Title: Lindteigen v. Harris
Citation: 2012 ND 1
Docket Number: 
State: north-dakota
Issuer: north-dakota Supreme Court
Date: January 12, 2012

Lindteigen v. Harris Annotate this Case Court Description: Civil judgment denying a defendant's counterclaim for money and the return of property and awarding attorney's fees and costs to the plaintiffs on the basis that the defendant made frivolous claims is summarily affirmed under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(1). IN THE SUPREME COURT STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA 2012 ND 1 Jerri E. Lindteigen, Wayne E. Lindteigen, and Shyrll G. Lindteigen, Plaintiffs and Appellees v. Bruce G. Harris, Defendant and Appellant No. 20110222 Appeal from the District Court of Burleigh County, South Central Judicial District, the Honorable David E. Reich, Judge. AFFIRMED. Per Curiam. Thomas B. Bair (on brief), 210 First Avenue NW, P.O. Box 100, Mandan, N.D. 58554-0100, for plaintiffs and appellees. Bruce G. Harris (on brief), self-represented, P.O. Box 2652, Bismarck, N.D. 58502-2652, defendant and appellant. Lindteigen v. HarrisNo. 20110222 Per Curiam. [¶1] Bruce Harris appeals from a judgment denying his counterclaim for money and the return of property and awarding attorney's fees and costs to Jerri Lindteigen, Wayne Lindteigen, and Shyrll Lindteigen ("Lindteigens") on the basis Harris made frivolous claims. We summarily affirm under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(1) because Harris' appeal is frivolous and completely without merit. [¶2] On appeal, Harris did not file a transcript of his order to show cause hearing or of his trial, as required under N.D.R.App.P. 10(b)(1). Additionally, under N.D.R.App.P. 30(a)(1), he improperly filed his appendix with numerous documents not in the record. Accordingly, and because his appeal is frivolous, we award to the Lindteigens double costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, under N.D.R.App.P. 38. Based upon the affidavit of fees and costs submitted by Lindteigens' counsel, we specifically award $50 in costs and $1,075.50 in attorney's fees, for a total amount of $1,125.50. We do not award attorney's fees for preparing or appearing at oral argument, however, because we did not hold oral argument in this case. [¶3] Gerald W. VandeWalle, C.J. Dale V. Sandstrom Daniel J. Crothers Mary Muehlen Maring Carol Ronning Kapsner