New ruling means Supreme Court dodges Obamacare showdown, but legal fight rolls on

CNN: "After a long-awaited ruling from a US appeals court on the fate of the Affordable Care Act, this much is clear: the wait will only be longer, and uncertainty over the future of the law that provided new coverage for millions of Americans will only linger."

New dean says UND School of Law seeing brighter days

G.F. Herald: "Though it was a sometimes rocky path to get there, times are bright at the UND School of Law, says Dean Michael McGinniss."

New issue of N.D. Law Review now available

The North Dakota Law Review recently published Volume 94, Issue 3, which includes articles on Lake Sakakawea and the Takings Clause and on the future of voter ID.

North Dakota's lone female police chief retiring, says it's been a great ride

KFGO News: "Jeanette Persons is calling it quits. The Lisbon police chief, the state's only female police chief, is retiring."

North Dakota's 2019 homicides may have hit a high not seen in four decades

Fargo Forum: "The number of criminal homicides committed in North Dakota in 2019 could be the highest in four decades."

Dakota Datebook: North Dakota's ratification of the 19th Amendment (Part 2)

Prairie Public: "Governor Lynn Frazier had called a special session in late November 1919 that addressed, among other issues, the proposed 19th Amendment to the US Constitution to grant women the right to vote. The House and Senate both voted in favor by December 1st, and it was signed by both branches on December 4th."

Job Announcement - Hearing Officer

A job announcement for a Temporary Hearing Officer with the N.D. Department of Transportation in Bismarck has been posted.

75% of ND counties have fewer than 10 attorneys, leaving rural residents without legal help nearby

G.F. Herald: "When Delvin Losing - the only attorney in Casselton - was asked why he’s kept his office in the town of nearly 2,500 residents, he jokingly replied, 'Sometimes, I wonder.'"

Dakota Datebook: North Dakota's Ratification of the 19th Amendment

Prairie Public: "The right for women to vote was disputed for decades. Women and men alike populated both sides of the debate. Proponents united in rallying behind the push for change, which eventually resulted in the passage of the 19th Amendment."

State Court Administrator announces interest rate on judgments for 2020

The State Court Administrator is required by law to set the interest rate on judgements annually. For judgments entered in 2020, the interest rate will be 8 percent.

Dakota Datebook: The Open Range Doctrine

Prairie Public: "In the early days, when the eastern states were still colonies of Great Britain, farmers were bound by the doctrine of common law. Farmers who owned animals that were likely to roam, like cattle or horses, were responsible for any damage done by those animals."

Gary Thune 1942-2019

Longtime Bismarck attorney Gary Thune died Dec. 1. A UND School of Law graduate, he was admitted to the N.D. bar in 1974. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo.

ND ratified 19th Amendment 100 years ago, granting women full voting rights

G.F. Herald: "One hundred years ago Sunday, a group of men gathered in the House chambers at the Capitol in Bismarck to decide whether to allow their wives, mothers, daughters and sisters the right to vote."

Celebrating 100 years of votes for women

Ceremonies marking North Dakota Ratification Day will be held Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Heritage Center in Bismarck. A program featuring Supreme Court Justice Lisa McEvers as guest speaker will begin at 2 p.m. on Dec. 1.

Women Lawyers Section networking gathering in Jamestown

On Thursday, Nov. 21, ten members of the SBAND Women Lawyers Section from the Southeast Judicial District gathered for networking and conversation. Judge Cherie Clark, the WLS Regional Representative for the SEJD, hosted the event.

Job Announcement - Staff Attorney

A job announcement for a Staff Attorney with Legal Services of North Dakota's Native American Program in Minot has been posted.

Job Announcement - Paralegal Specialist

A job announcement for a Paralegal Specialist with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Fargo or Bismarck has been posted.

North Dakota to launch program to keep inmates from coming back

G.F. Herald: "As the state prison system fights a surge of inmates — and the pressures of the opioid and addiction crisis — North Dakota corrections leaders say they plan to launch a new program at the state penitentiary next year teaching young adults the skills they need to stay out of prison."

