French v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation

2019 ND 172
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJune 27, 2019
Docket20180410
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 2019 ND 172 (French v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
French v. N.D. Dep't of Transportation, 2019 ND 172 (N.D. 2019).

Opinion

)LOHGE\&OHUNRI6XSUHPH&RXUW ,17+(6835(0(&2857 67$7(2)1257+'$.27$

1'

%HQMDPLQ-DPHV)UHQFK $SSHOOHH

Y

'LUHFWRU1RUWK'DNRWD 'HSDUWPHQWRI7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ $SSHOODQW

1R

$SSHDOIURPWKH'LVWULFW&RXUWRI7UDLOO&RXQW\(DVW&HQWUDO-XGLFLDO'LVWULFW WKH+RQRUDEOH6WHYHQ/0DUTXDUW-XGJH

5(9(56('$1'5(,167$7('

2SLQLRQRIWKH&RXUWE\0F(YHUV-XVWLFH

&KDUOHV-6KHHOH\)DUJR1'IRUDSSHOOHH

'RXJODV % $QGHUVRQ $VVLVWDQW $WWRUQH\ *HQHUDO %LVPDUFN 1' IRU DSSHOODQW )UHQFKY1''HS¶WRI7UDQVS 1R

0F(YHUV-XVWLFH >ˆ@ 7KH 'HSDUWPHQW RI 7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ DSSHDOV IURP D GLVWULFW FRXUW MXGJPHQW UHYHUVLQJD'HSDUWPHQWKHDULQJRIILFHU¶VGHFLVLRQLPSRVLQJDGD\VXVSHQVLRQRI %HQMDPLQ)UHQFK¶VGULYLQJSULYLOHJHVDQGDZDUGLQJKLPDWWRUQH\IHHV:HFRQFOXGH WKHFRXUWHUUHGLQKROGLQJ)UHQFK¶VGULYLQJUHFRUGGLGQRWHVWDEOLVKKLVRSHUDWRU¶V OLFHQVHKDGEHHQSUHYLRXVO\UHYRNHGRQFHZLWKLQVHYHQ\HDUVSUHFHGLQJWKHGDWHRIKLV -XQHDUUHVWDQGWKHFRXUWHUUHGLQFRQFOXGLQJWKHDSSURSULDWHVXVSHQVLRQSHULRG IRUKLVFXUUHQWRIIHQVHLVGD\V:HIXUWKHUFRQFOXGHWKHFRXUWHUUHGLQDZDUGLQJ DWWRUQH\ IHHV  :H UHYHUVH WKH MXGJPHQW DQG UHLQVWDWH WKH 'HSDUWPHQW¶V GHFLVLRQ VXVSHQGLQJKLVGULYLQJSULYLOHJHVIRUGD\V

, >ˆ@ ,Q -XQH  D +LJKZD\ 3DWURO RIILFHU VWRSSHG DQG VXEVHTXHQWO\ DUUHVWHG )UHQFKIRUGULYLQJXQGHUWKHLQIOXHQFH7KHUHVXOWVRIDQ,QWR[LO\]HUWHVWVKRZHG )UHQFK KDG D EORRG DOFRKRO FRQFHQWUDWLRQ LQ H[FHVV RI WKH OHJDO OLPLW  )UHQFK UHTXHVWHGDQDGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJRQWKH'HSDUWPHQW¶VSURSRVHGVXVSHQVLRQRIKLV GULYLQJSULYLOHJHV >ˆ@ ,Q-XO\D'HSDUWPHQWKHDULQJRIILFHUKHOGDKHDULQJUHJDUGLQJZKHWKHU WRVXVSHQG)UHQFK¶VGULYLQJSULYLOHJHV7KHKHDULQJRIILFHUVXEVHTXHQWO\LVVXHGD GHFLVLRQVXVSHQGLQJKLVGULYLQJSULYLOHJHVIRUGD\VFRQFOXGLQJWKHJUHDWHUZHLJKW RIWKHHYLGHQFHLQWKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHUHFRUGHVWDEOLVKHG)UHQFK¶VOLFHQVHKDGEHHQ SUHYLRXVO\ UHYRNHG IRU RQH \HDU IRU UHIXVLQJ D FKHPLFDO WHVW LQ -XO\   7KH KHDULQJ RIILFHU VSHFLILFDOO\ IRXQG KLV GULYHU¶V OLFHQVH ZDV SUHYLRXVO\ UHYRNHG RQ $XJXVWDIWHUD'HSDUWPHQWDGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJIRUDSHULRGRIRQH\HDU IRUUHIXVLQJDFKHPLFDOWHVWRQ-XO\,QLWVGHFLVLRQWKHKHDULQJRIILFHU

