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Justice of the Supreme Court
2026 North Dakota Justice of the Supreme Court — General Election · November 3, 2026
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North Dakota Secretary of State — 2026 General Election Certified Candidate List
Contest: Justice of the Supreme Court
Candidate: Ariston E Johnson
Party: Nonpartisan
Term length: 10 years
Jurisdiction: Statewide
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://johnsonforjustice.org/
Phone: (701) 842-6020
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Email: [email protected]
Website: https://johnsonforjustice.org/
Phone: (701) 842-6020
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Nearly 20 years of experience practicing law in courts throughout North Dakota and neighboring states
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Nearly 20 years of experience practicing law in courts throughout North Dakota and neighboring states
As a lawyer, my service to my community extends beyond the office. I have earned a reputation for being levelheaded and fair, which has brought additional opportunities to serve both within the legal field and beyond it. Some of the most fulfilling experiences I have had to date have been serving as Chair of the Pattern Jury Instructions Commission for North Dakota, President of the North Dakota Association for Justice, and President of the Church Council for First Lutheran Church of Watford City. Leading those groups has taught me a lot about bringing different opinions together to achieve a shared purpose.My judicial philosophy is built on humility and restraint. Judges should not assume that they understand a case better than the parties in the case or that they know what the law should be better than the political branches who write and execute the law. An appellate judge should always be mindful and respectful of the work that the parties, trial court, and others put into a case.By the time a legal question arrives at the Supreme Court, it has been through democratic elections, committee debates, the Legislature’s final votes, and the Governor’s signature. By the time an individual case reaches the Supreme Court, it comes with the accumulated experiences of the parties who lived the case, the hard work of the lawyers who presented the case, the testimony of witnesses, and the decisions of a judge and, in many cases, a jury of citizens.Those experiences are real and all of those people perform their roles with a sincere belief in their viewpoints and in making our state and our nation the best versions of themselves. The judiciary does not exist to second-guess any of that work, but rather to preserve the rule of law throughout the process.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
As a lawyer, my service to my community extends beyond the office. I have earned a reputation for being levelheaded and fair, which has brought additional opportunities to serve both within the legal field and beyond it. Some of the most fulfilling experiences I have had to date have been serving as Chair of the Pattern Jury Instructions Commission for North Dakota, President of the North Dakota Association for Justice, and President of the Church Council for First Lutheran Church of Watford City. Leading those groups has taught me a lot about bringing different opinions together to achieve a shared purpose.My judicial philosophy is built on humility and restraint. Judges should not assume that they understand a case better than the parties in the case or that they know what the law should be better than the political branches who write and execute the law. An appellate judge should always be mindful and respectful of the work that the parties, trial court, and others put into a case.By the time a legal question arrives at the Supreme Court, it has been through democratic elections, committee debates, the Legislature’s final votes, and the Governor’s signature. By the time an individual case reaches the Supreme Court, it comes with the accumulated experiences of the parties who lived the case, the hard work of the lawyers who presented the case, the testimony of witnesses, and the decisions of a judge and, in many cases, a jury of citizens.Those experiences are real and all of those people perform their roles with a sincere belief in their viewpoints and in making our state and our nation the best versions of themselves. The judiciary does not exist to second-guess any of that work, but rather to preserve the rule of law throughout the process.
I am a fourth-generation North Dakotan and second-generation North Dakota attorney. I was born in Watford City, graduated from Watford City High School, and received my undergraduate degree in Computer Science at the University of North Dakota. I worked in that field before going to law school at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. After passing the Virginia bar exam and being admitted on motion to practice in North Dakota, I practiced law in Bismarck from 2007 until 2011 and in Watford City since then.Some of the principles that I have learned to uphold every day are:
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
I am a fourth-generation North Dakotan and second-generation North Dakota attorney. I was born in Watford City, graduated from Watford City High School, and received my undergraduate degree in Computer Science at the University of North Dakota. I worked in that field before going to law school at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. After passing the Virginia bar exam and being admitted on motion to practice in North Dakota, I practiced law in Bismarck from 2007 until 2011 and in Watford City since then.Some of the principles that I have learned to uphold every day are:
The Supreme Court is at its best when its justices have complementary experience and backgrounds. The Court’s deliberations on cases and its understanding of the real people at the receiving end of its decisions are both better when it works as a team and each member of the team has something to add to the others’ understanding of the law.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
The Supreme Court is at its best when its justices have complementary experience and backgrounds. The Court’s deliberations on cases and its understanding of the real people at the receiving end of its decisions are both better when it works as a team and each member of the team has something to add to the others’ understanding of the law.
As an attorney, the most important people in my professional life have always been the Clerks of Court, court reporters, courtroom staff, and District Judges whose job every day is to maintain an accurate record and decide cases promptly, fairly, and correctly under the law. The Supreme Court doesn’t just decide cases, it also leads this wonderful team of people dedicated to justice in our state. My mutual respect for the members of this statewide team would transfer well to being a more integral part of it.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
As an attorney, the most important people in my professional life have always been the Clerks of Court, court reporters, courtroom staff, and District Judges whose job every day is to maintain an accurate record and decide cases promptly, fairly, and correctly under the law. The Supreme Court doesn’t just decide cases, it also leads this wonderful team of people dedicated to justice in our state. My mutual respect for the members of this statewide team would transfer well to being a more integral part of it.
