Anne Speldrich filed a motion for summary judgment to set aside Lucille Speldrich's renunciation. Lucille Speldrich filed a cross-motion for summary judgment to declare the renunciation valid. The lower court determined there were no genuine issues of material fact and held that, as a matter of law, the renunciation was valid and effective under North Dakota law. Anne Speldrich appealed. Lucille Speldrich argues she did nothing to encumber the property devised to her by Opatz and, therefore, is not barred by this statute from renouncing her interest in it.
Summary judgment is appropriate if the only question to be decided is a question of law.
The interpretation and application of a statute is a question of law fully reviewable on appeal. The primary goal in construing a statute is to ascertain the Legislature's intent. We construe statutes as a whole to determine the legislative intent, and provisions must be harmonized, if at all possible, to give full force and effect to each provision. Capital Electric Coop. We make every effort in construing a statute to give each word, phrase, clause, and sentence meaning and effect.