.83 out of 5. Fellow finalists Maureen Holman and DeAnn Pladson scored 4.39 and 3.94, respectively.
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Holman ranked highest in all five of the categories surveyed, including legal experience, judicial temperament, integrity, professional competence and overall qualification. The survey was based on responses from members of the State Bar Association.
Dawson is the presiding judge in the East Central Judicial District, a district that also includes courts in Traill and Steele counties.
After her retirement, the district's eight judges will vote to fill the post of presiding judge, which involves case assignment and administrative duties.
Though she's retiring as a judge, Dawson said she does plan to keep working but has no specific plans yet.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Dave Roepke at (701) 241-5535
