Opinions

State v. Midell 2011 ND 114
Docket No.: 20100286
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: In light of the limited purpose and scope of a preliminary hearing, the district court has the authority to assess the credibility of witnesses only when, as a matter of law, the testimony is implausible or incredible.
A mere conflict of testimony in a preliminary hearing is a question of fact left for the jury, and that the district court must draw the inference favorable to the prosecution.
Section 12.1-20-03(1)(c), N.D.C.C., does not require the victim to have been actually unaware that a sexual act was being committed upon her; it requires the defendant to have actually known, or have reasonable cause to believe, that the victim was unaware a sexual act was being committed upon her.

F/S Manufacturing v. Kensmoe 2011 ND 113
Docket No.: 20100167
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Contracts
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: A judgment is canceled of record ten years after its entry if it has not been renewed, or after twenty years if it has been renewed.
A judgment creditor may renew a judgment either by commencing a separate action to renew or by filing an affidavit under the simplified statutory procedure.
Under North Dakota law, the statute of limitations for an action against a person may be tolled based on that person's absence from the state, but the time for filing a affidavit of renewal is not tolled.
Under North Dakota law, the time for the judgment creditor to file a renewal affidavit is not tolled by the judgment debtor's bankruptcy proceedings.

Varriano v. Varriano 2011 ND 112
Docket No.: 20100278
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: The factors a court should rely on in determining whether two people cohabited include whether a common residence was established; whether there was a long-term sexual, intimate, or romantic involvement; whether there were shared assets or common bank accounts; whether there was joint contribution to household expenses; and whether there was a recognition of the relationship by the community as a relationship including cohabitation.
There is no one factor that is an absolute prerequisite for a finding of cohabitation.

Interest of T.T., a Child (CONFIDENTIAL) 2011 ND 111
Docket No.: 20110066
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Juvenile - Termination of Parental Rights
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A sequestration order does not prohibit out-of-court communication unless the court specifically states the communication is prohibited.
Social services can pursue termination of parental rights and reunification of a parent and child at the same time.

Disciplinary Board v. Stensland 2011 ND 110
Docket No.: 20100304
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Discipline - Attorney - Original Proceeding
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: The Supreme Court defers to a hearing panel's findings on the credibility of witnesses in a disciplinary proceeding because the hearing panel had the opportunity to observe the witnesses' demeanor and hear the witnesses testify.
Sequestration of witnesses is intended to prevent witnesses from tailoring their testimony in light of the testimony of other witnesses and to permit discovery of false testimony and other credibility problems.
Each disciplinary matter must be considered on its own facts when deciding the appropriate sanction to apply.

Landrum v. Workforce Safety and Insurance 2011 ND 108
Docket No.: 20100374
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Workers Compensation
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: Administrative res judicata must be applied in light of N.D.C.C. 65-05-04, which grants WSI continuing jurisdiction to review an award of benefits.
WSI's continuing jurisdiction is not contingent on the presence of new medical evidence.
The underlying purpose of administrative res judicata, to preserve scarce administrative resources and avoid wasteful expense and delay, guides the application of the doctrine.
The claimant bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence a continuing entitlement to benefits.

Becker v. Becker 2011 ND 107
Docket No.: 20100225
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A district court must comply with the child support guidelines to determine an obligor's child support obligation, and a court errs as a matter of law if it fails to comply with the guidelines.
A court must properly find an obligor's net income, applying the child support guidelines, and must make specific findings about the net income and how it was determined.
An unemployed or underemployed child support obligor's income cannot be imputed if the obligor's actual gross earnings from all types of income exceed the greatest amount of income that could be imputed.

State v. Zottnick (CONSOLIDATED W/20110069) 2011 ND 106
Docket No.: 20100111
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Assault
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Criminal judgment for simple assault-domestic violence (second offense or more) and order denying post-conviction relief application affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(2) and (3).

Matter of J.M. (CONFIDENTIAL) 2011 ND 105
Docket No.: 20100398
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Civil Commitment of Sexually Dangerous Individual
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Order continuing commitment as a sexually dangerous individual summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(2).

State v. Rogers 2011 ND 104
Docket No.: 20110033
Filing Date: 6/21/2011
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Amended criminal judgment and order revoking probation summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(2) and (4).