Senate confirms alumnus Dan Traynor, ’97 as new federal judge in North Dakota
Original Article – Bismarck Tribune, December 19, 2019
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Devils Lake attorney Daniel Traynor to serve as federal judge in North Dakota, according to U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer.
Traynor was nominated by President Donald Trump in August. He’ll succeed U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland, who announced last year he would enter semiretirement.
Traynor’s “character, demeanor, temperament, as well as his intellectual capacity will make him an excellent judge,” Cramer, R-N.D., said on the Senate floor before Thursday’s confirmation vote.
Traynor is a 1997 graduate of the University of North Dakota’s law school. He’s a shareholder at the Traynor Law Firm in Devils Lake. He also is a member of the State Board of Higher Education, which oversees the state’s public colleges and universities, and is an elected member of the American Law Institute.
After law school, Traynor served as a law clerk to North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle. He’s a former chairman of the Supreme Court’s disciplinary board. He’s long been active in the state Republican Party, and served as its chairman from 2001-03.
Traynor told Forum News Service he is “honored and excited” by the confirmation. He will be stepping down from the Board of Higher Education, though he’s not sure exactly when.
Traynor will join recently approved Judge Peter Welte on the federal bench in North Dakota.
“I’ve known Dan for years, and the people of North Dakota will be well-served by him,” Hoeven, R-N.D., said in a statement. “Dan has shown a strong commitment to the rule of law, and we’re pleased that he will be taking this role on the bench.”
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