Fargo judge finds five retailers violated city tobacco code; $500 fines, probation ordered

Municipal Court Judge Dan Phillips found five Fargo retailers violated Fargo Municipal Code Chapter 35 after a series of compliance checks and imposed $500 fines and 12-month probationary periods for each business.

The violations stem from compliance checks conducted on June 27, 2025; notices of the hearings were served via certified mail with a July 3, 2025 date on the notices. The cases were heard at a public hearing in Fargo Municipal Court; the proceedings were civil in nature, with the city required to prove a violation by a preponderance of the evidence, Phillips said.

In opening remarks, Judge Dan Phillips said, “These are non criminal proceedings in which the city has a burden proved violation by a preponderance of the evidence.” He also told attendees that written findings and orders would follow and that any orders were appealable under the North Dakota Century Code.

Case details and outcomes

- Casey’s General Store, 1901 University Drive North: The city said an under-21…