State v. Braun

145 N.W.2d 482, 1966 N.D. LEXIS 123
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 20, 1966
DocketCr. 350
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 145 N.W.2d 482 (State v. Braun) 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
State v. Braun, 145 N.W.2d 482, 1966 N.D. LEXIS 123 (N.D. 1966).

Opinion

KNUDSON, Justice.

The appellant Jeanette Braun was committed by the Juvenile Court of Richland County to the State Industrial School by order dated April 18, 1966, having been adjudged a delinquent minor. On July 26, 1966, she made a motion before the district court for a new trial under Rule 59(c) (2), North Dakota Rules of Civil Procedure, and a further motion to the court for relief from the order of April 18, 1966, committing her to the State Industrial School under Rule 60(b) (2) and (6), supra.' It was stipulated by the parties that the motion be submitted to the court upon the affidavits attached to and a part of the motion and on all the files and records. On August 29, 1966, the court issued its order denying the motion for a new trial or rehearing. Jeanette appealed on September 13, 1966, to the supreme court from the judgment dated April 18, 1966, committing her to the State Industrial School at Mandan, and the whole thereof, and from the order dated August 29, 1966, denying the petition and motion of Jeanette for a rehearing in said case and from the whole thereof, and demanded a trial de novo in the supreme court.

Jeanette sets forth the following specifications of error:

I
The District Court sitting as Juvenile Court erred under all the circumstances involved in finding that appellant was a juvenile delinquent.
II
That if said Court could properly find that appellant was a juvenile delinquent, that said Court erred, in her condition of pregnancy, in committing her to the State Industrial School at Mandan, North Dakota.
*484 III
That the Court erred in denying appellant a new trial or a new hearing upon all of the affidavits submitted at that time.
IV
That the Court specifically erred at the time of denying said motion and petition for a new trial and new hearing in holding that “The basis urged for the new trial or rehearing is that the Court did not permit Ronald C. Kelly, the purported father of the unborn child of Jeanette Braun, to testify at the hear-jng ⅜ ⅜
V
That in effect, the Court has refused to allow an unborn child to have a legal name and father at the time of its birth.

The State contends that the motion for a new trial or a rehearing was not made within sixty days from the date of the rendition of the decision of the court, and was not made upon the basis of newly discovered evidence to justify relief under Rule 60(b) (2), supra, which provides:

[Njewly discovered evidence which by due diligence could not have been discovered in time to move for a new trial under Rule 59(b).

Rule 59(b), supra, provides that a former verdict or other decision may be vacated and a new trial granted for causes materially affecting the substantial rights of a party, including:

4. Newly discovered evidence material to the party making the application, which he could not with reasonable diligence have discovered and produced at the trial.

Rule 59(c), supra, provides the time within which a motion for new trial must be made after the return of the verdict or rendition of the decision:

1. Upon the ground of newly discovered evidence, within six months; and
2. Upon any other ground, within sixty days, unless the court, for good cause shown, shall extend the time.

The state further contends that the appeal . to the supreme court was not made within sixty days from the order of the court finding Jeanette to be a delinquent child and committing her to the State Industrial School.

The motion of Jeanette for a new trial in the district court was made under Rule 59(c) (2), supra, and for relief from the judgment of April 18, 1966, committing her to the State Industrial School, under Rule 60(b) (2) and (6), supra.

It is apparent from the facts in this case that there is no showing of newly discovered evidence to support the motion under Rule 60(b) (2), supra, and therefore we must consider whether the motion for relief from the judgment of April 18, 1966, comes within Rule 60(b) (6), which provides :

(b) On motion and upon such terms as are just, the court may relieve a party or his legal representative from a final judgment or order in any action or proceeding for the following reeasons: * * * or (6) any other reason justifying relief from the operation of the judgment. * * *

This broad language gives the courts ample power to vacate judgments whenever such action is appropriate to accomplish justice. Of course, this power is not provided in order to relieve a party from free, calculated and deliberate choices he has made. The party remains under a duty to take legal steps to protect his interests. But if it is unjust that a judgment be enforced, Rule 60(b) (6), supra, provides an avenue *485 for escape from the judgment, unhampered by detailed restrictions, and the courts have used this clause in a wide variety of situations. Barron & Holtzoff, Federal Practice and Procedure, Rules Edition, Chapter 11, § 1329. It is apparent that Jeanette’s motion for a new trial, made July 26, 1966, was made more than sixty days after the rendition of the judgment and order dated April 18, 1966, required by Rule 59(c) (2), supra, and the appeal to this court dated September 13, 1966, is more than six months from the judgment and decree of March 7, 1966, determining that Jeanette was a delinquent child within the meaning of the statutes. The notice of appeal of Jeanette recites that appeal as being from the judgment of April 18, 1966, committing her to the State Industrial School. However, this latter judgment or order, although it reiterated the determination that she was a delinquent child, in fact, was an order committing her to the State Industrial School.

Regardless of the question whether the motions for new trial and the notice of appeal to this court were or were not timely made, we are of the opinion that Rule 60 (b) (6), supra, should be invoked in this case in the interests of justice and for the best interests of the minor and the State of North Dakota.

There is no doubt that the defendant Jeanette was a delinquent child within the meaning of the statutes, and the court was correct in so finding her and in assuming jurisdiction over her. However, the question arises: Was the order committing her to the State Industrial School for the best interests of Jeanette Braun and of the State of North Dakota?

Jeanette had been living at the home of her parents at Wahpeton, North Dakota, and had been attending high school. On or about February 4, 1966, Jeanette, with four other girls, in her bedroom, drank two six-packs of beer, of which Jeanette and her friend drank all but two cans. The next morning Jeanette and her friend, who stayed overnight, were late for school.

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Bluebook (online)
145 N.W.2d 482, 1966 N.D. LEXIS 123, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-braun-nd-1966.