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."

U.S.: Supreme Court taking on big issues that have been percolating for a while

ABA Journal: "The U.S. Supreme Court will tackle some pretty big issues in its next term, including cases on LGBT rights, immigration and its first major case on gun rights in nearly a decade. And that’s with only about half of its docket filled for the term that begins Oct. 7."

ABA releases new formal ethics opinion

The American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility has released Formal Opinion 488 on judges’ social or close personal relationships with lawyers or parties as grounds for disqualification or disclosure.

Parents can be sued for false claims against high school coaches, Minnesota high court rules

Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Parents who criticize or trash talk their kids’ public high school coaches don’t have legal protection to make false claims, according to a groundbreaking ruling issued Wednesday by the Minnesota Supreme Court."

Job Announcement

A job announcement for a Term Law Clerk with the U.S. District Court in Bismarck has been posted.

Order of Adoption

Proposed Amendments to Rule 3, Admission to Practice Rules, have been adopted and will take effect Jan. 1, 2020.

Order of Adoption

Proposed Amendments to N.D.R.Civ.P. 11 and N.D.R.Crim.P. 3, 4 and 41 have been adopted by the Supreme Court and will take effect Sept. 15.

North Dakota's mandatory bar fees are constitutional, rules federal appeals panel

Law.com: "A federal appellate court on Friday rejected a First Amendment challenge to North Dakota’s mandatory bar association. A three-judge panel of the U.S.Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled that there was no constitutional violation in the bar association’s procedures for collecting members’ dues."

Nearly 40 years after South Dakota changed sentencing law, dozens are serving 100 years or more for first-degree manslaughter

Brainerd Dispatch: "Nearly 25 years ago, Joaquin Ramos entered the South Dakota State Penitentiary to begin a life sentence for first-degree manslaughter, angry about the circumstances that led him there."

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Assistant State's Attorney with the Ward County State’s Attorney’s office in Minot has been posted.