Title 27 — Judicial Branch of Government

Each member of the state board of law examiners shall receive twenty-five dollars per day for the actual time devoted to official duties, and, in addition thereto, is entitled to receive the actual expenses incurred in attending to official duties while away from the member's pla…

The secretary-treasurer of the state board of law examiners must be allowed such compensation for services and expenses as the board determines.

The state board of law examiners may employ such assistants, purchase such supplies, and incur such expense as may be necessary to carry out the duties imposed upon it, but expenditures may not exceed the moneys in the state bar fund. It possesses such other powers and duties rel…

The state board of law examiners shall keep a record of all of its proceedings and a record of all applications for admission and admissions to the bar of this state and shall enroll in a book to be kept for this purpose the name of each person admitted to practice in this state …

The state board of law examiners is entitled to receive a fee to be determined by the board with the approval of the supreme court of an amount not to exceed two hundred dollars from each applicant for admission to the bar of this state who submits to examination by the board and…

The supreme court, after receiving and considering the state board of law examiners' report of the results of an examination of applicants for admission to the bar of this state and the recommendations of the board, shall enter an order authorizing the issuance of certificates of…

Each applicant for admission to the bar of this state, upon being admitted to practice as an attorney and counselor at law, shall take, in open court, the oath prescribed in section 4 of article XI of the Constitution of North Dakota, and such additional oath or pledge as the sup…

Each applicant admitted to the bar of this state shall receive a certificate of admission. Such certificate must be issued in the name of the supreme court of the state of North Dakota, must certify that the person named therein has been duly admitted as an attorney and counselor…

The secretary-treasurer of the state board of law examiners shall deposit and disburse all fees and moneys collected by the board in accordance with section 54-44-12.

Moneys in the state bar fund must be used to pay: 1. The bar association of the state of North Dakota the sum required to be paid under section 27-12-04; 2. The compensation and expenses allowed by law to each member and to the secretary-treasurer of the state board of law examin…

Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 82, § 154.

Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 82, § 154.

Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 82, § 154.

The state bar association of North Dakota shall operate under the constitution, bylaws, and rules adopted at the annual meeting of such association held in 1921 and amendments thereof duly adopted pursuant to the provisions of such constitution and bylaws.

The membership of the state bar association of North Dakota consists of every person: 1. Who has secured an annual license to practice law in this state from the state board of law examiners in accordance with section 27-11-22; or 2. Who has an unrevoked certificate of admission …

The members of the state bar association of North Dakota who have secured an annual license to practice law in this state are entitled to all of the rights and privileges of the association and are entitled to vote and to participate in all of the meetings thereof. The members of…

The state bar association of North Dakota, out of the state bar fund, must receive for operation of the lawyer discipline system seventy-five dollars of each license fee beginning January 1, 1999. Eighty percent of the remaining amount of the annual license fees paid by licensed …

The secretary-treasurer of the state bar association of North Dakota shall give a bond in the sum of two thousand dollars, and the premium therefor must be paid out of the amount paid to the said association from the state bar fund. 27-12-06. Method of expenditure of association'…

The provisions of this chapter do not create any liability on the part of the state of North Dakota in excess of the payment made, as hereinbefore provided, out of the state bar fund.

Repealed by S.L. 1971, ch. 297, § 7.

Information provided to the state bar association regarding applicants or participants in a lawyer referral service or volunteer lawyer program administered by the state bar association is confidential.

Every attorney and counselor at law shall: 1. Maintain respect for courts of justice and judicial officers; 2. Counsel or maintain no claim that appears to the attorney to be unjust, nor any defense except one the attorney believes to be honestly debatable under the law; 3. Perfo…

An attorney and counselor at law may: 1. Execute, in the name of the attorney's client, a bond or other written instrument necessary and proper for the prosecution of an action or proceeding about to be or already commenced, or for the prosecution or defense of any right growing …

No practicing attorney and counselor at law may be a surety in any action or proceeding which may be instituted in any of the courts of this state. 27-13-04. Court may require proof of attorney's authority - Proceedings stayed until proof furnished. A court, on motion of either p…

Repealed by S.L. 2001, ch. 287, § 1. 27-13-06. Attorney's withholding of client's money or property under alleged lien unlawful if bond furnished. Repealed by S.L. 2001, ch. 287, § 1. 27-13-07. Attorney's refusal to deliver client's money or property not unlawful if attorney furn…

