Recent Opinions

Jacobs-Raak v. Raak, et al. 2020 ND 107
Docket No.: 20190123
Filing Date: 5/7/2020
Case Type: CHILD CUST & SUPPORT (Div.\Other)
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: Only judgments and decrees constituting a final judgment and specific orders enumerated by statute are appealable.

A two-step analysis is used to evaluate the finality of orders for review: the order or judgment must be appealable under N.D.C.C. § 28-27-02, and the requirements of N.D.R.Civ.P. 54(b), if applicable, must be met.

The district court has broad discretion in making contempt decisions, which will only be disturbed on appeal if the court abused its discretion.

The district court errs as a matter of law if it fails to comply with the child support guidelines in determining an obligor’s child support obligation.

An agreement purporting to relieve an obligor of any current or future duty of child support is void.

State v. Wayland 2020 ND 106
Docket No.: 20190274
Filing Date: 5/7/2020
Case Type: THEFT
Author: Jensen, Jon J.

Highlight: Although the reason for the continuance is absent from the record, under de novo review a district court did not violate the Appellant’s right to a speedy trial by continuing the trial to a later date.

Albrecht v. Albrecht, et al. 2020 ND 105
Docket No.: 20190222
Filing Date: 5/7/2020
Case Type: OTHER (Civil)
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: A motion to dismiss a complaint under N.D.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) tests the legal sufficiency of the statement of the claim presented in the complaint.

A district court’s decision granting a motion to dismiss is reviewed de novo on appeal.

To have standing to litigate an issue, a party must have suffered some injury from the putatively illegal action and must assert the party’s own legal rights and interests.

Arnold, et al. v. Trident Resources, et al. 2020 ND 104
Docket No.: 20190322
Filing Date: 5/7/2020
Case Type: CONTRACTS
Author: Jensen, Jon J.

Highlight: A district court’s order imposing sanctions for contempt did not provide a sufficient record to review the appropriateness of the sanction.

Decker v. WSI, et al. 2020 ND 103
Docket No.: 20200014
Filing Date: 5/7/2020
Case Type: WORKERS COMPENSATION
Author: Per Curiam

Highlight: District court judgment affirming an administrative law judge’s decision denying further workers’ compensation benefits is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(5).

Hewitt v. NDDOT 2020 ND 102
Docket No.: 20190389
Filing Date: 5/7/2020
Case Type: TRANSPORTATION DEPT.
Author: McEvers, Lisa K. Fair

Highlight: Copies of official Department of Transportation records may be certified as correct by Department employees who are not acting in a director capacity.

Record custodians are not required to swear an oath of office prior to certifying copies of official records under N.D.R.Ev. 902(4).

State v. Michel 2020 ND 101
Docket No.: 20190319
Filing Date: 5/7/2020
Case Type: THEFT
Author: Tufte, Jerod E.

Highlight: A district court’s response to a jury request for supplemental instructions is reviewed for an abuse of discretion.

The identity of the victim is not an element of theft and may be disregarded as surplusage.

A victim is entitled to be made whole through a reasonable restitution based on the entirety of his actual losses.

Dodge v. State 2020 ND 100
Docket No.: 20190286
Filing Date: 5/7/2020
Case Type: POST-CONVICTION RELIEF
Author: VandeWalle, Gerald W.

Highlight: Whether a defendant is competent to plead guilty is a finding of fact.
When a district court is presented with conflicting expert evidence, we resolve evidentiary conflicts in favor of affirmance.
A defendant claiming he or she was incompetent to plead guilty raising ineffective assistance of counsel must demonstrate by a reasonable probability, sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome, that he or she was not competent to plead guilty.

State v. Craig 2020 ND 80
Docket No.: 20190282
Filing Date: 4/6/2020
Case Type: HOMICIDE
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A district court did not abuse its discretion in denying a motion to withdraw a guilty plea.

Schweitzer v. Miller 2020 ND 79
Docket No.: 20190157
Filing Date: 4/6/2020
Case Type: CHILD CUST & SUPPORT (Div.\Other)
Author: Crothers, Daniel John

Highlight: A party may raise the question of subject matter jurisdiction at any time during a proceeding.
Under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, a child’s “home state” is the state where a child lived with a parent for at least six consecutive months immediately before the commencement of a child custody proceeding.