Opinions

State v. Herzig 2012 ND 247
Docket No.: 20110304
Filing Date: 11/28/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Misc. Misdemeanor
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: When a legitimate dispute exists as to whether a road is a public road by prescription, resolution should take place civilly and not in a criminal trespass action.

Ehlen v. Melvin, et al. 2012 ND 246
Docket No.: 20120233
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Real Property
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: For the existence of a contract, the parties must consent to the agreement, and consent is not mutual unless the parties all agree upon the same thing in the same sense.
The acceptance of a contract must be absolute and unqualified, and a qualified acceptance is a counteroffer.

Niska v. Falconer 2012 ND 245
Docket No.: 20120252
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Other
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: A district court's finding of domestic violence may be based on actual harm, or the infliction of fear of imminent harm.
A district court's finding of domestic violence must be adequate to understand the basis for its decision.

Muldoon v. WSI, et al. 2012 ND 244
Docket No.: 20120273
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Workers Compensation
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: Conflicting testimony will not be reweighed and credibility of witnesses will not be reassessed on appeal.
Willful conduct is conduct engaged in intentionally and not inadvertently. Such a state of mind can rarely be proven directly and must usually be inferred from conduct and circumstantial evidence.
An issue not properly raised before the trial court cannot be brought for the first time on appeal.

State v. Dominguez 2012 ND 243
Docket No.: 20120240
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Misc. Felony
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: A trial court may not grant a new trial on its own motion and may act only upon a timely motion made by the defendant.
An order entered by a trial court without jurisdiction is void and may be vacated by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction to decide the merits of an appeal from an order denying an untimely motion for a new trial.

State, ex rel. Madden v. Rustad, et al. 2012 ND 242
Docket No.: 20120305
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Original Proceeding - Criminal - Writ of Supervision
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: Under the Confrontation Clause, an accused is entitled to confront witnesses who make testimonial statements in analytical reports.

Haag v. State 2012 ND 241
Docket No.: 20120196
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: The Board of Pharmacy has authority to adopt administrative rules designating prohibited controlled substances, and upon becoming effective, a final administrative rule designating a prohibited controlled substance has the force and effect of law.

State v. Tresenriter (Consolidated w/20120027-20120049 & 20120057) 2012 ND 240
Docket No.: 20120026
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Assault
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: A party who fails to object at trial to admission of offered evidence waives the objection and may not on appeal challenge admission of the evidence.
A defendant alleging obvious error has the burden to demonstrate plain error that affected his substantial rights, and the error must be a clear deviation from an applicable legal rule under current law.

Schwab v. Zajac 2012 ND 239
Docket No.: 20120172
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Real Property
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A party who voluntarily pays a judgment waives the right to appeal from the judgment.
Evidence of settlement negotiations is not admissible to prove liability for a claim that is disputed as to either the validity or the amount.
Error may not be predicated upon an exclusion of evidence unless a substantial right is affected and the substance of the evidence was made known to the trial court in an offer of proof.
A self-represented litigant is held to the same procedural rules as a litigant represented by counsel.
A plaintiff in a quiet title action involving a slander of title claim is entitled to attorney fees on appeal in defending a favorable judgment.

Hamilton, et al., v. Woll, et al. 2012 ND 238
Docket No.: 20120269
Filing Date: 11/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Real Property
Author: Sandstrom, Dale