{ "id": "ep1gvtdkfe", "slug": "daniel-l-hovland", "title": "Daniel L. Hovland", "updated": "2026-10-25", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h", "label": "Surnames H", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames H", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h", "label": "Surnames H", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Daniel L. Hovland is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the District of North Dakota, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002.", "snippet": "Daniel L. Hovland is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the District of North Dakota, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h", "markdown": "# Daniel L. Hovland\n\nDaniel L. Hovland (born 1954) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) He was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush in 2002 and assumed senior status (semi-retired judgeship with reduced caseload) in 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) He served as chief judge of the court from 2002 to 2009 and again from 2016 to 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) |\n| Confirmed | November 14, 2002, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) |\n| Senior status | November 10, 2019[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) |\n| Born | 1954, Moorhead, Minnesota[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) |\n| Education | B.A., Concordia College, 1976; J.D., University of North Dakota School of Law, 1979[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nHovland was born in 1954 in Moorhead, Minnesota.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from [Concordia College](https://www.edgepedia.org/concordia-college-moorhead-minnesota) in 1976 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1979.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Hovland served as a law clerk to Judge Ralph J. Erickstad of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1979 to 1980.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) He then worked as an assistant attorney general for the State of North Dakota from 1980 to 1983.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) From 1983 to 2002, Hovland was in private practice in [Bismarck, North Dakota](https://www.edgepedia.org/bismarck-north-dakota).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) During that period, he also served as a commissioner of the Bismarck Park and Recreation District from 1992 to 2002 and as an administrative law judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings of the State of North Dakota from 1994 to 2002.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) nominated Hovland to the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota on June 26, 2002, to a seat that had been vacated by [Patrick A. Conmy](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-a-conmy), who began senior status in 2000.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) • [2](https://www.ndd.uscourts.gov/DistrictCourtJudges) The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on November 14, 2002, and he received his commission on November 26, 2002.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) He served as chief judge from 2002 to 2009 and again from 2016 to 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) He assumed senior status on November 10, 2019, and continues to serve on the court.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666) • [2](https://www.ndd.uscourts.gov/DistrictCourtJudges) He was succeeded in active service by [Daniel Mack Traynor](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-m-traynor), who was appointed in 2020 and serves the Western Division.[2](https://www.ndd.uscourts.gov/DistrictCourtJudges)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Daniel L. Hovland](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391666)\n2. [District Court Judges, United States District Court for the District of North Dakota](https://www.ndd.uscourts.gov/DistrictCourtJudges)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames H*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-l-hovland", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-l-hovland.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Daniel L. Hovland\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-l-hovland. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Daniel L. Hovland](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-l-hovland)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-l-hovland](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-l-hovland). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Daniel L. Hovland\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-l-hovland. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Daniel L. Hovland is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the District of North Dakota, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002." }