State pen prisoners discuss solitary confinement

KXNet News: "Last August, we took you on a tour of the North Dakota State Penitentiary’s revamped solitary confinement unit. A year later, we look at the real changes prisoners are experiencing. We spoke with a few, who compared the old with the new."

William Thoms 1940-2019

UND Professor Emeritus of Law William "Bill" Thoms, 78, died Sept. 22. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, at St. Otto’s Care Center Chapel in Little Falls, Minn.

Law review plans symposium on North Dakota constitutional law

The North Dakota Law Review will be conducting a symposium on state constitutional law on April 16, 2020, at the Heritage Center in Bismarck.

Not paying your child support? North Dakota, tribal nation buckle down to improve collections

G.F. Herald: "Child support enforcers in North Dakota and the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation are looking into why some parents don't pay across state and tribal lines."

Judge Larry Hatch 1930-2019

Former South Central Judicial District Judge Larry Hatch died Nov. 4. He was a 1958 graduate of the UND School of Law and served as a district judge from 1972-1991. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at Nativity Catholic Church in Fargo.

John D. Olsrud 1941-2019

Longtime Legislative Council director John D. Olsrud, 77, died Oct. 30. He was a 1967 graduate of the UND School of Law and one of the first law clerks for the North Dakota Supreme Court. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bismarck.

Law dean shares good news about enrollment, bar passage rates

UND Today: "Prospects are looking very good. There is a demand and need for lawyers in our state and region. We’ve successfully placed a high percentage of our students in legal positions, primarily in North Dakota and Minnesota, but also in other states and in Canada."

Aloys "Al" Wartner III 1942-2019

Attorney Aloys "Al" Wartner III of Harvey, ND and Scottsdale/Mesa, AZ died Oct. 5. He graduated from the UND School of Law in 1970 and began his law practice in Harvey.

LSND to hold winter CLE Dec. 6 in Bismarck

Legal Services of North Dakota will hold its annual winter continuing legal education seminar in Bismarck on Dec. 6.

Scott Bradley Graham 1949-2019

Attorney Scott Bradley Graham, 70, died Oct. 23. He was a 1983 graduate of the UND School of Law and clerked for Justice H.F. "Sparky" Gierke.

North Dakota inmates sometimes sent back to prison for 'technical' reasons

G.F. Herald: "According to state data, North Dakota’s ex-state prisoners are headed back behind bars at about the same rate they were 10 years ago. But during that decade, that number has varied -- and the statistics themselves are said to be bound up in questions of prison capacity, criminal law and the opioid crisis."

N.D. Attorney General opinions: Oct. 23-24

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has issued an opinion that the skilled workforce student loan repayment program is available to graduates of four-year institutions if all other eligibility requirements are met and an opinion that Jamestown's Frontier Village Association violated multiple requirements of the open meetings law.

Job Announcement - Contract Attorney

A job announcement for a Contract Attorney with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in the Southeast Judicial District has been posted.

Job Announcement - Assistant State’s Attorney I

A job announcement for an Assistant State’s Attorney I with the Stark County State’s Attorney Office has been posted.

Job Announcement - Legal Assistant GS-7

A job announcement for a Legal Assistant GS-7 with the USAO, District of North Dakota in the Bismarck, ND office has been posted.

ND DOCR receives grant for drug court

KFYR News: "The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation received a $486,253 grant through the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance. This is a three-year grant that will increase drug court services statewide."

Job Announcement - Insurance Healthcare Enforcement Attorney

A job announcement for an Insurance Healthcare Enforcement Attorney with the Insurance Commission in Bismarck has been posted.

LaVern C. Neff 1927-2019

Longtime Williston attorney LaVern C. “Vern” Neff, 92, died Oct. 13. A UND School of Law graduate, he was admitted to the bar in 1952. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Faith United Methodist Church in Williston.

Burgum announces members of newly established Children's Cabinet

G.F. Herald: "Gov. Doug Burgum on Friday, Oct. 11, announced the 12 members of the newly established Children’s Cabinet, which will study and coordinate care for children across the three branches of state government and tribal nations."

States put Norway-style prison reforms to work in U.S.

Detroit News: "U.S. prison officials and academics are increasingly looking to Norway's approach to incarceration for ideas to reduce recidivism rates that are higher in the United States than anywhere else in the world."

