North Dakota § 12.1-20-01 General provisions

North Dakota Statutes

§ 12.1-20-01 — General provisions

North Dakota § 12.1-20-01

Title 12.1Criminal Code

Ch. 12.1-20Sex Offenses

This text of North Dakota § 12.1-20-01 (General provisions) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-20-01 (2026).

Text

In sections 12.1-20-03 through 12.1-20-08:

1.When criminality depends on a child being below the age of fifteen, it is no defense that the actor did not know the child's age, or reasonably believed the child to be older than fourteen.

2.When criminality depends on the victim being a minor, it is an affirmative defense that the actor reasonably believed the victim to be an adult.

3.When criminality depends on the victim being a minor fifteen years of age or older, the actor is guilty of an offense only if the actor is at least three years older than the minor.

4.When criminality depends on the victim being below the age of fifteen, and the actor is a minor, the actor is guilty of an offense only if the actor is at least three years older than the victim.

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

In sections 12.1-20-03 through 12.1-20-08:
1. When criminality depends on a child being below the age of fifteen, it is no defense
that the actor did not know the child's age, or reasonably believed the child to be older
than fourteen.
2. When criminality depends on the victim being a minor, it is an affirmative defense that
the actor reasonably believed the victim to be an adult.
3. When criminality depends on the victim being a minor fifteen years of age or older, the
actor is guilty of an offense only if the actor is at least three years older than the minor.
4. When criminality depends on the victim being below the age of fifteen, and the actor is
a minor, the actor is guilty of an offense only if the actor is at least three years older
than the victim.