Q & A about the North Dakota Judicial Systems

Questions and Answers about the North Dakota Judicial System

These questions are from Amy H., a 9th grade North Dakota home school student:

In a grand jury, how many jurors must believe a trial is justified in order to indict someone? Six.
Does my state use "information" filing? Yes, it is usually used instead of indictment.
How many people are needed for a petit jury? Trial juries in North Dakota use as few as six or as many as twelve jurors, depending on the case.
How many on a petit jury must declare the defendant guilty for a conviction? A jury in a criminal case must reach a unanimous verdict.
How much is a Supreme Court justice paid annually? The annual salary of each justice of the Supreme Court is $83,870 through June 30, 2000, and $85,483 thereafter. The chief justice is entitled to receive an additional $2,365 a year through June 30, 2000, and $2,412 a year thereafter.
How may appellate districts are there in my state? One.
I have enjoyed your judicial website. It has been very helpful to me in my study of the ND judicial system. Are there any other publications you would recommend for me to understand the basics of the judicial system in our state? You may wish to refer to the latest edition of Governing North Dakota, published by the University of North Dakota.

This question is from Rochelle Archer in Australia:

We are trying to answer a trivia quiz. How many judges sit on the American Supreme Court? Can you help us? Thanks. There are nine justices on the United States Supreme Court. They are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate for life tenure.
There are five justices on the North Dakota Supreme Court. They are elected by the people for staggered ten-year terms.

These are questions from Mr. Arneson's class at Lincoln School in Fargo:

How many people are on a jury? In North Dakota, juries may have as many as 12 members and as few as 6, depending on the case, and the number parties ask for.
How are judges picked? In North Dakota, state Supreme Court Justices and District Judges are elected by a vote of the people. If there is a vacancy, the Governor may call a special election or appoint someone from a list recommended by a Judicial Nominating Committee. A person appointed serves until the next general election two years after appointment.
Why did the O.J. Simpson case take so long? It was a very unusual criminal case. Most criminal cases in North Dakota take less than one day! Even the biggest criminal cases in North Dakota are over in less than a week. The length of the O.J. criminal case was probably caused by the judge, the lawyers, and the number of witnesses.
Why isn't O.J. in jail? A criminal court jury found him "not guilty." The State must prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt. When a jury finds someone not guilty, it is not saying the person is innocent, but that the State did not prove the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Why do appeals in criminal cases take so long? Appeals take much less time today than a number of years ago, but they still take time. Usually a transcript (a typed record of everything said in the trial court) must be prepared. Then the attorneys need time to write briefs (written documents arguing the facts and the law). A time is set for the attorneys to argue their case in front of the Supreme Court. The Justices then write opinions, and discuss back and forth, until a decision is reached. Some cases take longer than others.
Do you know Marc's dad? Yes. He's argued a number of cases before the Supreme Court, and has a good win-loss record. (Did he suggest the previous question?)
How many trials have you had? No trials take place in the Supreme Court. There are no witnesses called, and no jury. The Supreme Court hears appeals from people who are unhappy with what happened in the trial court. The Supreme Court hears about 30 appeals each month.
Do you enjoy your job? All of the Justices say they enjoy their job. Some days are more enjoyable than others. Some cases are very sad. The Justices enjoy doing the best job they can.

This question is from Mr. Slyter's business law class at Grenora, N.D:

What is your stand on the legalization of marijuana? Because of restrictions in the Code of Judicial Conduct, the North Dakota Supreme Court does not take official positions on most questions to be decided by the legislature. The Justices have noted illegal drug use often plays a role in criminal activity, family violence, and divorce.

These answers are intended to be general in nature.

Other school classes may send questions about the North Dakota Judicial System to webmaster@ndcourts.gov.

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In a grand jury, how many jurors must believe a trial is justified in order to indict someone?	Six.
Does my state use "information" filing?	Yes, it is usually used instead of indictment.
How many people are needed for a petit jury?	Trial juries in North Dakota use as few as six or as many as twelve jurors, depending on the case.
How many on a petit jury must declare the defendant guilty for a conviction?	A jury in a criminal case must reach a unanimous verdict.
How much is a Supreme Court justice paid annually?	The annual salary of each justice of the Supreme Court is $83,870 through June 30, 2000, and $85,483 thereafter. The chief justice is entitled to receive an additional $2,365 a year through June 30, 2000, and $2,412 a year thereafter.
How may appellate districts are there in my state?	One.
I have enjoyed your judicial website. It has been very helpful to me in my study of the ND judicial system. Are there any other publications you would recommend for me to understand the basics of the judicial system in our state?	You may wish to refer to the latest edition of Governing North Dakota, published by the University of North Dakota.

How many people are on a jury?	In North Dakota, juries may have as many as 12 members and as few as 6, depending on the case, and the number parties ask for.
How are judges picked?	In North Dakota, state Supreme Court Justices and District Judges are elected by a vote of the people. If there is a vacancy, the Governor may call a special election or appoint someone from a list recommended by a Judicial Nominating Committee. A person appointed serves until the next general election two years after appointment.
Why did the O.J. Simpson case take so long?	It was a very unusual criminal case. Most criminal cases in North Dakota take less than one day! Even the biggest criminal cases in North Dakota are over in less than a week. The length of the O.J. criminal case was probably caused by the judge, the lawyers, and the number of witnesses.
Why isn't O.J. in jail?	A criminal court jury found him "not guilty." The State must prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt. When a jury finds someone not guilty, it is not saying the person is innocent, but that the State did not prove the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Why do appeals in criminal cases take so long?	Appeals take much less time today than a number of years ago, but they still take time. Usually a transcript (a typed record of everything said in the trial court) must be prepared. Then the attorneys need time to write briefs (written documents arguing the facts and the law). A time is set for the attorneys to argue their case in front of the Supreme Court. The Justices then write opinions, and discuss back and forth, until a decision is reached. Some cases take longer than others.
Do you know Marc's dad?	Yes. He's argued a number of cases before the Supreme Court, and has a good win-loss record. (Did he suggest the previous question?)
How many trials have you had?	No trials take place in the Supreme Court. There are no witnesses called, and no jury. The Supreme Court hears appeals from people who are unhappy with what happened in the trial court. The Supreme Court hears about 30 appeals each month.
Do you enjoy your job?	All of the Justices say they enjoy their job. Some days are more enjoyable than others. Some cases are very sad. The Justices enjoy doing the best job they can.