 DGGUHVVHG )UHQFK¶V DVVHUWLRQ WKDW KLV GULYLQJ UHFRUG GLG QRW HVWDEOLVK D SULRU VXVSHQVLRQWRHQKDQFHKLVVXVSHQVLRQIURPGD\VWRGD\V 3HWLWLRQHU¶V &RXQVHO DVVHUWHG WKDW WKH OLFHQVH VXVSHQVLRQ PXVW EH OLPLWHG WR  GD\V EHFDXVH WKH VWDWXWH 1'&&   F  UHTXLUHVWKDWHYLGHQFHRIWKHSULRUUHIXVDOVKRZWKDWWKHUHYRFDWLRQZDV LPSRVHG ³XQGHU WKLV FKDSWHU´ EHIRUH LW FDQ EH XVHG WR HQKDQFH WKH VXVSHQVLRQ IURP  GD\V WR  GD\V  &RXQVHO SRLQWV RXW WKDW 0U )UHQFK¶VGULYLQJUHFRUGGRHVQRWOLVWD'8,FRQYLFWLRQIRUWKDW ZRXOG VKRZ WKH FRXQW\ RU VWDWH RI RFFXUUHQFH IRU WKH UHIXVDO  1R 1''27 ZLWQHVV DSSHDUHG IRU WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYH KHDULQJ 1HYHUWKHOHVV)UHQFK¶VGULYLQJUHFRUGVKRZVWKDWD5HSRUW 1RWLFH ZDVILOHGZLWK1''27RQ-XO\DFFRUGLQJWRWKHIROORZLQJ HQWU\³$'05()86$/´,QDGGLWLRQ0U)UHQFK¶V GULYLQJ UHFRUG VKRZV WKDW KH UHTXHVWHG DQG UHFHLYHG D 1''27 DGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJDQGWKHUHDIWHUKLVOLFHQVHZDVUHYRNHGIRURQH \HDU IRU UHIXVLQJ D FKHPLFDO WHVW  6HH ([KLELW  S  ³+($5  6863(1'('²+($5,1*+(/'5()86('&+(0,&$/ 7(673(5<´ +HDULQJRIILFHUVUHO\RQWKHFHUWLILHG'5,9(56 /,&(16(',9,6,21&(175$/5(&25'WRREWDLQWKHLQIRUPDWLRQ QHFHVVDU\ WR SUHSDUH WKH VWDQGDUG ([KLELW  HQWLWOHG 127,&( 2) $'0,1,675$7,9(+($5,1*%()25(7+(1''27',5(&725 XSRQ UHFHLSW RI HDFK KHDULQJ UHTXHVWHG XQGHU &KDSWHU   7KH KHDULQJRIILFHULVIDPLOLDUZLWKWKH'/'IRUPDWRI0U)UHQFK¶VGULYLQJ UHFRUGDQGFDQUHDVRQDEO\LQIHUIURPWKHDGPLQLVWUDWLYHUHFRUGWKDWWKH \HDUUHYRFDWLRQRIKLVGULYHU¶VOLFHQVHIRUUHIXVLQJDFKHPLFDO WHVWZDVFRQGXFWHGXQGHU1RUWK'DNRWD&HQWXU\&RGH&KDSWHU ([KLELWS ³5(925()86('&+(0,&$/7(67 < /  / 5  ´      7KH FHUWLILHG RIILFLDO 1''27GULYLQJUHFRUGFDOOVIRU0U)UHQFK¶VOLFHQVHWREHVXVSHQGHG IRU  GD\V  ([KLELW  S  ³+($5   $:$,7,1* +($5,1*287&20(%$&29(5/(*$//,0,763(5'´  7KH KHDULQJ RIILFHU KHOG WKDW DQ HQWU\ LQ WKH FHUWLILHG RIILFLDO GULYLQJ UHFRUG LV SUHVXPHG WR EH FRUUHFW XQWLO UHEXWWHG DQG WKDW )UHQFK GLG QRW DSSHDU IRU WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLYHKHDULQJWRWHVWLI\RURIIHUDQ\HYLGHQFHWRVXJJHVWKLVUHYRFDWLRQ IRU UHIXVDO ZDV DQ RXWRIVWDWH SURFHHGLQJ  7KH KHDULQJ RIILFHU FRQFOXGHG WKH DSSURSULDWHSHULRGIRUKLVGULYHU¶VOLFHQVHWREHVXVSHQGHGZDVGD\V)UHQFK DSSHDOHGWKHGHFLVLRQWRWKHGLVWULFWFRXUW >ˆ@ 7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWUHYHUVHGWKHKHDULQJRIILFHU¶VGHFLVLRQDQGLPSRVHGDGD\ VXVSHQVLRQRIKLVGULYLQJSULYLOHJHVIRUDILUVWRIIHQVH7KHFRXUWKHOGWKHUHZDV  LQVXIILFLHQWHYLGHQFHLQWKHUHFRUGIRUWKHKHDULQJRIILFHUWRFRQFOXGH)UHQFKKDGD SULRUVXVSHQVLRQWRVXSSRUWDGD\VXVSHQVLRQ7KHFRXUWHVVHQWLDOO\KHOGWKDWLW ZDVQRWSRVVLEOHWRGHWHUPLQHZKHWKHUWKH-XO\VXVSHQVLRQIRUUHIXVDOZDVD VXVSHQVLRQ XQGHU 1'&& FK  IURP WKH QRWDWLRQ FRQWDLQHG LQ WKH FRS\ RI )UHQFK¶V GULYLQJ UHFRUG  7KH FRXUW IXUWKHU KHOG WKDW WKH KHDULQJ RIILFHU HUUHG LQ UHO\LQJ RQ KLV RZQ H[SHULHQFH LQ LQWHUSUHWLQJ WKH GULYLQJ UHFRUG  7KH FRXUW DOVR DZDUGHGDWWRUQH\IHHVWR)UHQFK