Every attorney who: 1. Is guilty of any deceit or collusion or consents to any deceit or collusion with intent to deceive the court or any party; 2. Willfully delays the attorney's client's suit with a view to the attorney's own gain; or 3. Willfully receives any money or other p…

If any attorney knowingly permits any person, not the attorney's general law partner or a clerk in the attorney's office, to sue out any process or to prosecute or defend any action in the attorney's name, except as authorized by section 27-13-10, such attorney and every person w…

Whenever an action or proceeding is authorized by law to be prosecuted or defended in the name of the state or of any public officer, board of officers, or municipal corporation, on behalf of another party, the attorney general or state's attorney or attorney of such public offic…

Every attorney who, directly or indirectly, advises in relation to, or aids or promotes the defense of, any action or proceeding in any court, the prosecution of which is carried on, aided, or promoted by any state's attorney or other public prosecutor with whom such attorney is …

An attorney who serves as a fiduciary of an estate, trust, or conservatorship must be represented by another attorney. The attorney who serves as fiduciary or the attorney's law firm may not serve as attorney for the fiduciary. This section does not apply to United States bankrup…

The power to revoke or suspend the certificate of admission of an attorney or counselor at law is vested in the supreme court.

The certificate of admission to the bar of this state of an attorney and counselor at law may be revoked or suspended by the supreme court if that attorney has: 1. Committed an offense determined by the supreme court to have a direct bearing upon a person's ability to serve the p…

Whenever a verified complaint is made and filed with the clerk of the supreme court charging any member of the bar of this state with conduct warranting that person's disbarment or suspension as an attorney at law and it appears to the court that those charges should be investiga…

When a complaint charging a member of the bar with misconduct is referred to the state bar board for investigation, each member of such board may: 1. Issue a subpoena commanding any witness to appear at any place within the judicial district in which the witness resides; 2. Admin…

When the state bar board has completed its investigation of a complaint filed against a member of the bar as provided in section 27-14-04, it shall make a report to the supreme court stating therein its conclusions as to the charges investigated and its recommendations as to furt…

Upon receiving the report mentioned in section 27-14-05, the supreme court may order and direct the state bar board to file accusations and begin proceedings for the disbarment, suspension, or other discipline of the accused attorney in accordance with the procedure provided in t…

Upon the initiation of a disbarment proceeding, counsel charged with the prosecution thereof shall file accusations and cause the same to be served as the court may direct. The accused may plead to the accusations within the time for answer prescribed by the court.

If a copy of the complaint against the accused has been served upon the accused and the accused has been given an opportunity to be heard, the proceeding, when issue is joined, must be referred by the supreme court for the taking of testimony and the making of findings and recomm…

The revocation and suspension of an attorney's certificate of admission to the bar constitutes a forfeiture of that individual's office as an attorney or counselor at law to practice in the courts of this state so long as such revocation or suspension is in effect.

The expenses incident to the investigation of charges against a member of the bar of this state and to a prosecution of the accused must be paid out of the state bar fund.

There is established a judicial conference consisting of: 1. All judges of the supreme court and district courts. 2. The attorney general. 3. The dean of the university of North Dakota school of law. 4. Five members of the bar who are engaged in the practice of law who must be ch…

The judges of the supreme court and district courts, the attorney general, the dean of the university of North Dakota school of law, and the surrogate judges shall hold office as members of the judicial conference during the time they occupy their respective official positions. T…

At the request of the judicial conference, the state court administrator shall serve as the executive secretary of the judicial conference. The judicial conference shall make rules for its procedure, organization, election of officers, and the conduct of its business.

The judicial conference shall meet at least twice in each year at such times and places as fixed by the conference.

The judicial conference shall: 1. Solicit, receive, and evaluate suggestions relating to the improvement of the administration of justice. 2. Consider and make recommendations to the supreme court for changes in rules, procedures, or any matter pertaining to the judicial system. …

Repealed by S.L. 1985, ch. 333, § 8.

Repealed by S.L. 1977, ch. 269, § 1. 27-15-08. Report and recommendations to governor - Suggestion of rules to supreme court. Repealed by S.L. 1985, ch. 333, § 8.

Repealed by S.L. 1985, ch. 333, § 8.

No member of the conference is entitled to receive compensation for any services rendered in that capacity, but any necessary travel expenses, including mileage and subsistence, incurred by any member must be paid from funds appropriated for the purposes of the judicial conferenc…

1. Every judge of the supreme court or of the district court, including one who has served or shall have served in either or both capacities, shall, at the time the judge ceases to be such judge and regardless of the individual's age at that time and without further payment by th…