N.D.R.Civ.P.
Alternative 1
RULE 68. OFFER OF SETTLEMENT, OR
TENDER, CONFESSION OF JUDGMENT,. TENDER
AND NOTICE OF SETTLEMENT
(a) Offer of Settlement. At any time more than 10 days before the trial begins, any party may serve upon an adverse party an offer, denominated as an offer under this rule, to settle a claim for the money or property or to the effect specified in the offer, with costs then accrued and to enter into a stipulation dismissing the claim or to allow judgment to be entered accordingly. If within 10 days after the service of the offer, the adverse party serves written notice that the offer is accepted, either party may then file the offer and notice of acceptance together with proof of service.thereof and thereupon theThe clerk shall enter judgment upon order of the court. An offer not accepted is deemed withdrawn and evidence of the offer is not admissible except in a proceeding to determine costs. If the judgment is not more favorable than the offer, the offeree must pay the costs incurred after the making of the offer. The factthatan offer is made but not accepted does not preclude a subsequent offer. If liability of one party to another has been determined by verdict or order or judgment, but the amount or extent of the liability remains to be determined by further proceedings, any party may make an offer of settlement under this rule, which has the same effect as an offer made before trial if it is served within a reasonable time not less than 10 days before the commencement of hearings to determine the amount or extent of liability.
(b) Tender of Money in Lieu of Judgment. If the actionbeis for the recovery of money, instead of the offer of settlement provided for in subdivision (a) of this rule, the defendant may tender to the plaintiff the full amount to which the plaintiff is entitled, together with costs and disbursements then accrued. If the tender is not accepted, the plaintiff may not have costs and disbursements unless the recovery is more than the sum tendered; and the defendant's costs and disbursements must be deducted from the recovery, or, if they exceed the recovery, the defendant is entitled to judgment for the excess. The fact of the tenderhaving been mademay not be pleaded or given in evidence.
(c) Confession of Judgment.
(1) A judgment by confession may be entered without action, either for money due or to become due, or to secure any person against contingent liability on behalf of the defendant, or both, in the manner prescribed by this subdivision.
(2) A statement in writing must be made, signed by the defendant, and verified by oath, to the following effect:
1. It must state the amount for which judgment may be entered and authorize the entry of judgment therefor; and
2. If the judgment to be confessed is for money due or to become due, it must state concisely the facts out of which the debt arose, and must showthatthe sum confessedthereforis justly due or to become due; or
3. If the judgment to be confessed is for the purpose of securing the plaintiff against a contingent liability, it must state concisely the facts constituting the liability and must showthatthe sum confessedtherefordoes not exceed the amount ofthatthe contingent liability.
(3) The statement must be presented to the court and, ifthe same isfound sufficient, the court shall order the clerk to enter judgment. The statement, order for judgment, and judgment entered constitute the judgment roll. Execution may be issued and enforced in the same manner as upon judgments in other cases. If the debt for which the judgment is recovered is not all due, or is payable in installments, and the installments are not all due, the execution may issue uponthatthe judgment for the collection of installments due, and must be in the usual form, but must have endorsed thereon by the attorney or person issuing the same a direction to the sheriff to collect the amount due on the judgment, which amount must be stated, with interest thereon and the costs of the judgment. Notwithstanding the issue and collection of the execution, the judgment remains as security for the installments thereafter to become due, and whenever any further installments become due, execution in like manner may be issued for its collection and enforcement.
[(d) Notice of Settlement. The parties shall immediately notify the court when a filed action is settled. If an action settles more than 1 day before trial and notice of the settlement is not given at least 1 day before trial, the court may assess the expenses unnecessarily incurred against the responsible parties or their counsel.]
[(d) Notice of Settlement. The parties shall immediately notify the court when a filed action is settled. If an action settles more than 1 day before trial, the court must be notified no later than 1 day after the settlement. If the required notice is not given, the court may assess the expenses unnecessarily incurred against the responsible parties or their counsel.]
[(d) Notice of Settlement. The parties shall immediately notify the court when a filed action is settled. Except for good cause shown, if timely notice of the settlement is not given, the court may assess the expenses unnecessarily incurred against the responsible parties or their counsel.]
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Rule 68 was amended, effective September 28, 1987; January 1, 1998; ________________________.
Subdivision (a) is similar to Rule 68, FRCivP, except for the provisions that the clerk may enter a judgment only upon order of the court and to allow a plaintiff to make an offer of settlement.
Subdivision (b) is similar to subdivision (a) except the defendant may tender money instead of making an offer of settlement. Unlike the offer of settlement, this can only be made in an action for the recovery of money.
Subdivision (c) authorizes a judgment by confession to be entered without commencing an action.This subdivision is the same as Chapter 28-10, NDRC 1943, which previously governed the subject.However, depending upon the facts of a particular case a confession of judgment may be vulnerable to constitutional attack. See, D. H. Overmyer Co. v. Frick Co., 405 U.S. 174, 92 S.Ct. 775, 31 L.Ed.2d 124 (1972).
Early in its history, the North Dakota Supreme Court ruled that the authority to confess judgment must be clear and explicit and must be strictly followed. Rasmussen v. Hagler, 108 N.W. 541 (N.D. 1906).
Subdivision (d) was added, effective ________________, to require the parties to immediately notify the court when they settle a filed action. Reasonable expenses that may be assessed include jury panel expenses, witness expenses, and court travel expenses.
SOURCES: Joint Procedure Committee Minutes of ____________________; May 21-22, 1987, pages 3-5; February 19-20, 1987, pages 17-19; September 18-19, 1986, pages 4-7; September 26-27, 1985, pages 6, 9-10; January 17-18, 1980, pages 6-7; Rule 68, FRCivP.Preliminary Draft of Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and Rules Governing Section 2254 cases and Section 2255 proceedings in the United States District Courts, Proposed Amendment to Rule 68, FRCivP (not adopted), September 1984. Preliminary Draft of Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Proposed Amendment to Rule 68, FRCivP (not adopted), August 1983.
STATUTES AFFECTED:
SUPERSEDED: Section 28-0912, 28-1001, 28-1002, 28-1003, NDRC 1943.
CROSS REFERENCE: Rules 12 (Defenses and Objections--When and How Presented--By Pleading or Motion--Motion for Judgment on Pleadings) and 67 (Deposit in Court), NDR Rule 408 (Compromise and Offers to Compromise), NDREv.