Northeast Central Judicial District Judge John A. Thelen has announced his retirement, effective August 1, 2025. This decision was communicated in a letter from Governor Kelly Armstrong to Chief Justice Jon Jensen, dated March 19th. According to the letter, Judge Thelen informed the governor of his intention to retire on March 8th.
Judge Thelen's judicial career began with his appointment by Governor Jack Dalrymple in 2015 for the Northeast Central Judicial District #4 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He was subsequently elected in 2018 to complete an unexpired term and then secured a full term in 2020.
Born in 1952, Judge Thelen completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics at the University of North Dakota in 1978. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1981 and was admitted to the North Dakota Bar on October 5 of that year. His professional journey includes private legal practice from 1981 to 2009 and serving as a Judicial Referee and Magistrate in the Northeast Central Judicial District from 2009 until his appointment as judge.
The public can view Governor Armstrong's letter regarding Judge Thelen's retirement through a downloadable link provided.