Jon J. Jensen

Jon J. Jensen (born August 2, 1965) is an American lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court since 2017. He served as chief justice from 2020 to 2026. He previously served as a district court judge in North Dakota from 2013 to 2017.

Education and early career Jensen was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1965. He graduated from East Grand Forks Senior High School. Jensen completed a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting at Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1987, and a Juris Doctor degree at the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1990. He clerked for North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph J. Erickstad in 1990-91. Jensen served as presiding judge in 2015-2017.

In April 2017, North Dakota Supreme Court justice Carol Ronning Kapsner announced that she would retire from the court, effective from July 31, 2017. A judicial nominating commission provided the Governor of North Dakota Doug Burgum with three names of possible replacements for the vacancy: Jensen, and two other state judges, James Hill and Robin Schmidt. Governor Doug Burgum announced that he had selected Jensen to replace Kapnser on July 12. His current term on the court expires on December 31, 2030, and he is eligible to run for re-election to a new ten-year term.

Publications "Limitations on Easements in North Dakota May Have Unintended Consequences for Qualified Conservation Easement Charitable Contributions," 87 N.D. Law Rev. 343 (2011). "Reducing the Employment Tax Burden on Tenure Buyouts," 80 N.D. Law Rev. 11 (2004). "Limiting Self-Employment Taxation of Actively Farming Landlords," 78 N.D. Law Rev. 101 (2002). "Satisfaction of a Compelling Governmental Interest or Simply Two Convictions for the Price of One?" 69 N.D. Law Rev. 915 (1993). "Fredericks v. Eide-Kirschman Ford: The Vehicle to Enforcing Tribal Court Civil Judgments," 68 N.D. Law Rev. 675 (1992).