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In our system of government, judicial elections are not about politics or policy. They are about the public’s trust that judges will apply the law faithfully, respect the roles of the legislative and executive branches, and treat every case with care. In short, we elect legislators and governors to represent our policy wishes for North Dakota while we elect judges to uphold the rule of law.The Supreme Court is at its best when its justices have complementary experience and backgrounds. The Court’s deliberations on cases and its understanding of the real people at the receiving end of its decisions are both better when it works as a team and each member of the team has something to add to the others’ understanding of the law.As an attorney, the most important people in my professional life have always been the Clerks of Court, court reporters, courtroom staff, and District Judges whose job every day is to maintain an accurate record and decide cases promptly, fairly, and correctly under the law. The Supreme Court doesn’t just decide cases, it also leads this wonderful team of people dedicated to justice in our state. My mutual respect for the members of this statewide team would transfer well to being a more integral part of it.Courts benefit from a range of professional perspectives. Judges learn the law through the decisions they make in each case. Lawyers learn the law from practical experience, starting long before the case reaches a courtroom and continuing long after the judge’s decision has been made.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
In our system of government, judicial elections are not about politics or policy. They are about the public’s trust that judges will apply the law faithfully, respect the roles of the legislative and executive branches, and treat every case with care. In short, we elect legislators and governors to represent our policy wishes for North Dakota while we elect judges to uphold the rule of law.The Supreme Court is at its best when its justices have complementary experience and backgrounds. The Court’s deliberations on cases and its understanding of the real people at the receiving end of its decisions are both better when it works as a team and each member of the team has something to add to the others’ understanding of the law.As an attorney, the most important people in my professional life have always been the Clerks of Court, court reporters, courtroom staff, and District Judges whose job every day is to maintain an accurate record and decide cases promptly, fairly, and correctly under the law. The Supreme Court doesn’t just decide cases, it also leads this wonderful team of people dedicated to justice in our state. My mutual respect for the members of this statewide team would transfer well to being a more integral part of it.Courts benefit from a range of professional perspectives. Judges learn the law through the decisions they make in each case. Lawyers learn the law from practical experience, starting long before the case reaches a courtroom and continuing long after the judge’s decision has been made.
No amount of experience can substitute for a humble, open mind. Whenever parties, lawyers, or judges have something to say about a case, I will listen and ensure that I understand their position before making my mind up.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
No amount of experience can substitute for a humble, open mind. Whenever parties, lawyers, or judges have something to say about a case, I will listen and ensure that I understand their position before making my mind up.
As a lawyer, my service to my community extends beyond the office. I have earned a reputation for being levelheaded and fair, which has brought additional opportunities to serve both within the legal field and beyond it. Some of the most fulfilling experiences I have had to date have been serving as Chair of the Pattern Jury Instructions Commission for North Dakota, President of the North Dakota Association for Justice, and President of the Church Council for First Lutheran Church of Watford City. Leading those groups has taught me a lot about bringing different opinions together to achieve a shared purpose.My judicial philosophy is built on humility and restraint. Judges should not assume that they understand a case better than the parties in the case or that they know what the law should be better than the political branches who write and execute the law. An appellate judge should always be mindful and respectful of the work that the parties, trial court, and others put into a case.By the time a legal question arrives at the Supreme Court, it has been through democratic elections, committee debates, the Legislature’s final votes, and the Governor’s signature. By the time an individual case reaches the Supreme Court, it comes with the accumulated experiences of the parties who lived the case, the hard work of the lawyers who presented the case, the testimony of witnesses, and the decisions of a judge and, in many cases, a jury of citizens.Those experiences are real and all of those people perform their roles with a sincere belief in their viewpoints and in making our state and our nation the best versions of themselves. The judiciary does not exist to second-guess any of that work, but rather to preserve the rule of law throughout the process.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
As a lawyer, my service to my community extends beyond the office. I have earned a reputation for being levelheaded and fair, which has brought additional opportunities to serve both within the legal field and beyond it. Some of the most fulfilling experiences I have had to date have been serving as Chair of the Pattern Jury Instructions Commission for North Dakota, President of the North Dakota Association for Justice, and President of the Church Council for First Lutheran Church of Watford City. Leading those groups has taught me a lot about bringing different opinions together to achieve a shared purpose.My judicial philosophy is built on humility and restraint. Judges should not assume that they understand a case better than the parties in the case or that they know what the law should be better than the political branches who write and execute the law. An appellate judge should always be mindful and respectful of the work that the parties, trial court, and others put into a case.By the time a legal question arrives at the Supreme Court, it has been through democratic elections, committee debates, the Legislature’s final votes, and the Governor’s signature. By the time an individual case reaches the Supreme Court, it comes with the accumulated experiences of the parties who lived the case, the hard work of the lawyers who presented the case, the testimony of witnesses, and the decisions of a judge and, in many cases, a jury of citizens.Those experiences are real and all of those people perform their roles with a sincere belief in their viewpoints and in making our state and our nation the best versions of themselves. The judiciary does not exist to second-guess any of that work, but rather to preserve the rule of law throughout the process.