Western Dakota Association of Legal Assistants celebrates 35th Anniversary

The Western Dakota Association of Legal Assistants recently celebrated its 35th Anniversary. WDALA presented its Legacy Award to Penny Miller, Clerk of the North Dakota Supreme Court; Judith Howard, Minot attorney; Lori Hauge, court reporter; and Vicki Kunz, founding member of WDALA.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for Attorney III with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in Williston has been posted.

Job Announcement - Assistant City Attorney

A job announcement for an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Bismarck has been posted.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Attorney II with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in Minot has been posted.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for a Paralegal/Legal Assistant with Legal Services of North Dakota in Bismarck has been posted.

UND School of Law sets schedule for Homecoming 2019

The UND School of Law is hosting a CLE program (with ethics credits), an awards luncheon, a parade watch party and an all-school reunion and open house during Homecoming 2019 on Oct. 4-5.

Dale W. Moench 1940-2019

Longtime attorney Dale W. Moench died Oct. 1. A UND School of Law graduate, he was admitted to the North Dakota bar in 1966. A celebration of life will be 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Attorney for Legal Services of North Dakota with the Medical Legal Partnership in Fargo has been posted.

David DeMars 1941-2019

Longtime Fargo attorney David DeMars died Sept. 21. He was a 1965 UND School of Law graduate. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Task force to form for North Dakota juvenile justice study

Bismarck Tribune: "The Legislature's interim Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved the formation of a task force for a study of North Dakota's juvenile justice system. Rep. Larry Klemin, R-Bismarck, who chairs the committee, will organize the task force comprising lawmakers as well as judges, attorneys and state agency members who work in the juvenile justice process."

Job Announcement

A job announcement for a Paralegal with Legal Services of North Dakota in Grand Forks has been posted.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for a Legal Secretary with the Burleigh County State’s Attorney’s office in Bismarck has been posted.

Dakota Datebook: A cleanup in Devils Lake

Prairie Public: "There was a great deal of excitement in Devils Lake on [Sept. 23], 1910. Dan Brennan of the law firm Brennan and Brennan had been shot following a raid to clean up the city’s blind pigs and bawdy houses."

Dakota Datebook: Golden Valley County affirmed

Prairie Public: "Politics has been chaotic in North Dakota history, even on the local level. Such was the case for the creation of Golden Valley County in far western North Dakota."

N.D. Law Review seeks submissions

The Board of Editors of the North Dakota Law Review invites submissions of written work for future editions of the publication. The Law Review serves as the exclusive journal of the State Bar Association of North Dakota and is dedicated to providing critical analysis of legal issues and developments in the state and region, as well as the national and international platforms.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Assistant Attorney General to represent the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks has been posted.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for two Legal Assistant II positions with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in Williston and Dickinson has been posted.

UND Law faculty member Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich named Webb Professor

UND News Release: "Assistant Professor Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich has been named the Rodney & Betty Webb Professor at the University of North Dakota School of Law."

Bar passage rate up 10 percent on July 2019 exam

The State Board of Law Examiners have announced the results of the July 2019 bar examination. Of the 82 applicants who sat for the bar examination in Bismarck, 60 applicants achieved a passing score. This is a 73 percent overall pass rate, compared to 63 percent a year ago.

UND to celebrate Constitution Day Sept. 17

The University of North Dakota will celebrate Constitution Day on Tuesday, Sept. 17, by hosting a lecture featuring Professor Richard F. Duncan of the University of Nebraska College of Law at the UND School of Law in the Baker Courtroom beginning at noon.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Appellate Contractor with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents has been posted.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Bismarck has been posted.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Attorney II with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in Fargo has been posted.

Workforce shortage in North Dakota impacting both prosecutors and public defenders

Bismarck Tribune: "In 2018, the average caseload per attorney in the Burleigh County office was 640, up 5% since 2015. Misdemeanor cases often are closed after one appearance by the defendant, but felonies require at least two appearances, more if a case goes to trial or if there are bail issues."

