Mark Friese

BISMARCK – Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced Wednesday, Feb. 18, the appointment of longtime Fargo Attorney Mark Friese to the North Dakota Supreme Court, effective March 9.

Friese will succeed Justice Daniel Crothers, who announced his intention to retire from the Supreme Court effective Feb. 28. Crothers served on North Dakota’s highest court since 2005.

Friese is a shareholder with Vogel Law Firm in Fargo, primarily practicing criminal defense law for 25 years, as well as civil litigation. Friese previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Dale Sandstrom for one year.

“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.”

Born in Minot and raised in Bismarck, Friese earned undergraduate degrees in criminal justice and social/behavior sciences from Bismarck State College and the University of Mary in Bismarck and his law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law in Grand Forks. He has taught law-related courses at the UND School of Law, North Dakota State University and the University of Mary’s Fargo Campus.

Before earning his law degree, Friese served as a Bismarck police officer for five years, and served 24 years in the North Dakota Army National Guard, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2011. He held positions including platoon leader, executive officer, detachment commander, company commander, assistant staff judge advocate and state judge advocate.

Crothers’ current 10-year term on the Supreme Court expires in 2032. Friese will serve until the 2028 general election and may run for the remaining four years of the 10-year term that began Jan. 1, 2023.