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Interest of R.W.B.C. 2017 ND 144
Docket No.: 20160300
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: Tufte, Jerod E.

Highlight: The clearly erroneous standard of review does not permit a reweighing of evidence or reassessment of credibility.

State v. Bailey 2017 ND 143
Docket No.: 20160351
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: In determining "corroborating circumstances" under N.D.R.Ev. 804(b)(3), the district court may analyze both the credibility of the in-court witness and the reliability of the out-of-court declarant.
A district court's analysis of whether "corroborating circumstances" indicate the trustworthiness of the statement is a preliminary determination regarding the admissibility of the evidence.

State v. Wilkie 2017 ND 142
Docket No.: 20160401
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Misc. Felony
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: Police officers outside of their jurisdiction generally act without official capacity and authority to arrest.
A University of North Dakota police officer has the authority to initiate a traffic stop of a driver operating a motor vehicle on university property.

State v. Phelps 2017 ND 141
Docket No.: 20160196
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: To justify stopping a moving vehicle for investigation, a law enforcement officer must have a reasonable and articulable suspicion a motorist has violated or is violating the law.
During an investigatory stop of a vehicle, a traffic violator can be temporarily detained until the legitimate investigative purposes of the traffic stop have been completed.

SNAPS Holding Company v. Leach, et al. 2017 ND 140
Docket No.: 20160313
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Contracts
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: An indemnification agreement need not be in writing, and an agent's authority to enter into an indemnification agreement need not be in writing.
Res judicata prevents the relitigation of claims that were raised, or could have been raised, in prior actions between the same parties. Res judicata does not apply if the subsequent claims are based on different underlying facts.

State v. Turbeville 2017 ND 139
Docket No.: 20160333
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: At a preliminary hearing in a criminal case, the State is not required to prove with absolute certainty or beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred, but need only produce sufficient evidence to establish probable cause that a crime occurred and that the defendant committed it.
Whether the district court's findings of fact reach the level of probable cause is a question of law, fully reviewable on appeal.
The preliminary hearing is a tool to ferret out groundless and improvident prosecutions.

Rath v. Rath (cross ref w/ 20130025, 20130184, 20130327, 20140012, 20140291, 2017 ND 138
Docket No.: 20160338
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: A party is not entitled to demand a change of judge if the judge sought to be disqualified has ruled upon a matter pertaining to the action.
A request to amend the child support guidelines should be made to the Legislature or Department of Human Services.

Matter of L.Z.N. 2017 ND 137
Docket No.: 20160373
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Other
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: It was proper for the district court to look at the social stigma associated with sex offenders in determining the best interest of a child in a name change petition.
Due process only requires the district court to give a prisoner an avenue to appear for the proceeding; it has no duty to ensure the prisoner's presence.

Thompson v. Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #1 2017 ND 136
Docket No.: 20160280
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Other
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: The Federal Arbitration Act does not preempt all state arbitration law. A party alleging an arbitration agreement is unconscionable must demonstrate some quantum of both procedural and substantive unconscionability.
A party's failure to clearly object to a defect in arbitration proceedings prior to or during arbitration may constitute a waiver of the objection.

City of Grand Forks v. Reilly 2017 ND 135
Docket No.: 20160323
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - DUI/DUS/APC
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: Not all communications between law enforcement and citizens implicate the Fourth Amendment.
A seizure occurs when an officer, by means of physical force or show of authority, has in some way restrained the liberty of a citizen.
An officer running to get ahead of a person, without any threatening or coercive conduct, does not constitute a show of authority escalating a casual encounter into a seizure.
The presence of two officers, in and of itself, does not constitute a show of authority escalating a casual encounter into a seizure.

State v. Shick 2017 ND 134
Docket No.: 20160298
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: When a party objects to the State's admission of evidence with a pretrial motion in limine, the party must renew their objection at trial in order to give the district court an opportunity to rule on the issue in the trial context. A party's failure to renew their objection at trial acts as a waiver of the claim of error.
The district court may permit the State to amend an information at any time before the verdict or finding unless an additional or different offense is charged or a substantial right of the defendant is prejudiced.

Marman v. Levi 2017 ND 133
Docket No.: 20160217
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: The odor of an alcoholic beverage, poor balance, and open containers of alcohol may permit an officer to reasonably formulate an opinion the body of a driver in a single-car crash contains alcohol.

