Opinions

State v. Allen 2005 ND 162
Docket No.: 20050102
Filing Date: 9/27/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Misc. Felony
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Conviction of robbery is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(3).

M.S.B. v. J.M.B. (CONFIDENTIAL) 2005 ND 161
Docket No.: 20050075
Filing Date: 9/27/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Paternity
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Judgment establishing physical custody of a minor child is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(2).

State v. Oie 2005 ND 160
Docket No.: 20050031
Filing Date: 9/27/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: A district court does not abuse its discretion in accepting a guilty plea when the factual basis is established through open court inquiry and review of the pre-sentence investigation report.

State v. Moore 2005 ND 159
Docket No.: 20050133
Filing Date: 9/27/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Denial of motion to correct illegal sentence is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(1).

Guardianship/Conservatorship of Onstad 2005 ND 158
Docket No.: 20040235
Filing Date: 9/26/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Guardian/Conservator
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: While N.D.R.Civ.P. 60(b) ordinarily may not be used as a substitute for an appeal or to relieve a party from deliberate choices, in unusual cases a party who has not taken an appeal may obtain relief on a 60(b) motion.
A successor judge should respect the law of the case.

Interest of K.G. (Confidential) 2005 ND 156
Docket No.: 20050266
Filing Date: 8/31/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Mental Health
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: A district court's finding, that no less restrictive treatment programs other than hospitalization are appropriate, will not be reversed unless it is clearly erroneous.

Amerada Hess Corp., et al. v. Fong 2005 ND 155
Docket No.: 20040378
Filing Date: 8/31/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Tax Realted
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: Gross-up amounts are not "foreign dividends" subject to partial exclusion under state tax law.
The rule of strict construction of ambiguous tax statutes in favor of the taxpayer is a rule of last resort when other means of ascertaining the legislature's intentions have failed.
An administrative agency need not use the rulemaking process to collect an erroneous interpretation of a statute.
While there may be a public desire to avoid double taxation as a matter of public policy, there is no constitutional prohibition against double taxation.

Frisk v. Frisk 2005 ND 154
Docket No.: 20050051
Filing Date: 8/23/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Other
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: A domestic violence protection order, originally entered under a stipulation or agreement specifically declining to issue findings regarding domestic violence, cannot be extended absent a threshold finding of actual or imminent domestic violence.

Disciplinary Board v. Hoffman 2005 ND 153
Docket No.: 20040379
Filing Date: 8/23/2005
Case Type: Discipline - Attorney - Original Proceeding
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: An isolated instance of ordinary negligence does not constitute lack of competence or diligence under the rules of professional conduct.

State v. Parisien (Consolidated w/20040349 & 20040350) 2005 ND 152
Docket No.: 20040348
Filing Date: 8/18/2005
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: All communications with jurors, after a case has been submitted to them, must be made in open court and in the presence of the defendant.
The mere length of time a jury is kept in deliberations, in itself, does not establish that a verdict was coerced.
The giving of an Allen-type charge after the trial court has been informed of a deadlocked jury's numerical split is a factor to consider in assessing whether the totality of the circumstances indicate a coerced verdict.