About

North Central District Judge Stacy Louser will seek election in November to complete the final two years of the term she was appointed to in 2014.

Louser was appointed in May 2014 by Gov. Jack Dalrymple as the first female judge in the North Central Judicial District, replacing retiring Judge William McLees Jr. Judge Stacy Louser assumed the position to the bench July 1, 2014. By law, appointees serve until the next general election, when they must run to fill any remaining years of the term. McLees’ original term that is being filled by Louser extends through 2018.

“Since being appointed by Gov. Jack Dalrymple, it has been my privilege to serve the residents of the North Central Judicial District,” Judge Louser said. “I’m honored to be part of a judicial system that not only defends the laws of this state, but guarantees the right to a fair and impartial experience for everyone involved in our proceedings.”

Louser is a native of Minot. Before attending law school, she earned a degree in occupational therapy from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and a master’s degree in organizational behavior at Minot State University. She graduated with distinction from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2007.

In her work as a partner in the Minot law firm of Louser and Zent, Louser focused on family and business law until she was appointed by the governor to her current position. As a sitting North Central District Judge, Louser serves on the Court Services Administrative Committee and the Joint Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. She is a member of the American Judges Association and the National Association of Women’s Judges. Judge Louser was also selected by the National Judicial College to serve as one of 12 advisory committee members to revise training of newly elected or appointed judges.

In the past year, Louser has served as an assignment judge for the North Dakota Supreme Court on three separate occasions. Louser said she welcomes her duty to provide fair and balanced judicial decisions while defending the Constitution. “As a district judge, it is my obligation to render impartial decisions that follow the laws of North Dakota,” she said. “I look forward to continuing to serve the residents of this district.”

The North Central Judicial District serves Burke, Mountrail, and Ward counties. The 2016 general election is scheduled for Nov. 8.

Louser and her husband, Eric Schaeffer, live in Minot and have four children.