Hageness, et al. v. Davis, et al. 2017 ND 132
Docket No.: 20160167
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Real Property
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: A party is barred from bringing an action for the recovery or possession of real property, unless the party was seized or possessed of the property within twenty years before bringing the action.
The statutory twenty-year period is measured back from the commencement of the action.

State v. Raphael 2017 ND 131
Docket No.: 20160447
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Criminal judgment for possession of a controlled substance is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(3).

Junas v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation 2017 ND 130
Docket No.: 20160440
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Suspension of driving privileges summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(5) and (7), Beylund v. Levi, 2017 ND 30, 889 N.W.2d 907, and Barrios-Flores v. Levi, 2017 ND 117.

State v. Smith 2017 ND 129
Docket No.: 20170022
Filing Date: 6/7/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Assault
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Criminal judgment entered after district court found a defendant guilty of aggravated assault - domestic violence is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.p. 35.1(a)(3).

Rath v. Rath (cross ref w/ 20130025, 20130184, 20130327, 20140012, 20140291, 2017 ND 128
Docket No.: 20160222
Filing Date: 5/19/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: Although reviewable on appeal from a final judgment, orders denying demands for change of judge are interlocutory and not appealable.
A district court's contempt decision will only be disturbed on appeal if the court abused its discretion.
A denial of a motion for reconsideration will not be reversed on appeal absent a manifest abuse of discretion.<Br>

Sorenson, et al. v. Bakken Investments, LLC, et al. 2017 ND 127
Docket No.: 20160319
Filing Date: 5/18/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Oil, Gas and Minerals
Author: Tufte, Jerod E.

Highlight: Only a person having an interest in, or claiming an interest in, real property may challenge a court's rulings in a quiet title action.

State v. Ayala 2017 ND 126
Docket No.: 20160369
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - DUI/DUS/APC
Author: Tufte, Jerod E.

Highlight: Section 39-20-01, N.D.C.C., requires law enforcement officers to convey the implied-consent advisory in an objectively reasonable way calculated to be comprehensible to the driver.

Johnson v. Johnson 2017 ND 125
Docket No.: 20170010
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: A party cannot rely on the other party's request for an oral argument to guarantee himself or herself an oral argument.
In allotting the tax exemptions of children to the parties it may be prudent to place the exemptions in the hands of the party who will benefit most, but the district court is not required to do so.

State v. Hall 2017 ND 124
Docket No.: 20160240
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: A four-factor balancing test is used to evaluate the validity of a speedy trial claim: length of the delay, reason for the delay, proper assertion of the right, and actual prejudice to the accused.
A sniff by a drug detection dog is not a Fourth Amendment search.
A brief detention of luggage for purposes of conducting a dog sniff is a limited intrusion that requires only reasonable suspicion.
Whether an officer had a reasonable and articulable suspicion is a fact-specific inquiry that is evaluated under an objective standard considering the totality of the circumstances. Whether probable cause exists to issue a search warrant is a question of law, and on appeal, the sufficiency of information before the magistrate is reviewed based on the totality of the circumstances.

Interest of F.M.G. (Confidential) 2017 ND 123
Docket No.: 20170136
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Mental Health
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: Section 25-03.1-18.1(1)(a), N.D.C.C., does not require both treating and non-treating physicians to testify at a medication hearing addressing a request to involuntarily treat with medication.
A party may not raise an issue or contention that was not previously raised or considered before the district court for the first time on appeal.

Allmon v. Allmon 2017 ND 122
Docket No.: 20160324
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: While a long-term marriage generally supports an equal division of property, a court may unequally divide property in a short-term marriage and award the parties what each brought into the marriage.
If the district court fails to comply with the child support guidelines in determining an obligor's child support obligation, the court errs as a matter of law.

Guardianship and Conservatorship of M.E. (cross-reference w/20150117) 2017 ND 121
Docket No.: 20160327
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Guardian/Conservator
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A party petitioning for termination of a guardianship must make a prima facie showing that the ward is no longer incapacitated, and if a prima facie case is established, the guardian has the burden to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the ward remains an incapacitated person.

Cossette, et al. v. Cass County Joint Water Resource District 2017 ND 120
Docket No.: 20160311
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Real Property
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: An action for equitable relief generally cannot be combined with a statutory appeal seeking a review of a local governing body's decision.
An aggrieved party is one whose personal, pecuniary, or property rights have been adversely affected by a local governing body's decision.

