North Dakota

Federal judge denies injunction, permitting Dakota Access Pipeline to go forward

A Washington, D.C. federal court ruling Tuesday paves the way for completion of the Dakota Access Pipeline, over strong objections from neighboring tribal communities, Reuters has reported. The ruling by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg rejected a request for an injunction from the Cheyenne River Sioux and Standing Rock Sioux…

Mar 7, 2017 2:45 PM CST

8 strategies for constructing your new law firm

It’s 2017, and we are all cyborgs. Don’t believe me? What’s the capital of Kyrgyzstan? You just thought about reaching for your smartphone—your auxiliary brain—to look it up, didn’t you? Instant knowledge is unremarkable in 2017, which is solid evidence that we are living in the future.

Jan 1, 2017 1:30 AM CST

Judge blocks riot charge over journalist’s protest report; prosecutor sees her as a protester

A judge in North Dakota on Monday refused to sign a document charging a radio journalist with engaging in a riot for her reporting on protests at an oil pipeline construction site. Judge John Grinsteiner found there was no probable cause to charge radio journalist Amy Goodman with rioting, report…

Oct 18, 2016 12:52 PM CDT

Judge is back on bench after sports injury damaged vision in both eyes

A North Dakota judge returned to the bench this week, after a two-month leave of absence when a sports injury eliminated much of his vision in both of his eyes. “I knew right away it was bad—boom, lights out right away,” said Fargo District Judge John Irby. A freak basketball…

Dec 18, 2015 4:00 PM CST

North Dakota legalizes weaponized drones for police use

A new law allows North Dakota police officers to use drones outfitted with “less than lethal” weapons. That means police can use drones equipped with everything from Tasers to tear gas, the Daily Beast reports. The law was enacted after the drone bill underwent significant changes. The intent of the…

Aug 27, 2015 8:17 AM CDT

8th Circuit strikes down strict abortion law but questions fetal viability standard

A federal appeals court has questioned the Supreme Court’s abortion standards while striking down a strict North Dakota abortion law that generally banned abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected. The St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it was bound by Supreme Court precedent in…

Jul 24, 2015 7:34 AM CDT

Man who bicycled to work at hockey game is convicted of DUI for operating Zamboni while drunk

Is an ice-resurfacing machine a motor vehicle as defined by the city code of Fargo, North Dakota? A defense lawyer said it isn’t, but a municipal court judge disagreed. He convicted Steven James Anderson, 27, on Tuesday of driving under the influence for operating a Zamboni while drunk earlier this…

Jun 3, 2015 10:15 AM CDT

Lawyer accused of lying about malpractice coverage is disbarred by consent

A North Carolina lawyer accused of falsifying documents to claim he had malpractice coverage has been disbarred by consent. Edward McVey III of Greensboro, North Carolina, provided falsified documents to at least one mortgage lender to qualify as a lawyer approved to handle real estate closings, according to findings of…

May 12, 2015 5:45 AM CDT

Facebook posts get day care worker fired before job begins, add 12 days to paratrooper’s enlistment

Two recent stories illustrate yet again how social media posts can land employees in deep trouble with their employers. A single mom in Texas was happy to have a new job, but couldn’t resist posting on Facebook that “I absolutely hate working at day care.” That got Kaitlyn Walls fired…

Apr 29, 2015 3:14 PM CDT

Robins Kaplan to close Atlanta office; firm is ‘working on a transition plan’ for 12 lawyers

Robins Kaplan will soon be closing its Atlanta office, which at last report listed a dozen lawyers on the attorney roster, in order to focus the firm’s efforts elsewhere. “As a firm, Robins Kaplan has performed exceptionally well, especially over the past several years. As our clients’ needs have changed,…

Apr 17, 2015 12:10 PM CDT

Woman faces negligent homicide case after allegedly surfing Facebook while driving at 85 mph

A 20-year-old woman accused of surfing Facebook while she was driving at 85 mph on a North Dakota highway earlier this year has been charged with negligent homicide after a fatal rear-end accident. Abby Sletten was en route from Fargo to Grand Forks on Interstate 29 on the afternoon of…

Sep 5, 2014 5:25 PM CDT

Two prosecutors disciplined for criticizing jurors on Facebook

Two Minnesota prosecutors are in hot water after posting derogatory messages about jurors on Facebook. According to the Brainerd Dispatch and KFGO-790 in Fargo, North Dakota, the two prosecuting attorneys for the Clay County Attorney’s Office have been disciplined. KFGO-790 reports that the remarks were made in reference to a…

Aug 22, 2014 5:00 PM CDT

Man is arrested again over ‘homeless’ sign; will he be prosecuted?

Arrested last year for panhandling after he allegedly displayed a “Merry Christmas homeless” sign near a public roadway, a 62-year-old North Dakota man was arrested again last month after a Bismarck police officer said he stood near a freeway off-ramp with a “homeless” sign. However, Thomas Seymour was not prosecuted…

Aug 5, 2014 3:25 PM CDT

Top state court reverses license suspension after murder conspiracy case against lawyer fizzles out

Suspended on an emergency basis after he was charged with conspiring to murder a witness in a drug case, a 73-year-old North Dakota attorney will soon be able to resume his law practice. The criminal case against Henry Howe was at first downgraded in April then dismissed in May due…

Jun 4, 2014 10:15 PM CDT

Murder conspiracy case against lawyer is considerably downgraded; his counsel calls for dismissal

Earlier this year, a longtime North Dakota criminal defense attorney had his law license suspended on an emergency basis after he was charged, along with two others, with plotting to kill an undercover informant in a drug case. Now the original murder conspiracy charge against all three defendants has been…

Apr 25, 2014 1:35 PM CDT