Opinions

State v. Clark (Consolidated w/20090234-20090238) 2010 ND 106
Docket No.: 20090233
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Theft
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: When no plea is taken and judgment is pronounced on the theory that a guilty plea has been entered, the judgment is a nullity and thus void.
When a defendant's knowledge that he was waiving his rights and voluntarily and knowingly pleading guilty is clearly reflected from the whole record, he is not denied the constitutional right to due process.

State v. Pixler (Consolidated w/20090311) 2010 ND 105
Docket No.: 20090310
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: The age, education, and mental capacity of the defendant, his background and experience, and his conduct at the time of the alleged waiver are probative factors bearing on whether an accused has validly waived counsel and pled guilty.
Some degree of mental disorder does not necessarily mean a defendant is incompetent or incapable of knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily entering a guilty plea.

Estate of Eggl 2010 ND 104
Docket No.: 20100048
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Probate, Wills, Trusts
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: In an unsupervised probate, a district court order settling all of a claimant's claims is appealable without a N.D.R.Civ.P. 54(b) certification.
A court's primary objective in construing a will is to ascertain the testator's intent.
Whether a will is ambiguous is a question of law.
A will is ambiguous if, after giving effect to each word and phrase, its language is susceptible to more than one reasonable interpretation.
In a "per capita" distribution, the members of the designated class receive equal shares.

Interest of D.H. (CONFIDENTIAL) 2010 ND 103
Docket No.: 20100109
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Juvenile - Termination of Parental Rights
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: Parental rights may be terminated when a child is deprived, and the court finds (1) that the conditions and causes of the deprivation are likely to continue, and (2) that such continued deprivation will probably cause the child to suffer serious physical, mental, moral, or emotional harm.

M.M., et al. v. Fargo Public School Dist. #1, et al. 2010 ND 102
Docket No.: 20090121
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Personal Injury
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: The recreational use immunity statutes do not bar suits against school districts brought by students injured on school grounds during the school day.
A person can "suggest" without making a statement.
A district court is not required to instruct the jury in the exact language sought by a party if the court's instructions correctly and adequately inform the jury of the applicable law.

State ex. rel. Schlect v. Wolff 2010 ND 101
Docket No.: 20100034
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: An appellate court will not engage in unassisted searches through parties' briefs for a rationale supporting a court's decision.
A district court must provide an explanation of its decision sufficient to inform the parties and allow a proper review of its decision.

Paulson v. Paulson 2010 ND 100
Docket No.: 20090225
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Divorce - Property
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: Because a discretionary trust interest is an expectancy that gave no assurance of any future benefit, the trial court did not err in excluding the trust from the marital estate.
The trial court may consider how long the parties have lived together and then marry in its spousal support determination.

Dutton v. Workforce Safety & Insurance 2010 ND 99
Docket No.: 20090177
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Workers Compensation
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: A permanent partial impairment evaluation must be conducted by an independent, unbiased physician.
In determining whether a claimant is entitled to attorney fees and costs under N.D.C.C. 28-32-50(1), an administrative agency's position is substantially justified if a reasonable person could think the position is correct and the position has a reasonable basis in law and fact.

Matter of Midgett (Cross-Ref w/20080255 & 20070109) 2010 ND 98
Docket No.: 20090253
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Civil Commitment of Sexually Dangerous Individual
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: Where the district court makes sufficiently detailed findings of fact, supported by the record, on whether a committed individual has serious difficulty controlling his behavior, the reviewing court will not reverse on that issue.

City of Fargo v. Knodle 2010 ND 97
Docket No.: 20100004
Filing Date: 6/10/2010
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - DUI/DUS/APC
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Judgment entered after defendant was found guilty of driving while under the influence is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(3).