Title 14 — Domestic Relations and Persons

The definitions in section 14-02.4-02 may be used to supplement the definitions in this chapter. In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Aggrieved person" includes any person who claims to have been injured by a discriminatory housing practice or believes that…

1. A person may not refuse to sell or rent, after the making of a bona fide offer, refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or in any other manner make unavailable or deny a dwelling to an individual because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, familial status, n…

A person may not make, print, or publish or effect the making, printing, or publishing of a notice, statement, or advertisement that is about the sale or rental of a dwelling and that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination or the intention to make a preference, l…

A person may not represent to an individual because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, familial status, national origin, or status with respect to marriage or public assistance that a dwelling is not available for inspection for sale or rental when the dwelling is av…

A person may not, for profit, induce or attempt to induce another to sell or rent a dwelling by representations regarding the entry or prospective entry into a neighborhood of an individual of a particular race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, familial status, national ori…

1. A person may not discriminate in the sale or rental of, or make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any buyer or renter because of a disability of the buyer or renter; of an individual residing in or intending to reside in that dwelling after it is sold, rented, or made availab…

A person whose business includes engaging in residential real estate-related transactions may not discriminate against an individual in making a real estate-related transaction available or in the terms or conditions of a real estate-related transaction because of race, color, re…

A person may not deny an individual access to, or membership or participation in, a multiple-listing service, real estate brokers' organization, or other service, organization, or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings, or discriminate against an indivi…

1. Sections 14-02.5-02 through 14-02.5-08 do not apply to the sale or rental of a single-family house sold or rented by the owner if the owner does not own more than three single-family houses at any one time or own any interest in, nor is there owned or reserved on the person's …

1. This chapter does not prohibit a religious organization, association, or society or a nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised, or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society from limiting the sale, rental, or occupa…

1. The provisions of this chapter relating to familial status and age do not apply to housing that the secretary of housing and urban development determines is specifically designed and operated to assist elderly individuals under a federal program; the department determines is s…

1. This chapter does not affect a reasonable local or state restriction on the maximum number of occupants permitted to occupy a dwelling or a restriction relating to health or safety standards. 2. This chapter does not affect a requirement of nondiscrimination in any other state…

1. The department shall administer this chapter. The department may adopt rules necessary to implement this chapter, but substantive rules adopted by the department must impose obligations, rights, and remedies that are the same as are provided in federal fair housing regulations…

As provided by sections 14-02.5-18 through 14-02.5-35, the department shall receive, investigate, seek to conciliate, and act on complaints alleging violations of this chapter.

The department shall publish in even-numbered years a written report recommending legislative or other action to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The department shall make studies relating to the nature and extent of discriminatory housing practices in this state.

The department shall cooperate with and may provide technical and other assistance to federal, state, local, and other public or private entities that are designing or operating programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices.

The department may accept grants from the federal government for administering this chapter. Grants received must be deposited to the credit of the fair housing fund in the state treasury. Moneys deposited to the credit of the fund are appropriated to the department on a continui…

1. The department shall investigate complaints of alleged discriminatory housing practices. An aggrieved person may file a complaint with the department alleging the discriminatory housing practice. The department may file a complaint. A complaint must be in writing and must cont…

1. Not later than the tenth day after the date of receipt of the notice and copy of the complaint under subsection 2 of section 14-02.5-18, a respondent may file an answer to the complaint. An answer must be in writing, under oath, and in the form prescribed by the department. 2.…

1. If the federal government has referred a complaint to the department or has deferred jurisdiction over the subject matter of the complaint to the department, the department shall investigate the allegations set forth in the complaint. 2. The department shall investigate all co…

The department may join a person not named in the complaint as an additional or substitute respondent if during the investigation the department determines that the person is alleged to be engaged, to have engaged, or to be about to engage in the discriminatory housing practice u…

The department shall, during the period beginning with the filing of a complaint and ending with the filing of a charge or a dismissal by the department, to the extent feasible, engage in conciliation with respect to the complaint. A conciliation agreement between a respondent an…

The department may authorize a claim for relief for temporary or preliminary relief pending the final disposition of a complaint, if the department concludes after the filing of the complaint that prompt judicial action is necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. On r…