Keller v. Keller 2017 ND 119
Docket No.: 20160334
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Other
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: If a person claims to have been engaged in constitutionally protected activity, the district court must determine the claim as a matter of law and exclude evidence of the constitutionally protected activity if found valid.
Possessing a firearm for self-defense purposes on one's private property is a constitutional right.

Kauk, et al. v. Kauk, et al. 2017 ND 118
Docket No.: 20160198
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Contracts
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: A district court's grant of declaratory relief is reviewed for abuse of discretion.
In an action for declaratory relief, a district court must ensure the proper parties are before the court to prevent the declaratory relief ordered from prejudicing the rights of persons not parties to the proceedings.
A district court may refuse to enter a declaratory judgment if such judgment would not terminate the controversy giving rise to the proceeding.

Barrios-Flores v. Levi 2017 ND 117
Docket No.: 20160103
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: A law enforcement officer may request a driver to submit to an onsite screening test of the driver's breath if the officer has a reasonable suspicion the individual was driving under the influence.
The Department of Transportation may revoke a driver's license for refusal of an onsite screening test of the driver's breath.

State v. Cox 2017 ND 116
Docket No.: 20160380
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Drugs/Contraband
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Criminal judgment entered after a defendant pled guilty to delivery of methamphetamine is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(7).

Jessop v. Levi 2017 ND 115
Docket No.: 20160387
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Revocation of driving privileges is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(7).

Buresh v. State 2017 ND 114
Docket No.: 20160378
Filing Date: 5/16/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: A district court order denying an application for post-conviction relief is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(1).

Disciplinary Board v. Foster (Consolidated w/ 20160404-20160434) 2017 ND 113
Docket No.: 20160403
Filing Date: 5/1/2017
Case Type: Discipline - Attorney - Original Proceeding
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Lawyer disbarred.

Ceynar, et al. v. Tesoro Logistics LP, et al. 2017 ND 112
Docket No.: 20160243
Filing Date: 4/28/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Real Property
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: The use of an easement must be consistent with the purpose of the original dedication.

Everett v. State (cross ref. w/20070074, 20080063, 20090244, 20100222, (cont) 2017 ND 111
Docket No.: 20160282
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A state court judgment can vest title to real property in any party, and such judgment has the effect of a conveyance.
Property interest owned by tenants in common is presumed to be equal, though parties may rebut this presumption with competent evidence.

Black Stone Minerals Co., et al. v. Brokaw, et al. 2017 ND 110
Docket No.: 20160286
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Oil, Gas and Minerals
Author: Tufte, Jerod E.

Highlight: A state court judgment can vest title to real property in any party, and such judgment has the effect of a conveyance.
Property interest owned by tenants in common is presumed to be equal, though parties may rebut this presumption with competent evidence.

Gonzalez v. State 2017 ND 109
Docket No.: 20160362
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: Failure to make specific findings of fact and conclusions of law under N.D.C.C. § 23-32.1-11 is harmless error when this Court is able to ascertain from the record the district court's reasoning for its decision.

State v. Gray 2017 ND 108
Docket No.: 20160289
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Misc. Misdemeanor
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: When an affidavit is filed with a complaint, these documents may be read together to test the sufficiency of the complaint in a motion to dismiss. When an appellant assumes the consequences and the risk for the failure to file a transcript on appeal, and this Court will not review an issue if the record on appeal does not allow a meaningful and intelligent review of the district court's alleged error.
This Court will not address arguments raised for the first time on appeal.
A motion to correct an illegal sentence may not be used to reopen a final judgment and collaterally attack an underlying conviction.

Greene v. Matthys 2017 ND 107
Docket No.: 20160284
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Malpractice
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: Section 28-01-46, N.D.C.C., requires a plaintiff in a medical negligence action to serve on the defendant an expert's affidavit containing, among other things, an opinion to support a prima facia case of professional negligence.
Cases involving technical surgical procedures are generally beyond the understanding of a layperson, and do not fall under the "obvious occurrence" exception under N.D.C.C. § 28-01-46.
In order for the "obvious occurrence" exception to apply, it is the occurrence itself, not the result of the surgery, that must be obvious.

