The Dickinson press., 1911-11-11
NORTH DAKOTA LAWS
REGARDING WOMEN

the Delineator have been publishing for
some time a series of questions and
answers concerning the laws relating to
women in the different states. When
the request came to the equal suffrage
club of this city, asking for the North
Dakota laws. the club turned the matter
over to Attorney W. F. Burnett. who
very kindly made the complication for
them.
Believing the matter to be of general
interest. the club has supplied the
PRESS also with a copy for publication.
Following are the questions and
answers:
1. Does the wife after marriage own
her own clothes and other personal
property owned by her before marriage?
Yes.
2. Does a wife own her wages earned
outside the home? Can she by law en-
force payment for her services performed
in the home for husband and children?
Yes. No. neither can the husband
enforce payment for services performed
in the home.
3. What authority has the husband
over the wife's real estate or the rental
therefrom?
None whatever.
4. May a wife convey her separate
property without her husbands consent?
Yes.
S. Can a wife's separate property
be levied on for family necessaries
ordered by her. and if the necessaries
are consumed by the family can she Sc
cure payment?
The statute provides that husband and
wife contract towards each other obli-
cations of mutual respect, fidelity, and
support. The husband must support
himself and his wife out of his property
or by his labor. The wife must sup
port the husband when he has not
deserted her. out of her separate property
when he has no separate property.
and he is unable from infirmity to sup
port himself. Husband and wife are
jointly and severally liable for debts
contracted for necessaries for themselves
and children.
6. Does the law secure to a wife any
portion of the family income free from
h%usbandly dictation?
Except as stated in the answer to
question five, neither husband or wife
has any interest in the property or in
come of the other, except that neither
can be excluded from the others dwell
ling.
7. What share has the wife in the
surplus of property, real or personal, &C.
cumulated by their joint efforts after
marriage. or does a husband take this
surplus in his own name?
This is no provision of law governing
this. 1t is left to the agreement of the
parties. Any contract made between
husband and wife can be enforced. Other
wise, each is entitled to keep his or her
own earnings, subject to provisions as
to support.
8. Has a husband any other control
over his wife's personal property or lib
erty, except that which comes from his
general control over the family pocket
book?
Husband has no control over personal
property or liberty of wife.
9. Are spouse's interests in each
others real estate equal, and do they
inherit equally from each other and
from a deceased child?
(a) They have no interest in each
others real estate. co. They inherit
equally from each other. (c) If de-
ceased child has neither husband or
wife, nor surviving child. the estate
goes to the father and mother in
equal shares. and if either is dead, to
the survivors.
10. Is the wife entitled to a voice
in the choice of the family home?
Statute provides that husband is the
head of the family. He may choose any
re asonable place or mode of living and
wife must conform thereto. But hus-
bands choice must be reasonable.
II. What is the punishment for wife
desertion?
Imprisonment in Jail not to exceed
n year, in ~penitentiary from one
to three years or fine not exceeding
$500. 90. or both fine and imprisonment.
IL. What are the legal causes for di-
vorce, and are they the same for both
spouses?
The legal causes for divorce are !:
adultery, extreme cruelty, willful desert
ion, willful neglect, habitual intemper-
ance, conviction of felony. Causes are
same for both spouses.
10. Is the wife legally responsible
for the support of the children and her
husband?
Yes, under certain circumstances.