Who is JudgeJohnathan Judd?

WRITTEN BY: HILLARY SORENSON PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA

Judge Johnathan Judd is more than a District Court Judge in Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial District located in Fergus Falls. Johnathan is a father, spouse, and a walking, talking, breathing example of what society needs as a model and leader of the community.

From humble beginnings in Raleigh, North Carolina, Johnathan has called Minnesota “home” for nearly three decades. “What was meant to be only a one-year stay ended up being a thirty-year stay. The people up here were just so welcoming and people embraced me, and they didn’t have to,” he said. “I was the only African American student in about 900 people at Fargo North, and it continued to remain such an impression on me. I met so many good people up here and thirty years later, I’m still here.”

After graduating from the University of North Dakota law school, Johnathan was working as a law clerk in Morris, Minnesota when his passion for community, inclusion, and multicultural affairs flourished. “I started looking at a possible career path,” he said. “Primarily because I see that this region offers a lot to everybody regardless of what your background is, and I believe in this region, and I believe in the people.”

Johnathan said that his love for people and his home has always had a major influence on the things that he does. Whether he is working with his team at the courthouse or with a community member, he strives to keep a sense of togetherness at the forefront.

Judge Judd has worn many hats during his extensive career, including but not limited to director of equity and inclusion at Minnesota State Community and

Technical College (MSCTC), adjunct instructor of criminal justice at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM), director of multicultural affairs at Concordia, volunteer football coach for FM athletics, and board member of Moorhead youth hockey association. As a judge he can no longer serve on these boards, and they are a mere snapshot of everything Judge Judd has done to serve and give back to the community.

Judge Judd was also the mayor of Moorhead from 2018 to 2021 before being appointed as judge by Governor Tim Walz. In a 2021 press release, Governor Walz stated, “Mr. Judd has championed fairness, justice and equality while working tirelessly to create an open dialogue among community members throughout his impressive career in public service.”

Judge Judd said he was honored and humbled by the statement because he felt it accurately epitomized the type of work he has tried to do and what has been ingrained in him since childhood.

“Mr. Judd has championed fairness, justice and equality while working tirelessly to create an open dialogue among community members throughout his impressive career in public service.” – Tim Walz

Judge Judd said that his friends would probably say he has worn too many hats in his career, but he has no regrets. “The sum of the whole has allowed me to see the community and individuals through a variety of lenses,” he said. “I have no regrets about the hats I have worn, and life experience and knowledge I have gained from it.”

As brothers and sisters of this community, each of us has a different story to tell on how the year of 2020 impacted our personal and professional lives. For

“I’ve really tried to put what I have learned into practice. Not just talking the talk but being able to put those words into action. Anyone can talk about what they are going to do.”

– Johnathan Judd

Johnathan, whether he was discussing race relations or the pandemic, as a leader, it was challenging and impossible to be everything for everyone. During the tough conversations, Johnathan led with authenticity and an overarching theme of hope, and no matter what, our community would get through it together.

“My message of building inclusivity and togetherness was very organic. It was from the heart. I didn’t script any of these things that I spoke about. I spoke from my heart, knowledge, belief, and support of the community,” he said. “I thought we should just see people in their humanity. There’s humanity here, and we are not the same community as other communities are. We can have conversations with each other and build understanding.”

Johnathan said it didn’t matter what type of platform he was speaking on, he held true to himself and what he believed the community represented. “I honestly believe we were in a better situation to have these conversations,” he said. “That was the best that I could do.”

As a father of three, the conversations at home were just as tough, but he said he tried not to show signs of stress with his kids. “I think it's safe to say, they knew, but I tried to tell them we were going to be okay. As much as we told them to stay off of social media, you know, they saw it. I always just tried to keep a positive mindset,” he said. “With my spouse, she was definitely my rock (put up with a lot of emails and phone calls). Honestly, I put the needs of the community ahead during that time because there was so much going on, so when we had that quality time and conversations, we were able to process a lot of what was going on in the moment.”

Going forward, Johnathan said that we need to become better listeners and open ourselves up to being candid and vulnerable. He said it's important to remember that we are all human beings who make mistakes, so allowing for grace is important. “Communication is talking and listening. We are not going to develop understanding if we don’t allow people to ask questions and say their piece,” he said. “People are going to make mistakes especially when they are learning and talking about race. If we don't allow someone to speak their truth or their vulnerable side, then we aren’t going to get anywhere.”

Johnathan Judd’s friends call him “JJ.”

JJ and his wife Tammi Fortney, a school psychologist for Moorhead Public School District, met through mutual friends during college, and they have three children. When asked how his family would describe him, he said one of his children said “strong-willed”, and the other two said “loyal” and “humble.” His wife who was close by during the conversation nodded in approval. “I'm sure she would have more choice

“I want to be remembered for (besides being a good father) building a positive community. A man who really tried to bring people together and build an inclusive, supportive community for everyone.” – Johnathan Judd words to describe me,” he said, laughing. JJ also has one fur-baby whose name is Harlie, and they adopted her from 4 Luv of Dog Rescue.

On the weekends, JJ is the typical dad shuttling and following his kids around from one activity to the next. “My weekends are spoken for. I have two sons who play football and hockey, my middle child is in speech and debate, and they are also a part of the Moorhead theater program, so on any given weekend, I am supporting one or two or three of them in their endeavors.” He also mentioned he coaches his kid’s football team and, during the spring, all three of his children play lacrosse. He and his wife also find time for each other and make date nights a priority.

JJ says he juggles his personal and professional time through compartmentalization, and he’s very selective about the things he takes on. “In my career, I worked so hard to get to where I’m at and also worked to build the community, that now, I’ve really tried to put the primary focus on my family, physical health, mental health and overall well-being.” JJ, who previously lost 115 pounds, is an avid crossfitter, cyclist, and loves participating in the Fargo Marathon. He said, although judges work very long days, he strives to take an hour a day to stay active.

To the outsider looking in, Judge Judd is at the top of his game with a full personal and professional life that he has worked hard to achieve, but for him, he said there is always room to be “better.”

“I am an individual who really tries to work on my blind spots. I embrace them, and I work on them,” he said. Judge Judd went on to say that the only way someone gets better is to continually be working on oneself, and he doesn’t think he will ever stop striving to be better. He also stated that he doesn’t have a lot of material goals because the legacy he wants to leave behind isn’t one that can be bought. “I want to be supportive of people, that's the legacy I want to leave.”

When asked how he would like to spend retirement (many years from now), he said he wants to referee high school football and take an extended vacation overseas. He joked that he would always have a footprint in the upper Midwest, but would probably forgo the harsh winters for somewhere warmer in the South.

As a man who has worn many hats, accomplished things both small and large, and left a longlasting impression on community members, the Good Life for Judge Judd is one that means being surrounded by family and friends. “The good life to me is being around family, close friends who support you in your life journey, and they too really appreciate your presence around them. At the end of the day, that's what it comes down to.” •