New N.D. Attorney General opinions

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has issued an opinion that the Fargo City Commission does not have authority to adopt a resolution to replace the existing airport authority with members of the city commission and an opinion that an applicant for appointment to the Board of Higher Education must have been a resident of the state for at least five consecutive years.

North Dakota man first to have felonies sealed from record

Valley News Live: "On August 1st, a law was introduced, giving people with criminal histories a second chance. A Fargo man is reaping the benefits just one month later, as he is the first person in North Dakota to have four felonies sealed from his public record."

UND Law excited to welcome strong class of first-year students

News Release: "The University of North Dakota School of Law welcomed an eager and diverse class of 84 first-year students for a week-long orientation program that began Aug. 18. The Class of 2022, which grew by 33 percent this year, includes students representing 18 states, Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and China."

Dewel E. Viker, Jr. 1940 - 2019

Longtime lawyer Dewel Viker Jr. of rural Hillsboro died Aug. 16. A 1965 UND School of Law graduate, he practiced law throughout North Dakota including service as state's attorney. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, at Halstad Lutheran Church in Halstad, Minn.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for a Legal Secretary with Legal Services of North Dakota in Fargo has been posted.

Welcome program for new UND law dean set for Friday

The UND School of Law will welcome new dean Michael S. McGinniss, recognize the Law Class of 2022, and thank alumni and friends who have generously supported the law school at a program and reception on Friday, Aug. 23.

North Dakota inmates train future service dogs

My ND Now: "Inmates from the Missouri River Correctional Center are putting their time and talent to good use. MRCC resident David Gunderson says, 'It’s nice to give back. You know, working with the dogs, seeing them grow, helps me grow.'"

N.D. Attorney General opinion: Aug. 14

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has issued an opinion that the Fargo Park District violated the law because the meeting notice for a special meeting of its Board of Commissioners did not sufficiently describe the specific topic the commission clearly knew it would be discussing.

Who owns the bones? A conversation about dinosaurs in North Dakota

KFGO News: "The national news has been covering the story of Harrison Duran, a college student who uncovered a 65 million year old Triceratops skull in western North Dakota."

What is ‘Good Time’? Is it Good for North Dakota?

KX News: "Simply put, good time is granted to inmates who follow the rules. Burleigh County State’s Attorney Julie Lawyer explains, 'There’s time that’s taken off the sentence they have to serve so that they actually serve less time than what they’re given in court.'"

Inaugural Justice Sandstrom Lecture set for Sunday

The inaugural Justice Dale V. Sandstrom Lecture will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, in the Russell Reid Auditorium of the North Dakota Heritage Center. The lecture is on Judge Charles F. Amidon's role in enforcing the Espionage Act of 1917 in North Dakota. The lecture has been approved for 1.0 ND Ethics credit or 1.0 ND CLE credit.

‘Not enough’: How will North Dakota balance budgets and criminal justice?

G.F. Herald: "Every year, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem’s office releases a report on crime data from around the state. Running dozens of pages, it’s a mountain of information, with spreadsheets of murders, kidnappings and arsons, indexed to population, cross-tabulated against drug use — often described in granular detail, jurisdiction by jurisdiction."

N.D. Federalist Society to hold Supreme Court Round-Up Aug. 20-21

The North Dakota Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society will be holding Supreme Court Round-Up seminars in Bismarck and Fargo on Aug. 20-21. CLE credit has been applied for.

Ready for change: Is North Dakota’s criminal safety net too thin?

G.F. Herald: "The first thing Adam Martin ever stole was a bouncing balloon from a drug store in Breckenridge, Minn. He says he doesn’t know why he did it. He just did."

Too big too fast: North Dakota’s other housing problem

G.F. Herald: "Pat Bohn has spent a long time working in corrections — long enough to climb from a rank-and-file parole and probation officer in the 1990s to a job heading North Dakota’s entire parole and probation operation today. He’s seen a lot of things change."

Then and now: The political sea changes that built North Dakota’s prisons

G.F. Herald: "In early 1995, North Dakota parole officer David Birrenkott told state leaders about a very, very busy criminal. This man had been on a decades-long crime spree across at least three states — and to hear Birrenkott tell it, there was no sign he was slowing down."

