Title: Obert C. Teigen Papers, 1940-1978

ID: OGLMC579

Primary Creator: Teigen, Obert C. (1908-1978)

Extent: 5.0 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 06/00/1980. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Legal - North Dakota Supreme Court, University of North Dakota - Alumni

Languages: English

The papers of Judge Teigen include personal, legal and judicial correspondence, reporter speeches, opinion notebooks, published materials, and memorabilia arranged alphabetically and dating from 1940 to 1978.

Forty four photographs were separated and placed in the Photograph File Cabinets.  One folder of oversized certificates was placed in the Oversized File Cabinets.

Obert C. Teigen was born on September 27, 1908 near Felon, North Dakota. He graduated from Edmore High School in 1927. Five years later he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Dakota and in 1934 he received a L.L.B. from the School of Law at the University.

Shortly after he was admitted to the North Dakota Bar, Teigen served as a caseworker for the Federal Emergency Relief Administration in Ramsey County. From 1937 to 1943 he served as State's Attorney for Ramsey County. In 1943 he accepted an appointment as a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was assigned to the Chicago and Detroit areas for approximately one year.

In 1947 he established a law practice in Devils Lake. Seven years later he was appointed U.S. District Judge by Governor Norman Brunsdale. In 1959 Governor John Davis appointed him Associate Justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court. He was elected to two ten year terms beginning in 1960. In 1966 he was elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a position he held until 1971. Teigen continued his service on the Supreme Court until his resignation in July 1974.

Following his retirement from the Supreme Court, Teigen accepted a position as Administration Judge for the Social Security Administration. In February 1978 he was forced to resign his position as a result of ill health and died a few months later on May 26, 1978.

Legal - North Dakota Supreme Court
University of North Dakota - Alumni

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals: Additional material was donated by Phillip J. Brown, Bismarck, North Dakota, in November 1983 (Acc.83-1224).

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Mrs. Obert Teigen, Bismarck, North Dakota

Acquisition Method: Donation; Acc.80-660

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Obert C. Teigen Papers.  OGLMC 579, Box #, Folder #.  Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in February 2015.