North Central Judicial District Judge Todd L. Cresap has announced he will retire effective July 17, 2026, ending a judicial career that spans nearly two decades in northwestern North Dakota.
Cresap was first appointed to the bench in 2009 by Gov. John Hoeven to serve as District Court Judge for the North Central Judicial District in Minot. He was subsequently elected to the position in 2012 and re-elected in 2016 and 2022.
In a letter to Gov. Kelly Armstrong announcing his retirement, Cresap reflected on his time on the bench. “It has truly been my honor to have served both the people of the Northwest District as well as those of the North Central District,” he wrote.
A native of Valley City, Cresap was born in 1961 and earned his bachelor’s degree from Minot State University in 1983. He went on to receive his law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1986 and was admitted to the North Dakota Bar that same year. Before his appointment to the judiciary, he spent more than two decades in private legal practice in Minot.
Under North Dakota law, Gov. Armstrong will appoint a successor to fill the vacancy created by Cresap’s retirement. The position will then be subject to election at the next general election cycle.
By: DNU staff