much of his career working to make the Court more accessible and better understood by the public .
Reaching the Younger Generation
In the last 20 years , the Court has traveled to schools across the state to educate students and community members on the justice system . “ This is an opportunity for students to get a positive view of the Court ,” he notes .
He says it is vitally important for students and all North Dakotans to better understand the Court . “ That is one of the big reasons civic education is also so important .” Sandstrom has been active in the We the People program , a program on the principles of the U . S . Constitution and its Bill of Rights for high school students . He was also instrumental in organizing the Boy Scouts Centennial Celebration at the Capitol , which included a mock legislative program , mock Court case , and 3,000 Scouts camping on the Capitol grounds .
Sandstrom says he also enjoyed working with his law clerks and appreciated the contribution they made to the court system . “ I hope they are better lawyers because they have seen both good and bad briefs and good and bad arguments ,” he says . “ Being a clerk is a great background , and I believe they are all doing well . I am proud of them all .”
Technology
“ We ’ ve really changed the practice of law through technology ,” says Sandstrom of the work done at the Court to make court records and the law more accessible . Sandstrom was responsible for developing the Court ’ s website , as well as many of its resources . “ I understand both technology and the law ,” he notes . “ The website is all program driven , and I ’ ve written the programs .”
Available on the website are Court opinions and rulings , as well as briefs and oral arguments . In addition , he programmed the electronic records to automatically update , so timely information is always available to lawyers and the district courts . “ It really has dramatically changed the practice of law ,” says Sandstrom , noting North Dakota
( L to R ) Former State Auditor Bob Peterson , Judge Jim Hill , Justice Dale Sandstrom and Kathy Peterson
was the first state in the nation to have all its trial courts on an electronic record . “ This makes it easier for lawyers , trial courts , and the public . And it ’ s been helpful to us in the Court . When I was on the bench , I had everything available .”
Sandstrom says he also enjoyed creating and sending “ Appellate Tips ,” a practice he started to reach those in the law field with short pieces of courtroom and practice advice sent via email . “ I wanted to help lawyers do their job better and share things that I think would be helpful ,” he says . “ I ’ ve enjoyed making the law accessible to the public .”
Service
A graduate of the National Judicial College , Sandstrom also sat in many leadership positions while serving on the Court . He chaired the Joint Procedure Committee , the North Dakota Advisory Commission on Cameras in the Courtroom , the Court Technology Committee , the North Dakota Judicial Conference , and the North Dakota Judges Association . He also served as a member of the Joint Committee on Attorney Standards .
A lifelong supporter of Boy Scouts , Sandstrom has also remained active in the organization , serving on the executive board of the Northern Lights Council . He also serves his church and is a member of the Masons and Rotary Club .
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