UND Law graduate confirmed as federal appeals court judge
Daniel M. Traynor, UND School of Law ’97, will continue federal judicial service on Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge Daniel M. Traynor, a 1997 graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law, has been confirmed to serve on the St. Louis-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Traynor on July 23. He will fill the seat being vacated by fellow UND School of Law alumnus Judge Ralph R. Erickson, who is retiring from the court.
Traynor has served as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota since 2020. A Devils Lake native, he earned his bachelor’s degree from UND in 1994 and his Juris Doctor from the UND School of Law in 1997.
Before joining the federal bench, Traynor clerked for North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald W. VandeWalle, the namesake of the UND School of Law’s courtroom. He later worked in private practice and served as an assistant city attorney in Devils Lake.
Del Crandall, dean of the UND School of Law, celebrated Traynor’s confirmation and his continued service to the state and nation.
“The School of Law is gratified to learn that 1997 UND Law graduate Daniel M. Traynor was confirmed to join the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit,” Crandall said. “This accomplishment caps his decades of service to the state and the legal community, most recently as United States District Judge for the District of North Dakota.”
Crandall said Traynor’s experience in North Dakota will serve him well in his new role.
“Judge Traynor is deeply entrenched in the state’s legal system, and UND Law is proud of the many contributions he has made to the state over the years,” he said. “In his new role, Judge Traynor will apply his acumen to appellate work, reviewing cases from the district courts and administrative agencies.”
Crandall concluded by congratulating Traynor on his appointment.
“UND School of Law celebrates Judge Traynor’s elevation to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and looks forward to his continued contributions to law and justice.”
