The Good Life – May-June 2023

WRITTEN BY: HILLARY SORENSON
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
An exceptional leader and man:
His name is Johnathan Judd, but his friends call him JJ
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.
Who Is Johnathan Judd?
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.
A Full Docket
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
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 19