Central ND News

Devils Lake attorney Ashley Samuelson has been appointed by Governor Kelly Armstrong to fill a judgeship in the Northeast Judicial District. The appointment will take effect on November 30.

Samuelson has worked as a staff attorney for the Northeast Judicial District since 2017, providing support to district judges during civil and felony-level trials and preparing court orders. She previously served as a special assistant attorney general for the Devils Lake Regional Child Support Unit from 2011 to 2017, where she represented North Dakota in both state and tribal court cases involving paternity and child support issues. Before that, Samuelson practiced law with Vogel Law Firm, focusing on medical/legal malpractice, personal injury, workers’ compensation, probate, and estate matters. She also clerked for former North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle.

Originally from Edmore, Samuelson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and earned her law degree from the UND School of Law in 2007. She is currently the regional representative for the Northeast Judicial District to the State Bar Association of North Dakota and serves as vice president of the Lake Region Bar Association. In addition to her legal work, she is certified in adult mental health first aid and has volunteered as an emergency medical technician for Edmore Volunteer Ambulance Service.

The vacancy was created following Judge Donovan Foughty’s retirement on September 30 after serving since 1995. Three attorneys were considered finalists for this position, which is based in Devils Lake.

The Northeast Judicial District covers eleven counties: Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, McHenry, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Renville, Rolette, Towner and Walsh.