Fact Brief

Has North Dakota only had four females on the state Supreme Court?

Yes.

North Dakota has had only four women serve on its Supreme Court since statehood.

The North Dakota News Cooperative is partnering with Gigafact to produce timely fact briefs, which are quick, evidence-based fact checks about trending claims relevant to North Dakota.

The first, Justice Beryl Levine, was appointed in 1985 and broke nearly a century of all-male membership on the state’s highest court. Justice Mary Muehlen Maring followed in 1996, serving nearly two decades.

Justice Carol Ronning Kapsner joined the court in 1998 and served until 2017. Justice Lisa Fair McEvers, appointed in 2014, is the court’s fourth female justice and the only woman currently serving.

More than 50 men have served on the North Dakota Supreme Court since 1889, making the historical ratio of male to female justices roughly 13 to 1.

In 2025, McEvers also became the first woman selected as chief justice in North Dakota history, marking a new milestone for representation on the bench. No other women have served on the Supreme Court.

This fact brief is in response to online conversations such as this one.

Sources:
North Dakota Courts - Justice Beryl J. Levine
North Dakota Courts - Justice Mary Muehlen Maring
North Dakota Courts - Justice Carol Ronning Kapsner
North Dakota Courts - Justice Lisa Fair McEvers

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Yes.

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