Dan Traynor, a longtime North Dakota Republican, had set his sight on a judicial appointment in the Trump Administration, and, after having been passed over previously, has now been picked for the District Court in North Dakota.

Background

Daniel Mack Traynor was born in Devils Lake, North Dakota in 1970, the son of longtime state senator John T Traynor.  Traynor graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1994 and then attended the University of North Dakota Law School, graduating with distinction in 1997.^[1]

After graduating, Traynor clerked for Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle on the North Dakota Supreme Court and then started a solo practice, which he still maintains.  Traynor has also worked as the City Attorney of Devil’s Lake since 1998.

History of the Seat

While Traynor has been tapped for a seat expected to open with the retirement of Judge Daniel Hovland on November 10, 2019, his name was previously under consideration for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.^[2]  However, Traynor was not nominated for that seat, which went to U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson.  Traynor was also passed over for the seat that Erickson vacated, but has now been tapped for Hovland’s seat.

Legal Experience

Traynor has primarily worked for himself in his hometown of Devil’s Lake, working on personal injury cases on both the plaintiff’s and defendant’s side.  Over the course of his career, Traynor has tried fifteen cases before a jury.  Among those, Traynor represented the defendant in a trial for “timber trespass” for the defendant’s cutting down of trees on the plaintiff’s property.^[3] 

Among his other notable cases, Traynor defended the Norman Lutheran Church in Kindred, ND against  a suit brought by disgruntled parishioners who opposed the Church’s use of homosexual clergy.^[4]  He also prosecuted, after an appointment from Gov. Doug Burgam, Ward County Sheriff Steven Kukowski after the death of an inmate in his jail facility.^[5] 

Political Activity

Traynor is a Republican and has a long history with the North Dakota branch of the party, including having served as the Chairman from 2001 to 2003.^[6]  Interestingly, as a Party delegate in the 1990s, Traynor pushed back against resolutions against same-sex marriage and supporting “parental rights.”^[7]  Traynor has also served as Chair of the North Dakota chapter of the Republican National Lawyers Association since 2000, as well as being active within the American Bar Association (ABA).

Overall Assessment

The District of North Dakota is one of only three districts in the country that have just two active judgeships attached.  It’s already seen a fair amount of turnover with Ericksen’s elevation and replacement with Peter Welte.  With a largely mainstream record, Traynor looks favored to join the bench without too much controversy.

---