State, et al. v. Winegar 2017 ND 106
Docket No.: 20160281
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Ogren, et al. v. Sandaker, et al. 2017 ND 105
Docket No.: 20160279
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Oil, Gas and Minerals
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: Royalty interests in a mineral estate may be conveyed or reserved as a fractional royalty interest or a fraction of royalty interest.
A fractional royalty interest is a fixed fraction of total production that remains constant regardless of the amount of royalty in a subsequent oil and gas lease. A fraction of royalty is a fraction of the total royalty interest and varies according to the size of the landowner's royalty in a mineral lease.

Morris v. State 2017 ND 104
Docket No.: 20160350
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: To prevail on a post-conviction claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, the petitioner has the heavy burden of proving (1) counsel's representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness, and (2) the petitioner was prejudiced by counsel's deficient performance.
If the petitioner fails to show that his or her attorney's representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, this Court need not analyze whether the petitioner was prejudiced by counsel's representation.

Crawford v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation 2017 ND 103
Docket No.: 20160252
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: Traffic violations constitute prohibited conduct and provide law enforcement officers with sufficient grounds for an initial investigatory traffic stop.
Assuming consent to warrantless blood test incident to arrest was involuntary, the exclusionary rule and North Dakota law does not require the suppression of the blood test results in civil administrative license suspension proceedings.

State v. Rourke 2017 ND 102
Docket No.: 20160302
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: A criminal defendant must preserve a sufficiency of the evidence argument for appeal by moving for a judgment of acquittal at trial under N.D.R.Crim.P. 29.
This Court exercises its power to notice obvious error cautiously, and only in exceptional circumstances. This Court need not exercise its discretion to notice obvious error when the appellee, not the appellant, raises the issue of obvious error on appeal, and the appellant does not point this Court to an obvious error that affects his substantial rights.

Opp v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation (consolidated w/20160215) 2017 ND 101
Docket No.: 20160211
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Administrative - Department of Transportation
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: A Department of Transportation decision suspending or revoking driving privileges may be appealed to the district court by serving the director and filing a notice of appeal with specifications of error in the district court within seven days after t

Estate of Nohle 2017 ND 100
Docket No.: 20160274
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Probate, Wills, Trusts
Author: Tufte, Jerod E.

Highlight: Issues that are not briefed or argued on appeal are deemed abandoned.
Courts do not issue advisory opinions.
A motion for relief from a judgment or order must be made within a reasonable time.

Mid Dakota Clinic v. Livengood 2017 ND 99
Docket No.: 20170029
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Debtor/Creditor
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: The right to vacate satisfactions is based upon the inherent right of courts to correct its records to conform to the facts.
There is no fixed time line in which to vacate a satisfaction of judgment.

Addai v. State 2017 ND 98
Docket No.: 20160336
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: An application for post-conviction relief alleging newly discovered evidence, filed more than two years after the conviction becomes final, may be considered if the new evidence proves the applicant did not engage in the criminal conduct for which he was convicted. N.D.C.C. § 29-32.1-01(3)(a)(1).
To obtain post-conviction relief on the basis of newly discovered evidence, the applicant must show (1) the evidence was discovered after trial, (2) the failure to learn about the evidence at the time of trial was not the result of the defendant's lack of diligence, (3) the newly discovered evidence is material to the issues at trial, and (4) the weight and quality of the newly discovered evidence would likely result in an acquittal.

Booth v. State 2017 ND 97
Docket No.: 20160200
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: Tufte, Jerod E.

Highlight: To establish prejudice under Strickland in a plea bargain situation, the petitioner must allege facts that, if proven, would support a conclusion that rejection of the plea bargain would have been rational because valid defenses existed, a suppression motion could have undermined the prosecution's case, or there was a realistic potential for a lower sentence.
Supreme Court does not consider arguments first raised during oral argument.

Holm v. Holm 2017 ND 96
Docket No.: 20160299
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Divorce - Property
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: The written description of stock dividends in an employment agreement is not necessarily determinative of their nature, but the underlying purpose of the dividends is the primary consideration in marital property cases.
The value given to marital property by the district court depends on the evidence presented by the parties.
Courts in divorce cases should try to disentangle the parties' financial affairs to reduce further conflict, litigation, and rancor between them.

State v. Brewer 2017 ND 95
Docket No.: 20160241
Filing Date: 4/25/2017
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: When a party objects to the State's admission of evidence with a pretrial motion in limine, the party must renew their objection at trial in order to give the district court an opportunity to rule on the issue in the trial context. A party's failure to renew their objection at trial acts as a waiver of the claim of error.

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