,, >ˆ@ 8QGHU1'&&†WKLV&RXUWUHYLHZVWKH'HSDUWPHQW¶VGHFLVLRQ VXVSHQGLQJRUUHYRNLQJDGULYHU¶VOLFHQVHLQWKHVDPHPDQQHUDVWKHGLVWULFWFRXUW XQGHU1'&&†Opp v. Dir., N.D. Dep’t of Transp.1'ˆ 1:G:HPXVWDIILUPWKH'HSDUWPHQW¶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¶VUDWLRQDOHIRUQRWDGRSWLQJDQ\ FRQWUDU\ UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV E\ D KHDULQJ RIILFHU RU DQ DGPLQLVWUDWLYHODZMXGJH 1'&&†,QUHYLHZLQJD'HSDUWPHQWKHDULQJRIILFHU¶VILQGLQJVRIIDFW ³>WKLV&RXUW@GR>HV@QRWPDNHLQGHSHQGHQWILQGLQJVRIIDFWRUVXEVWLWXWH>LWV@MXGJPHQW IRUWKDWRIWKHDJHQF\´OppDWˆ TXRWLQJPower Fuels, Inc. v. Elkin1:G   1'    7KLV &RXUW GHFLGHV ³RQO\ ZKHWKHU D UHDVRQLQJ PLQG UHDVRQDEO\FRXOGKDYHGHWHUPLQHGWKDWWKHIDFWXDOFRQFOXVLRQVUHDFKHGZHUHSURYHG  E\WKHZHLJKWRIWKHHYLGHQFHIURPWKHHQWLUHUHFRUG´Id.³$QDJHQF\¶VFRQFOXVLRQV RQTXHVWLRQVRIODZDUHVXEMHFWWRIXOOUHYLHZ´Id. TXRWLQJGarcia v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Christianson v. NDDOT
2020 ND 245 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2020)
Schulke v. NDDOT
2020 ND 53 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 2020)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2019 ND 172, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/french-v-nd-dept-of-transportation-nd-2019.