Opinions

State v. Martin 2001 ND 189
Docket No.: 20000366
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Sexual Offense
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: To be convicted of continual sexual abuse of a child, one must be shown to have engaged in three or more sexual acts or contacts during a period of three months or more. This period has no maximum time limit.

Bell v. State 2001 ND 188
Docket No.: 20010138
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Post-Conviction Relief
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: A trial court may deny appointment of counsel for an indigent post-conviction applicant who is able to file an application without assistance, if the application, read in the light most favorable to the applicant, does not raise any substantial issue of law or fact.
It is a misuse of process to raise issues in a post-conviction application that were not raised in the original criminal prosecution, or, if raised, were not pursued in a properly perfected appeal.

Lenthe Investments v. Service Oil, et al. 2001 ND 187
Docket No.: 20010085
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Contracts
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: Mutual assent to a contract is determined by the words of the contract and the parties' objective manifestations of assent.
An agreement to agree is enforceable if its terms are reasonably certain and definite.

Fortis Benefits Ins. Co. v. Hauer 2001 ND 186
Docket No.: 20010052
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Insurance
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: If the language of an insurance policy is clear and explicit, the language should not be strained in order to impose liability upon the insurer.
When a conflict exists between a specific provision and a general provision in a contract, the specific provision ordinarily prevails over the general provision.

Gleich v. Gleich 2001 ND 185
Docket No.: 20010010
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Child Support
Author: Maring, Mary

State v. Johnson (Consolidated w/20010026 & 20010027) 2001 ND 184
Docket No.: 20010025
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Criminal - Assault
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald

Highlight: Lack of criminal responsibility is not an affirmative defense, and the nonexistence of the defense is an element of the offense which the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt.
Appellate courts may notice obvious error affecting a substantial right of a party even if the error was not raised by the parties on appeal.

Interest of D.R., et al. (CONFIDENTIAL)(Consolidated w/20010099) 2001 ND 183
Docket No.: 20010098
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Juvenile - Termination of Parental Rights
Author: Maring, Mary

Highlight: In deciding whether to terminate parental rights, the court can give substantial credence to evidence indicating a pattern of conduct by a parent that forms a basis for reasonable prediction the deprivation of the child is likely to continue and result in serious physical, mental, or emotional harm.

DeCoteau v. Nodak Mutual Insurance Co. (Cross-reference w/19990100) 2001 ND 182
Docket No.: 20010066
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Insurance
Author: Sandstrom, Dale

Highlight: When a named plaintiff whose individual claim becomes moot has not even moved for class action certification prior to evaporation of his personal stake in the lawsuit, the plaintiff may not avail himself of the class action exception to the mootness doctrine.

Hellerud v. ND Dept. of Transportation 2001 ND 181
Docket No.: 20010173
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Administrative Proceeding
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: Judgment of the district court affirming the decision of the Department of Transportation to revoke appellant's driver's license for refusing to submit to an on-site chemical screening test is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(5).

Chadwick v. N.D. Dept. of Transportation 2001 ND 180
Docket No.: 20010174
Filing Date: 12/5/2001
Case Type: Appeal - Civil - Administrative Proceeding
Author: Kapsner, Carol

Highlight: A police officer has reasonable grounds to believe a person is in actual physical control of a vehicle when that person is found conscious in the driver's seat of an idling vehicle.