East Central District Judge 8

Daniel Gast is currently a judicial referee, where he oversees matters involving juveniles, traffic, and small claims. He also handles cases involving child support enforcement, restraining orders, evictions and child custody. This broad background makes him well suited to preside over virtually all matters handled by the courts in eastern North Dakota.

Gast is also an Army veteran. One of his main goals is establishing a Veterans Treatment Court in the East Central District, which would attempt to address the special issues veterans face in the criminal justice system.

But perhaps the most impressive measure of Gast’s qualifications for the bench is the respect he gets from those within North Dakota’s legal community. A recent survey by the State Bar Association of North Dakota that assessed judicial applicants ranked Gast the top among 13 in areas of “respect and civility,” “avoiding impropriety” and “open-mindedness and deliberation.”

Gast would make a fine and fair-minded judge in eastern North Dakota.

-Opinion by Forum Editorial Board

The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead Editorial Board is a collection of Forum leaders and editors who regularly meet with area politicians and civic leaders to discuss and develop editorial positions on behalf of the company.

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