ORDER OF ADOPTION
Supreme Court No. 20030098
Administrative Reorganization of the Judicial System
On April 2, 2003, the Judicial Planning Committee's Planning Recommendations for the administrative reorganization of the judicial system were filed. A Judicial Reorganization Implementation Plan was also received by the Court. A Notice of Comment dated April 2, 2003, was published on the Court's web page, and comments were accepted through July 2003.
The Court, after reviewing the recommendations and comments, considered amendments to North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rules 2 and 22, and a proposed North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 6.1, all to become effective August 1, 2004. A Notice of Comment dated January 2, 2004, relating to the proposed amendments was published on the Court's web page, and comments were accepted through February 2, 2004. All comments were referred to the Court. The Court considered the matter, and
ORDERED, proposed amendments to North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 2 and proposed North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 6.1, as further amended by the Court, are ADOPTED effective August 1, 2004. The rules, as amended, are attached.
FURTHER ORDERED, proposed amendments to North Dakota Supreme Court Administrative Rule 22, as further amended by the Court, are ADOPTED effective August 1, 2004, with the exception of Section 2.C., which is effective July 1, 2004. The rule, as amended, is attached.
Dated at Bismarck, North Dakota, March 8, 2004.
Gerald W. VandeWalle, Chief Justice
William A. Neumann, Justice
Mary Muehlen Maring, Justice
Carol Ronning Kapsner, Justice
I dissent. The "judicial reorganization plan" reflected in these rule changes received extensive public comment. Almost all of those who commented, including the Board of Governors of the State Bar Association and most of the district judges, objected to the plan. Although some of the objections may have been met by changes to the plan, it appears most have not.
I would make implementation of the rule changes subject to approval of the North Dakota Judicial Conference.
Dale V. Sandstrom, Justice
Penny Miller, Clerk