Opinions

Interest of T.H. (CONFIDENTIAL)(cross reference with 20120168) 2012 ND 38
Docket No.: 20110084
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Juvenile Law
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: A party's right to object to the court's jurisdiction over the person is waived if the party makes a voluntary appearance and fails to object to the court's assertion of personal jurisdiction.
Section 27-20-36, N.D.C.C., does not limit the total length of time a child may be placed in a foster home in deprivation proceedings.
Parental cooperation with social services is pertinent in deciding whether a child continues to be deprived and whether the deprivation will continue.

Rickert v. Dakota Sanitation Plus, et al. (Cross-reference w/20100367) 2012 ND 37
Docket No.: 20110158
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Corporations
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: For partial performance rto emove an unwritten agreement from the statute of frauds, the part performance must be consistent only with the existence of the alleged oral contract.
Unlike Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(2)(A), which requires automatic disclosure of an expert witness's report, N.D.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(4) requires that the opposing party specifically request disclosure of the facts and opinions to which the expert will testify and the grounds for each opinion.
The intent of the dissenting shareholder provisions in N.D.C.C. ch. 10-19.1 is to provide the fair value of shares to a dissenting shareholder as it existed immediately before the triggering event, and changes in economic circumstances occurring after the triggering event which affect the value of the shares are irrelevant.

Osaba v. N.D. Dept. of Transportation 2012 ND 36
Docket No.: 20110297
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: Observations made by one officer may be communicated to a second officer who, after observing additional conduct, can combine the communicated observations with his own to establish probable cause for an arrest.

Frison v. Ohlhauser 2012 ND 35
Docket No.: 20110224
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: The party seeking to modify custody has the burden of proving a material change in circumstances and modification is necessary to serve the best interests of the child.
If a district court finds no material change in circumstances, the court need not consider whether a change in primary residential responsibility is necessary to serve the child's best interests.

Langowski v. Altendorf 2012 ND 34
Docket No.: 20110184
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Personal Injury
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: When calculating a statute of limitations beginning date under N.D.R.Civ.P. 6(a), the date of injury accrual is excluded and the next day begins the countdown.
When calculating a statute of limitations ending date under N.D.R.Civ.P. 6(a), the last day of the period is included, unless it is a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday, in which event the period runs until the end of the next day which is not a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal holiday.
Service under N.D.R.Civ.P. 4(d)(2)(A)(v) is complete at the time of actual delivery or refusal of that delivery and not when a summons is placed in the mail.

Gadeco v. Industrial Commission et al. (consolidated w/20110140) 2012 ND 33
Docket No.: 20110131
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Administrative Proceeding
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: The Industrial Commission's finding of fact must be sufficient to enable a reviewing court to understand the basis for its decision.

State v. Doll 2012 ND 32
Docket No.: 20110097
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A severance motion must be renewed at the close of evidence to preserve an objection to a joinder.
A defendant's Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses is not violated by the introduction of a codefendant's admissions incriminating the defendant when the codefendant testifies at trial.
The purpose of a sequestration order is to prevent one witness's testimony from influencing another.
A district court does not abuse its discretion by denying a motion for mistrial because of a possible sequestration order violation when the witness's testimony was not influenced by the violation.

Johnson v. Johnson 2012 ND 31
Docket No.: 20110213
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: The fugitive dismissal or disentitlement rule applies to civil cases involving child custody and authorizes dismissal of appeal when a connection exists between the litigant's fugitive status and the litigant's appeal, no alternative short of dismissal will render enforcement of the underlying judgment certain and remove the risk of prejudice to the fugitive's adversary, and the policy concerns underlying the fugitive dismissal rule are present.

Bendish v. Castillo, et al. 2012 ND 30
Docket No.: 20110122
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Real Property
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: A contract for deed may be cancelled by statutory cancellation under N.D.C.C. ch. 32-18, or by court action.
Cancellation of a contract for deed by action is an action in equity, and the district court must base its decision on equitable principles.
When a seller cancels a contract for deed by action, there is no statutory redemption period, and the matter of the redemption period is left to the district court's sound discretion.
The facts of each case must be examined in order to determine the propriety of a redemption period.

Estate of Wicklund 2012 ND 29
Docket No.: 20110081
Filing Date: 2/17/2012
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Probate, Wills, Trusts
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: A will and a revocable living trust may be considered together as a part of a decedent's estate plan.
In constructing an estate plan, courts construe the plan to carry out the intent of the settlors or the testators.
Under North Dakota law, a surviving spouse's right to an elective share, a homestead allowance, an exempt property allowance, and a family allowance is governed by the laws of the decedent's domicile at death.
A district court's findings of fact must be adequate to understand the basis for the court's decision.