North Dakota Federal Criminal Law

North Dakota Federal Criminal Law Review — Districts & Circuits

By John D. Kirby, Former U.S. Federal Prosecutor ·

Which federal district court(s) and circuit handle federal criminal cases arising in North Dakota, and the statutes that govern federal prosecutions.

Federal Criminal Law in North Dakota at a Glance

Judicial District(s)
District of North Dakota
Circuit
Eighth Circuit
Circuit Seat
St. Louis, Missouri
Key Statute
18 U.S.C. § 3231
Original federal criminal jurisdiction over offenses against the laws of the United States.

The Federal Judicial District(s) Covering North Dakota

28 U.S.C. § 114 defines the federal judicial district(s) for North Dakota:

“North Dakota constitutes one judicial district.” — 28 U.S.C. § 114

Appeals from those district courts go to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Circuit membership is set by 28 U.S.C. § 41, which lists North Dakota among the states of the Eighth Circuit.

Federal Criminal Appellate Review for Cases Arising in North Dakota

Jurisdiction
Original federal criminal jurisdiction
18 U.S.C. § 3231
“The district courts of the United States shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of all offenses against the laws of the United States.”
Recent decision
United States v. Nicholas Peterson
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit · August 17, 2026 · No. 25-1788
“Nicholas Peterson pled guilty to attempted production, possession, and receipt of child pornography and was sentenced to 262 months of imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release.” Read the opinion at CourtListener.
Circuit
Appeals are heard by the Eighth Circuit
28 U.S.C. § 41 · Court Website Links
“In the federal system, 94 district courts are organized into 12 regional circuits. Each circuit has its own court of appeals that reviews cases decided in U.S. district courts within the circuit.” The Eighth Circuit sits in St. Louis, Missouri.

Additional research notes are published as new court decisions are issued.

Primary sources

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Publisher: Federal Criminal Law Review Desk — Federal Criminal Law Review Desk

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