James Sayler to be new North Dakota State Penitentiary warden

KFYR News: "The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says James Sayler has accepted the position as the new warden for the North Dakota State Penitentiary."

Calculated risks: How corrections officials manage North Dakota’s criminals

West Fargo Pioneer: "The Parole Board’s January meeting is in a second-floor conference room with fresh carpet and dark wood in the North Dakota State Penitentiary — up the stairs and down a side hallway from double metal doors and tight security."

Criminal charges are no longer an option for kids under ten

Valley News Live: "'I have a teaching degree - and then I went to law school,' says Karen Kringlie, the Director of Juvenile Court for the East central and Southeast Judicial Districts. 'And so it was kind of a natural fit.' Kringlie says when it comes to young children – they’re better off getting connected with community services instead of court dates."

More legal resources needed for North Dakotans' disputes

Public News Service: "One section of the North Dakota court system website that gets a lot of visitors is the Legal Self Help Center, but North Dakotans who choose to represent themselves in civil matters may need more resources than the state and nonprofit organizations can offer."

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Attorney II (Public Defender) with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in Minot has been posted.

A look at new laws taking effect Thursday in North Dakota

Wahpeton Daily News: "North Dakota lawmakers approved hundreds of bills during their biennial legislative session earlier this year, but many of the policy changes have yet to be implemented. That will change Thursday, Aug. 1, when an array of bills will take effect."

Big Muddy Bar Association hosts The Banquet

The Big Muddy Bar Association hosted The Banquet on July 25 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Volunteers served about 400 meals of pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, watermelon and ice cream bars.

Jack D. Paul 1927-2019

UND School of Law graduate Jack D. Paul, 92, died July 22. He worked at the North Dakota State Penitentiary as a counselor and Director of Programs. His funeral is at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 29, at DaWise Perry Funeral Services in Mandan.

Women’s prison still at capacity

KX News: "Dakota Women’s Correction, the state’s women’s prison in New England, is at capacity. So what does this means for county jails that have to pick up inmates, now being turned away?"

UND to hold reception to welcome new law dean McGinniss

The University of North Dakota School of Law will hold a welcome program and reception with new Dean Michael McGinniss on August 23.

Flags at half-staff Tuesday to honor late Supreme Court justice

Bismarck Tribune: "Gov. Doug Burgum has directed all government agencies to fly the U.S. and North Dakota flags at half-staff on Tuesday to honor retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens."

Job Announcement

A job announcement for a Contract Attorney with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in the Northeast Central Judicial District has been posted.

N.D. Attorney General opinions: July 19

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has issued two opinions: that the City of Surrey violated the open meetings law when it failed to provide notice of its special meetings to the official newspaper and that the Belcourt School District violated the law by failing to provide the legal authority for withholding a record.

Program helped North Dakota man overcome youth problems

Bismarck Tribune: "Brandon Matties is only 24, too young to be looking back on life. But as he matures, he’s realizing how much he learned in his teen years and how the help of a local program might have shaped his future."

N.D. Attorney General opinions: July 18

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has issued two opinions: that the Dickinson School District did not have an obligation to obtain records from a private citizen organization and that an unintentional delay by the Mandan Police Department in responding to a records request was unreasonable.

State commissioners attend Uniform Law Commission annual conference

Members of North Dakota's delegation to the Uniform Law Commission attended the annual conference July 12-18 in Anchorage, AK.

Dakota Datebook: Not Guilty!

Prairie Public: "Sunday is often viewed as a day of rest, and blue laws even restricted Sunday activities and business. The origin of the term is murky. It is often said that the original morality laws in Puritan settlements were printed on blue paper, but there is no evidence to confirm that."

Pardons for minor marijuana crimes to be eligible for streamlined application process in North Dakota

G.F. Herald: "A North Dakota state panel approved a new policy meant to streamline the pardon application process for minor marijuana crimes Wednesday, July 10, which supporters hope will make it easier for previous offenders to find jobs and housing."

Job Announcement

A job announcement for a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney/Assistant Attorney General with the Attorney General's Office in Bismarck has been posted.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for a Paralegal Specialist with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of North Dakota in Bismarck or Fargo has been posted.