Mr. VandeWalle is a retired chief justice who concluded his career with the North Dakota Supreme Court in January 2023.
BISMARCK, ND, March 07, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Judge Gerald W. VandeWalle has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Mr. VandeWalle is a retired chief justice who concluded his career with the North Dakota Supreme Court in January 2023. A highly respected figure in the legal community, he dedicated over 60 years of his career to serving the justice system. Initially appointed to the Supreme Court in August 1978, he was elected for a full 10-year term in 1984, only to be re-elected in 1994, 2004, and 2014. Additionally, Mr. VandeWalle was elected as the chief justice in January 1993 and was re-elected five more times, serving over 25 years before stepping down in December 2019.
During an earlier stage of his career, Mr. VandeWalle was a special assistant attorney general for the State of North Dakota in Bismarck from 1958 to 1975. He was subsequently named as the first assistant attorney general between 1975 and 1978. As part of his responsibilities, he held portfolios for elementary, secondary, and higher education, oil and gas, and the state retirement system. Early in his career, Mr. VandeWalle was also a faculty member at Bismarck Junior College from 1972 to 1976.
As a dedicated civil advocate, Mr. VandeWalle held various positions locally, including as a North Dakota delegate for the Interstate Oil Compact Commission, as a member of the National Center State Courts Research, and as an advisory council member of the federal-state jurisdiction committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. Among other affiliations, he was active with Bismarck Meals on Wheels, has been a member, lector, eucharistic minister, chair of the parish council, and religious instructor at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, and is a former secretary of the Bismarck Mandan Symphony Board. Furthermore, Mr. VandeWalle has been a member of his local Elks and Knights of Columbus.
Born and raised in North Dakota, Mr. VandeWalle studied locally, graduating from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in commerce, with honors, in 1955 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence, magna cum laude, in 1958. While pursuing his law degree, he served as the editor-in-chief of the North Dakota Law Review between 1957 and 1958. He was elected into Phi Eta Sigma, Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Phi Alpha Delta. Mr. VandeWalle has been admitted to practice by the North Dakota Bar Association and the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.
Affiliated with several leading industry organizations, Mr. VandeWalle is active with the State Bar Association of North Dakota, the Burleigh County Bar Association, the Order of the Coif, the Conference of Chief Justices for which he served as president, and chair of the Board of the National Center for State Courts. He is also recognized as a life master of the American Contract Bridge League and an executive committee member of the North Dakota Judicial Conference. Additionally, Mr. VandeWalle is a member of the American Bar Association, where he once served as a member and chairperson of its council section of legal education and admissions and as the co-chair of its bar admissions committee.
In light of his accomplishments, Mr. VandeWalle received numerous accolades and recognitions, including a Distinguished Service Award from the State Bar Association of North Dakota in 1998, the Paul C. Reardon Award from the National Center for State Courts in 2003, a Professionalism Award for the Eighth Circuit from the American Inns of Court in 2008, the Harry L. Carrico Award from the National Center for State Courts in 2015, and, among others, was the 42nd recipient of the coveted Rough Rider Award from the State of North Dakota for outstanding commitments to the state's legal system in 2015. The University of North Dakota also recognized him several times with an Honorary Doctor of Letters in 2015, a Spirit Award in 2020, and a President's Medal of Honor in 2020, and the institution renamed its law school courtroom in his honor in 2020. Moreover, Mr. VandeWalle received an Honorary Doctor of Leadership from the University of Mary in 2016, and the State Bar Association of North Dakota established the Gerald W. VandeWalle Medal in his honor in 2017.
Mr. VandeWalle believes his accomplishments are mainly due to his upbringing in Noonan, North Dakota, a small-town environment that instilled a strong sense of community and accountability. His parents also played a critical role in shaping his character and values.
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