The department shall prepare a final investigative report, including the names of and dates of contacts with witnesses, a summary of correspondence and other contacts with the aggrieved person and the respondent showing the dates of the correspondence and contacts, a summary desc…

1. The department shall determine from the facts whether reasonable cause exists to believe that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur. The department shall make this determination not later than the one-hundredth day after the date a complaint is fi…

1. A charge issued under section 14-02.5-25 must consist of a short and plain statement of the facts on which the department finds reasonable cause to believe that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur, must be based on the final investigative report…

If the department determines that the matter involves the legality of a state or local zoning or other land use law or ordinance, the department may not issue a charge and shall immediately refer the matter to the attorney general for appropriate action.

If the department determines that no reasonable cause exists to believe that a discriminatory housing practice that is the subject of a complaint has occurred or is about to occur, the department shall promptly dismiss the complaint. The department shall make public disclosure of…

The department may not issue a charge alleging a discriminatory housing practice after the beginning of the trial of a civil action commenced by the aggrieved party under federal or state law seeking relief with respect to that discriminatory housing practice.

A complainant, a respondent, or an aggrieved person on whose behalf a complaint was filed may elect to have the claims asserted in the charge decided in a civil action as provided by section 14-02.5-36. The election must be made not later than the twentieth day after the date the…

1. If a timely election is not made under section 14-02.5-30, the department shall provide for a hearing on the charge. The attorney general, at the request of and on behalf of the department, may participate in and advocate in favor of the department's finding of probable cause.…

1. If the department determines at a hearing under section 14-02.5-31 that a respondent has engaged in or is about to engage in a discriminatory housing practice, the department may order the appropriate relief, including actual damages, reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, a…

A departmental order under section 14-02.5-32 does not affect a contract, sale, encumbrance, or lease that is consummated before the department issues the order and involves a bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer, or tenant who did not have actual notice of the charge filed under th…

If the department issues an order with respect to a discriminatory housing practice that occurs in the course of a business subject to a licensing or regulation by a governmental agency, the department, not later than the thirtieth day after the date the order is issued, shall se…

If the department issues an order against a respondent against whom another order was issued within the preceding five years under section 14-02.5-33, the department shall send a copy of each order to the attorney general.

If a timely election is made under section 14-02.5-30, the department shall authorize and the attorney general shall file not later than the thirtieth day after the date of the election a claim for relief seeking relief for the benefit of the aggrieved person in a district court.…

1. On the request of the department, the attorney general may file a claim for relief in district court for appropriate relief if the department has reasonable cause to believe that a person is engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of a right grante…

The attorney general, on behalf of the department or another party at whose request a subpoena is issued under this chapter, may enforce the subpoena in appropriate proceedings in district court.

1. An aggrieved person may file a civil action in district court not later than the second year after the date of the occurrence or the termination of an alleged discriminatory housing practice or the breach of a conciliation agreement entered under this chapter, whichever occurs…

On application by a person alleging a discriminatory housing practice or by a person against whom a discriminatory housing practice is alleged, the court may appoint an attorney for the person.

If the court finds that a discriminatory housing practice has occurred or is about to occur, the court may award to the plaintiff actual and punitive damages, reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and subject to section 14-02.5-42, a permanent or temporary injunction, temporar…

Relief granted under sections 14-02.5-39 through 14-02.5-44 does not affect a contract, sale, encumbrance, or lease that is consummated before the granting of the relief and involves a bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer, or tenant who did not have actual notice of the filing of a …

On request of the department, the attorney general may intervene in an action under sections 14-02.5-39 through 14-02.5-44 if the department certifies that the case is of general public importance. The attorney general may obtain the same relief as is available to the attorney ge…

A court in an action brought under this chapter or the department in an administrative hearing under section 14-02.5-31 may award reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party and assess court costs against the nonprevailing party.

1. A person commits an offense if the person, without regard to whether the person is acting under color of law, by force or threat of force, intentionally intimidates or interferes with an individual: a. Because of the individual's race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, fa…

A complaint filed with the department under section 14-02.5-18 is an open record. Information obtained during an investigation conducted by the department under this chapter is exempt from section 44-04-18 before the institution of any judicial proceedings or administrative heari…