N.D.R.Civ.P.RULE 17. PARTIES PLAINTIFF AND DEFENDANT -; CAPACITY (a) Real party in interest.
(1) Designation in General. Every An action must be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest. The following may sue in their own names without joining the person for whose benefit the action is brought:
(A) An an executor,;
(B) an administrator,;
(C) a guardian,;
(D) a bailee,;
(E) a trustee of an express trust,;
(F) a party with whom or in whose name a contract has been made for the another's benefit of another,; and
(G) or a party authorized by statute.
may sue in that person's own name without joining the party for whose benefit the action is brought; and if
(2) Action in the Name of the State for Another's Use of Benefit. When a statute so provides, an action for the another's use or benefit of another must be brought in the name of the state of North Dakota.
(3) Joinder of the Real Party in Interest. No action may be dismissed on the ground that it is not prosecuted The court may not dismiss an action for failure to prosecute in the name of the real party in interest until, after an objection, a reasonable time has been allowed after the objection for ratification of commencement of the action by, or joinder or substitution of, the real party in interest; to ratify, join, or be substituted into the action. and the After ratification, joinder, or substitution, has the same effect as if the action proceeds as if it had been originally commenced in the name of by the real party in interest.
(b) Infants Minor or Incompetent persons Person.
(1) With a Representative. Whenever an infant If a minor or incompetent person has a representative, such as a general guardian, or other like fiduciary, the representative may sue or defend on behalf of the infant minor or incompetent person.
(2) Without a Representative. An infant A minor or incompetent person who does not have a duly appointed representative may sue by a next friend or by a guardian ad litem. The court shall must appoint a guardian ad litem, for an infant or incompetent person not otherwise represented in an action or shall make such other or issue another appropriate order, as it considers proper for the protection of the infant to protect a minor or incompetent person who is unrepresented in an action.; or, if the The court considers it expedient, may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent an infant a minor or incompetent person, even though the infant minor or incompetent person may have a general guardian and may have appeared.
(c) Capacity to Sue or be Sued. The capacity of all other persons to sue or be sued shall be is determined by appropriate statutory provisions.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Rule 17 was amended, effective March 1, 1990; March 1, 2007;______________.
This rule is derived from Fed.R.Civ.P. 17. The rule deviates from the federal rule by substituting State of North Dakota for United States in subdivision (a); reversing titles and content of subdivisions (b) and (c); adding a final clause concerning appointment of a guardian ad litem to subdivision (b); and greatly simplifying subdivision (c).
In some cases, the State of North Dakota may become a real party in interest by action of law. See, e.g., N.D.C.C. § 14-09-09.26. Under N.D.R.Civ.P. 10, the state must be named as a party in the title of an action if it is a real party in interest or if it becomes a real party in interest.
Rule 17 was amended, effective March 1, 1990. The amendments are technical in nature and no substantive change is intended.
Rule 17 was amended, effective _______________, in response to the December 1, 2007, revision of the Federal Rules of Civil 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.
Sources: Joint Procedure Committee Minutes of _____________; April 20, 1989, page 2; December 3, 1987, page 11; September 20-21, 1979, pages 11-12; Fed.R.Civ.P. 17.
Statutes Affected:
Superseded: N.D.R.C. 1943 §§ 28-0201, 28-0202 (first sentence), 28-0204.
Cross Reference: N.D.R.Civ.P. 9 (Pleading Special Matters), N.D.R.Civ.P. 10 (Form of Pleadings) and N.D.R.Civ.P. 55 (Default).