North Dakota governor appoints longtime Fargo attorney and former officer to state Supreme Court
Fargo, North Dakota – North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong announced the appointment of longtime Fargo attorney Mark Friese to the North Dakota Supreme Court. Friese will officially take the bench on March 9, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Daniel Crothers, who announced on Nov. 26 that he would step down effective Feb. 28 after serving on the state’s highest court since 2005.
The appointment ensures continuity on the court while introducing a justice whose career spans law enforcement, military service, legal education, and courtroom advocacy. Armstrong expressed strong confidence in his choice, emphasizing both Friese’s legal skill and the breadth of his professional experience.
“Mark is a brilliant, fair-minded and well-respected lawyer who has excelled as one of our state’s premier trial attorneys for more than two decades,” Armstrong said. “His deep understanding of the law and broad experience as a police officer, Supreme Court clerk, law school instructor, defense attorney and military lawyer will bring a uniquely informed perspective to the Supreme Court and serve North Dakota citizens well.”
A Career Built on Law, Service, and Leadership
Friese is a shareholder at Vogel Law Firm in Fargo, where he has practiced primarily criminal defense law for 25 years while also handling civil litigation matters. Before joining the firm, he clerked for North Dakota Supreme Court Justice Dale Sandstrom, gaining firsthand insight into appellate decision-making.
His path to the courtroom began in public service. Prior to earning his law degree in 2000, Friese spent five years as a Bismarck police officer. That early experience exposed him to the practical realities of the justice system and helped shape his legal perspective.
Friese also served 24 years in the North Dakota Army National Guard, retiring in 2011 as a lieutenant colonel. During his military career, he held numerous leadership and legal roles, including platoon leader, executive officer, detachment commander, company commander, assistant staff judge advocate, and state judge advocate. This combination of operational leadership and legal responsibility added another dimension to his professional background.
Beyond his private practice, Friese has played a significant role in shaping North Dakota’s legal system. He has served on the Supreme Court’s Joint Procedure Committee since 2018 and previously completed a three-year term on the Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee. He currently chairs the North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents and was admitted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2023, an honor recognizing exceptional trial attorneys.
Deep Roots in North Dakota
Born in Minot and raised in Bismarck, Friese has longstanding ties to the state he will now serve at the highest judicial level. He earned undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and social and behavioral sciences from Bismarck State College and the University of Mary, followed by a law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law in Grand Forks.
He has also contributed to legal education, teaching law-related courses at UND School of Law, North Dakota State University, and the University of Mary’s Fargo campus. Since joining the State Bar Association in 2000, he has remained active in professional and community service, including serving on the East Central Judicial District Adult Drug Court Advisory Board since 2003 and acting as the Criminal Justice Act Panel representative for the District of North Dakota since 2010.
Friese and his wife, RoxAnne, have three adult children.
Transition and Future Service
Justice Crothers’ retirement marks the conclusion of more than two decades of service on the Supreme Court. Armstrong again expressed appreciation for Crothers’ long tenure and contributions to the state’s legal system.
Although Crothers’ current 10-year term runs through 2032, the North Dakota Constitution requires that an appointee serve at least two years. As a result, Friese will serve until the 2028 general election and may run to complete the remaining four years of the term that began Jan. 1, 2023.
With his appointment, North Dakota gains a justice whose career bridges law enforcement, military service, and decades in the courtroom. His varied experience and deep roots in the state position him to influence the court’s work while continuing the tradition of public service that has defined his career.
