Gov. Doug Burgum has appointed judicial referee Lindsey Nieuwsma of Bismarck to a judgeship in the South Central Judicial District, effective Tuesday, Sept. 7.

As a judicial referee and magistrate in the South Central Judicial District since July 2018, Nieuwsma has presided over cases involving juvenile delinquency and child welfare, juvenile drug court, mental health and substance use disorder involuntary commitments, evictions, domestic violence protection orders, child support, traffic, small claims, guardianships and conservatorships, initial appearances on adult criminal matters, and other limited jurisdiction cases.

Nieuwsma previously served as a staff attorney in the State Court Administrator’s Office for the North Dakota Supreme Court, and as a temporary staff attorney for the Supreme Court’s Minority Justice Implementation Committee. She also spent more than five years in private practice. Nieuwsma earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from North Dakota State University and her law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Nieuwsma currently serves on the North Dakota Supreme Court’s Judiciary Standards Committee; the Court Improvement Project Subcommittee of the Supreme Court’s Indian Child Welfare Act Workgroup; and the Juvenile Justice Services Planning Committee with the Commission on Juvenile Justice.

Nieuwsma will fill the judgeship vacancy created by the Aug. 20 retirement of Judge John W. Grinsteiner, who had served as a district judge since 2015. Three attorneys were named as finalists to fill the vacancy.