N.D.R.Crim.P.
RULE 21. TRANSFER FROM THE COUNTY OR
MUNICIPALITY FOR TRIAL
(a) For Prejudice in the County or Municipality. The court
upon Upon the defendant's
motion, of the court must defendant shall
transfer the proceeding against the defendant to
another county or municipality whether or not that county or municipality is specified in
the
defendant's motion if the court is satisfied there that so great a
prejudice against the
defendant exists in the transferring county or municipality in which
the prosecution is
pending so great a prejudice against the defendant that the defendant cannot obtain a
fair and
impartial trial there.
(b) For Convenience and Justice. For the convenience of parties and witnesses,
and in the
interest of justice Upon the defendant's motion, the court upon motion
of the defendant may
transfer the proceeding against the defendant to another county or
municipality for the
convenience of the parties and witnesses and in the interest of justice.
(c) Upon Motion of the Court. On Upon its own motion, the
court may transfer the trial to
another county. If any party files an objection to the change of trial
transfer no later than ten
days after the date of notification of the place of trial, the trial must be held
where originally
venued at the original location unless grounds exist for a change of
venue as provided in
subdivision transfer under Rule 21(a), (b) or (f).
(d) Proceedings on Transfer.
(1) Transfer of File. When the court orders a transfer is
ordered, the court clerk shall
transmit send to the transferee court to which the
action or proceeding is transferred all
papers in the action or proceeding, or duplicates thereof the file, or a certified
copy, and any
bail taken, and the. The prosecution shall will
then continue in that the transferee county or
municipality.
(2) Conduct of Case. Whenever the place of trial is changed as provided in
this rule Upon
a transfer under Rule 21, the prosecuting attorney of the county or
municipality where the
action or proceeding was commenced, or any other person appointed to prosecute, shall
prosecute the case, and the judge ordering the transfer shall preside at the trial. The action
or proceeding, except for the payment and collection of costs, must be conducted in all
respects as if it had been commenced in the transferee court to which it
is transferred.
(e) Transfer of Records. After acquittal or conviction in the action or proceeding, the
transferee court to which the action or proceeding was transferred
shall must retransmit all
papers documents in the action or proceeding to the court in
which where the action was
commenced.
(f) Transfer by Prosecution. The prosecution may apply for a transfer of the action
or
proceeding as a defendant may apply Upon the prosecution's motion,
and the court being
satisfied that it will promote the ends of justice, may order such removal upon
the terms and
to the extent and in the manner provided in this rule transfer the proceeding for the
reasons
listed in Rule 21(a) and (b).
(g) Transfer of Defendant. The transferring court shall must order
the officer having who
has the defendant in custody to transfer the defendant to the custody of the proper officer of
the transferee county or municipality to which the action or proceeding is
transferred. The
transfer must be made according to under the terms of the order.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Rule 21 was amended, effective March 1, 1990; March 1, 2001; March 1, 2006.
Rule 21 was amended, effective March 1, 2001. A new subdivision (c) allows a court to
transfer a trial to another county in the absence of an when there is no
objection. In deciding
to move a trial or proceeding, a trial court must consider N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6(B) and
7(B). The subdivisions were redesignated accordingly.
Rule 21 was amended, effective March 1, 2006, in response to the December 1, 2002, revision of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The language and organization of the rule were changed to make the rule more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules. In addition, reference to transfers between municipalities was removed from the rule.
Rule 21 contemplates that all transfers shall be made from one court to a corresponding court of the same grade and classification.
Subdivisions (a), (b) and (g) were amended, effective March 1, 1990. The amendments are technical in nature and no substantive change is intended.
Rule 21 is not designed for cases in which it is claimed that the judge is biased, as there are statutory remedies enabling a party to disqualify a judge. See N.D.C.C. § 29-15-21.
Subdivision (g) was added to incorporate the provisions of N.D.C.C. §
29-15-05.
(Disposition of defendant upon removal.).
SOURCES: Joint Procedure Committee Minutes of April 28-29, 2005, page 3; January
23-24, 2005, page 17; September 23-24, 1999, pages 13-15; September 24-25, 1998, pages
16-17; April 20, 1989, page 4; December 3, 1987, page 15; September 18-19, 1980, pages 15-18;
April 24-26, 1973, page 11; October 17-20, 1972, pages 5-11; September 17-18, 1970,
pages 7-9; September 25-27, 1968, pages 9-11; Fed.R.Crim.P. 21; Wright, Federal
Practice
and Procedure: Criminal, § § 341-347 (1969); 8 Moore's Federal Practice, Chapter
21 (Cipes, 2d Ed. 1970).
STATUTES AFFECTED:
SUPERSEDED: N.D.C.C. §§ 29-01-33, 29-15-01, 29-15-02, 29-15-03, 29-15-04, 29-15-05, 29-15-06, 29-15-07, 29-15-08, 29-15-09, 29-15-10, 29-15-11, 29-15-12, 29-15-20, 33-12-14, 40-18-21.
CONSIDERED: N.D.C.C. §§ 27-05-22, 29-15-21, 33-03-11.
CROSS REFERENCE: N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6 (Judicial Districts); N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 7 (Designation of Judgeships and Chambers with Assignments).