Opinions

Hoover v. N.D. Dept. of Transportation (cross-reference 20070258) 2010 ND 234
Docket No.: 20100226
Filing Date: 12/7/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: A judgment revoking a driver's license is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(5).

State v. Huether 2010 ND 233
Docket No.: 20100018
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: Voluntary consent is an exception to the warrant requirement, and the prohibition against the warrantless entry of a person's home does not apply when voluntary consent has been obtained from the individual whose property is searched or from a third party who possesses common authority over the premises.
The Fourth Amendment is not violated if police officers reasonably believe a consenting third party has authority over the property, when viewed from the officers' prospective.
In deciding whether a person is in custody for purposes of a Miranda warning, the relevant inquiry is how a reasonable person in that position would have understood the situation.
A trust relationship between an adult and a child is not an impermissible factor for sentencing.

State v. Steffes 2010 ND 232
Docket No.: 20100148
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Misc. Misdemeanor
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A Fourth Amendment seizure occurs when a police officer orders a person to do something or demands a response.

Hunt v. Hunt 2010 ND 231
Docket No.: 20100178
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Divorce - Property
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: A property division need not be equal to be equitable--especially when a marriage is not long-term--but a substantial disparity must be explained.
Damaging a vehicle and setting fire to a mobile home, regardless of the amount of monetary damage, is serious misconduct the district court can and should consider in an equitable division of property.

State v. Zink 2010 ND 230
Docket No.: 20100117
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - DUI/DUS/APC
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: A district court's denial of a motion to suppress evidence will be affirmed unless there is insufficient competent evidence to support the decision, or unless the decision goes against the manifest weight of the evidence.
Appellate review is limited to issues raised before the district court.

State v. Moore 2010 ND 229
Docket No.: 20100238
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: The substance of a motion, not the district court's label, determines its proper classification.
Res judicata and misuse of process are affirmative defenses that must be raised by the State before a district court may dismiss an application for post-conviction relief on those grounds.

State v. Duffy 2010 ND 228
Docket No.: 20100126
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Assault
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Criminal judgment for assault summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(3).

Curran v. N.D. Workforce Safety & Insurance 2010 ND 227
Docket No.: 20090260
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Workers Compensation
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: A preexisting injury is not compensable unless the employment substantially accelerates its progression or substantially worsens its severity.
In a "battle of the experts," WSI, and following the enactment of N.D.C.C. 65-02-22.1, the administrative law judge, may choose to rely upon either party's expert witnesses but must adequately explain its reasoning for disregarding medical evidence favorable to the claimant.

Everett v. State (cross-reference 20080063 and 20090244) 2010 ND 226
Docket No.: 20100222
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Dismissal of application for post-conviction relief is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(6) and (7).

Schmidt v. Warwick Public School District #29, et al. 2010 ND 225
Docket No.: 20100129
Filing Date: 12/2/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Other
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Judgment of dismissal in a wrongful termination case is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(1), (4), and (6).