North Dakota
North Dakota’s overturned abortion ban won’t be in effect during appeal, court rules
North Dakota’s abortion ban will not be enforced while the state appeals an earlier decision that found it unconstitutional, the state’s highest court ruled Friday.
That appeal has yet to fully play out in the state Supreme Court after a judge struck down the law in September.
North Dakota has had no abortion providers since the only one moved from Fargo to neighboring Moorhead, Minnesota, in 2022. The only scenarios in which North Dakotans can currently obtain an abortion in the state would be for life- or health-preserving reasons at a hospital.
The plaintiffs had contended that keeping the overturned ban from being enforced was important for patients with pregnancy complications who go to a hospital seeking medical care that might be delayed because of the law.
Attorneys for the state had asked the North Dakota Supreme Court to let the ban be enforced pending appeal. They said a stay “is warranted because this case presents serious, difficult, and unresolved constitutional questions that are of profound importance to the people of this State,” among other reasons.
State District Judge Bruce Romanick had earlier denied such a request, saying: “It would be non-sensical for this Court to keep a law it has found to be unconstitutional in effect pending appeal.”
The Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents the abortion clinic and several physicians who challenged the law, opposed enforcement of the overturned ban. The court heard oral arguments on the state’s request in November.
In the three-member majority opinion, Justice Daniel Crothers cited several legal reasons against the state’s arguments, writing at one point: “The upshot of the State’s argument is that any decision that recognizes a previously unobserved constitutional right should warrant a stay. We reject the request to adopt such a tenuous connection between the proposition advanced by the State and our precedent.”
The plaintiffs welcomed the decision.
“Today’s decision to keep the abortion ban blocked was the only logical outcome,” Meetra Mehdizadeh, senior staff attorney at the center, said in a statement. “People are dying without access to abortion, and still the State sought to stop pregnant North Dakotans facing dangerous situations from getting the care they need. It’s shameful. We will not stop fighting until this ban is struck down once and for all.”
In a statement, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley said: “This is only a decision on the stay motion, not on the constitutional merits of the legislation. North Dakota will continue moving forward to fully litigate this matter before the state Supreme Court, where we intend to establish that the law passed by our legislature is clearly constitutional.”
The case has had a winding road since the Red River Women’s Clinic initially challenged the state’s previous abortion ban in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022.
In 2023, North Dakota’s Republican-controlled Legislature revised the state’s abortion laws. That law criminalized the performance of an abortion as a felony, with the only exceptions to save the life of a mother or to prevent a “serious health risk” to her. The ban also allowed for abortions in cases of rape or incest but only up to six weeks gestation, which is often before many women know they are pregnant. The plaintiffs said the law was unconstitutionally vague and its health exception too narrow.
Republican state Sen. Janne Myrdal, who introduced the 2023 bill that became law, said she doesn’t view Friday’s decision as a setback.
“It’s not a reflection of the validity of the constitutionality of the law … and I don’t read anything more into that fact, actually,” Myrdal said.
A Center for Reproductive Rights spokesperson said the clinic has no current plans to return to North Dakota.
BISMARCK — A West Fargo attorney has been appointed to the North Dakota Ethics Commission.
According to a release, Lisa Edison-Smith was appointed to the commission Tuesday, July 7, to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner Ronald Goodman, who will retire from the board.
Edison-Smith works for Vogel Law Firm, from which she plans to retire at the end of the year, the release said. She specializes in employment and labor law and is also the editor of the North Dakota Employment Law Letter, a monthly publication providing guidance to employers.
Edison-Smith graduated from North Dakota State University and Hamline University School of Law. She was a clerk for the Minnesota Supreme Court and worked in finance and accounting roles at GTE Corp., the release said.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to bring my legal experience and problem-solving skills to the important work of the Commission,” Edison-Smith said via release. “Together, I believe we can improve public trust and deepen the Commission’s commitment to accountability and transparency in North Dakota.”
Commissioners are appointed by consensus of the governor and majority and minority leader of the North Dakota Senate.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
North Dakota
Schulz to transition from ND Parks and Recreation to ND Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Gov. Kelly Armstrong today announced that North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department Director Cody Schulz is leaving the agency next month to assume the role of chief financial officer in the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, effective Aug. 17.
Schulz has led Parks and Recreation since being appointed director by then-Gov. Doug Burgum in October 2021. Armstrong reappointed Schulz to the position upon taking office in December 2024. Schulz previously served 13 years in the state Department of Emergency Services (DES), including as business manager and finance officer for seven years and as the state’s director of Homeland Security from 2018 to 2021. Prior to joining DES, he spent nearly 13 years in the private sector as a business owner, account specialist and government and public affairs analyst.
“Parks and Recreation has thrived under Cody’s leadership, opening a new state park at Pembina Gorge, expanding and improving existing parks, making major investments in infrastructure and enhancing visitor experiences,” Armstrong said. “While we will miss his leadership of the agency, we’re excited that he has decided to continue serving the citizens of North Dakota at DOCR, where his experience in finance and accounting will serve the department well.”
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, one driven primarily by the desire to travel less and spend more time with family, especially my aging parents. At the same time, my new role at DOCR allows me to work in finance and public safety – two passions that have shaped much of my career,” Schulz said. “I am filled with gratitude for the team at Parks and Recreation, and I leave with complete confidence in this organization. This is an exceptionally talented team filled with capable, dedicated people who care deeply about one another, our mission, and the citizens we serve.”
A native of New Salem, N.D., Schulz earned an associate’s degree from Bismarck State College, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Dickinson State University and an MBA from the University of North Dakota. He also served on the Morton County Commission from 2012 to 2020, including as chairman in 2016, 2017 and 2020, and as a member of the Morton County Park Board for eight years.
Justin Fairbanks went to work! He created this incredible breakdown of Fargo participants and their college commitments. Email kyle.klingman@flosports.tv with updates.
Here’s the full Fargo schedule so you don’t miss any of the girls’ action.
2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals
Junior Girls Freestyle
Thursday, July 16 at 2:00 p.m. ET – Session XI
Friday, July 17 at 10:00 a.m. ET – Session XIII
Friday, July 17 at 4:00 p.m. ET – Session XIV
Saturday, July 18 at 11:00 a.m. ET – Session XV
Saturday, July 18 at 3:00 p.m. ET – Session XVI
Saturday, July 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET – Finals
16U Girls Freestyle
Thursday, July 16 at 6:00 p.m. ET – Session XII
Friday, July 17 at 10:00 a.m. ET – Session XIII
Friday, July 17 at 4:00 p.m. ET – Session XIV
Saturday, July 18 at 11:00 a.m. ET – Session XV
Saturday, July 18 at 3:00 p.m. ET – Session XVI
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