Opinions

State v. Pack (Consolidated w/ 20110236 & 20110237) 2012 ND 48
Docket No.: 20110235
Filing Date: 3/15/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: A criminal judgment entered after a jury returned guilty verdicts is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(3).

State v. Mendez 2012 ND 47
Docket No.: 20110273
Filing Date: 3/15/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Assault
Author:

Highlight: A district court judgment entered after revocation of probation is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(2) and (4).

State v. Carpenter (Cross-reference w/20100085) 2012 ND 46
Docket No.: 20110283
Filing Date: 3/15/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Misc. Felony
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: A district court amended criminal judgment is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(4).

Estate of Camas 2012 ND 45
Docket No.: 20110217
Filing Date: 2/28/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Probate, Wills, Trusts
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: Orders in an unsupervised probate are appealable if they resolve all of a creditor's claims against an estate.
Technical words should be construed in a lay sense if the testator demonstrates an intent to do so from the language of the will.
If possible, all parts of the will must be harmonized to give every word and phrase effect.

Haroldson v. Haroldson 2012 ND 44
Docket No.: 20110149
Filing Date: 2/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: In the context of cross-motions for modification of language in a stipulated divorce judgment granting parents equal residential responsibility of children, a district court's finding of a material change in circumstances authorizes the court to fully resolve the best interests of the children for purposes of deciding primary residential responsibility.
A district court's mere recitation of testimony is not equivalent to a finding of fact, and findings of fact must be sufficient to understand the rationale for the court's decision.

Erickson, et al. v. Brown, et al. 2012 ND 43
Docket No.: 20110144
Filing Date: 2/27/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Contracts
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: District court findings of fact are adequate under N.D.R.Civ.P. 52(a) if they provide an understanding of the district court's factual basis used in reaching its decision.
A district court is not required to reject all testimony from a witness who provides an intentionally false statement if the factual basis for the non-false testimony is corroborated by other evidence.

Hangsleben v. Halverson, et al. 2012 ND 42
Docket No.: 20110211
Filing Date: 2/23/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Malpractice
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Appeal from judgment dismissing wrongful death and survivor claims summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(4) and (6).

Troxel v. N.D. Dept. of Transportation, et al. 2012 ND 41
Docket No.: 20110295
Filing Date: 2/22/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: A district court judgment affirming a North Dakota Department of Transportation decision suspending driving privileges is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(5).

Estate of Paulson (Cross-reference w/20100078) 2012 ND 40
Docket No.: 20110154
Filing Date: 2/21/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Probate, Wills, Trusts
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: Conditions in a will are disfavored, and no presumptions will be made to create a condition.
A devise will not fail simply because a testator describes a relationship with a devisee that does not exist.
If a will is unambiguous, the testator's intent must be determined from the four corners of the will itself and not from extrinsic evidence.

Baesler v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation 2012 ND 39
Docket No.: 20110202
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: The Department of Transportation's authority to suspend driving privileges is governed by statute, and the Department must meet basic and mandatory special provisions to have authority to suspend driving privileges.
The Department of Transportation lacked authority to suspend driving privileges when the Department failed to certify a record on appeal to the district court and nothing established the Department's authority.