When you’re in the exam room, you want a doctor who knows what it’s like to be a patient. When it’s time to inspect your work, you want an inspector who has actually built something. And when you’re in court, you want a judge who has stood on your side of the bench for someone like you.For me, the law lives not only in the books but in the lives of people seeking justice. I have practiced law in a broad variety of cases throughout North Dakota for two decades. I am running for election to the North Dakota Supreme Court because I believe that North Dakotans would benefit from a Court that includes my practical perspective, earned by helping real people resolve real disputes.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
When you’re in the exam room, you want a doctor who knows what it’s like to be a patient. When it’s time to inspect your work, you want an inspector who has actually built something. And when you’re in court, you want a judge who has stood on your side of the bench for someone like you.For me, the law lives not only in the books but in the lives of people seeking justice. I have practiced law in a broad variety of cases throughout North Dakota for two decades. I am running for election to the North Dakota Supreme Court because I believe that North Dakotans would benefit from a Court that includes my practical perspective, earned by helping real people resolve real disputes.
My experience and the perspective I have developed as a North Dakotan and as an attorney would be valuable to the Court. When a party brings a legal dispute before me, I will be able to draw on direct, practical experience with that type of dispute.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
My experience and the perspective I have developed as a North Dakotan and as an attorney would be valuable to the Court. When a party brings a legal dispute before me, I will be able to draw on direct, practical experience with that type of dispute.
For me, the law lives not only in the books but in the lives of people seeking justice. I have practiced law in a broad variety of cases throughout North Dakota for two decades. I am running for election to the North Dakota Supreme Court because I believe that North Dakotans would benefit from a Court that includes my practical perspective, earned by helping real people resolve real disputes.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
For me, the law lives not only in the books but in the lives of people seeking justice. I have practiced law in a broad variety of cases throughout North Dakota for two decades. I am running for election to the North Dakota Supreme Court because I believe that North Dakotans would benefit from a Court that includes my practical perspective, earned by helping real people resolve real disputes.
I would sincerely appreciate your vote this year. I am not a politician. I have never run for public office before now, although I have been elected as President of my church council, President of the North Dakota Association for Justice, and similar positions of trust. This election is something I have thought carefully about and believe in. I hope that North Dakota will believe in me the same way I believe in my beloved home state.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
I would sincerely appreciate your vote this year. I am not a politician. I have never run for public office before now, although I have been elected as President of my church council, President of the North Dakota Association for Justice, and similar positions of trust. This election is something I have thought carefully about and believe in. I hope that North Dakota will believe in me the same way I believe in my beloved home state.
I would sincerely appreciate your vote this year. I am not a politician. I have never run for public office before now, although I have been elected as President of my church council, President of the North Dakota Association for Justice, and similar positions of trust. This election is something I have thought carefully about and believe in. I hope that North Dakota will believe in me the same way I believe in my beloved home state.If you would like to help, here’s how:
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
I would sincerely appreciate your vote this year. I am not a politician. I have never run for public office before now, although I have been elected as President of my church council, President of the North Dakota Association for Justice, and similar positions of trust. This election is something I have thought carefully about and believe in. I hope that North Dakota will believe in me the same way I believe in my beloved home state.If you would like to help, here’s how:
Courts benefit from a range of professional perspectives. Judges learn the law through the decisions they make in each case. Lawyers learn the law from practical experience, starting long before the case reaches a courtroom and continuing long after the judge’s decision has been made.
The text below is the exact source material used for this statement.
Courts benefit from a range of professional perspectives. Judges learn the law through the decisions they make in each case. Lawyers learn the law from practical experience, starting long before the case reaches a courtroom and continuing long after the judge’s decision has been made.
Supports deciding cases according to the constitution and written law rather than political-party goals or personal policy preferences.
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Apply the Constitution and Written Law, Not Political Goals
Supports a restrained appellate role that respects the work of elected branches, trial courts, juries, lawyers, and parties.
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Judicial Humility and Restraint
Supports giving meaning to every word in a statute and avoiding interpretations that stray too far beyond the written text.
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Text-Focused Statutory Interpretation
Supports giving substantial weight to established Supreme Court interpretations of statutes, especially where the Legislature has left them unchanged over multiple sessions.
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Respect Statutory Precedent
Supports strong respect for jury verdicts and the finality of judgments except where the law clearly requires reversal.
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Respect Jury Findings and Final Judgments
Prioritizes opinions that explain the Court's reasoning clearly and provide useful guidance to lawyers, trial courts, and the public.
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Clear and Fully Explained Judicial Opinions
No judicial outcome attaches merely because a case or judge has a similar name. Absence of a representative set is an evidence limitation, not a claim that no judicial record exists.
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Current Supreme Court Justices
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