Court Opinion

ID: 9861650
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-25 00:16:20.355618+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:28:47.135741
License: Public Domain

SANDSTROM, Justice,
concurring specially.
The majority partially relies on part III, of Swenson v. Northern Crop Insurance, Inc., 498 N.W.2d 174, 181-87 (N.D.1993). Although I concur in the result reached by the majority, I write separately to express my view that part III of Swenson was not the opinion of a constitutional majority of this Court.
Swenson was argued on December 16, 1992, and decided on March 24, 1993. The opinion was authored by Ralph J. Erickstad, Surrogate Judge. A footnote states: “Surrogate Judge Ralph J. Erickstad was Chief Justice at the time this case was heard, and served as surrogate judge for this case pursuant to Section 27-17-03, N.D.C.C.” Swenson at 176 n. 1. The opinion reflects that Justice Mesehke concurred in the result; Justice Levine concurred specially and filed opinion; and Chief Justice VandeWalle concurred in parts I and II, dissented to part III, and filed opinion. The opinion further notes:
“Justice J. PHILIP JOHNSON, who was a member of the Court when this case was heard, did not participate in this decision.
“Justice NEUMANN and Justice SANDSTROM, not being members of the Court when this case was heard, did not participate in this decision.”
Swenson at 187.
A majority of the Supreme Court is necessary to pronounce a decision. N.D. Const. Art. 6, § 4 provides:
“A majority of the supreme court shall be necessary to constitute a quorum or to pronounce a decision, provided that the supreme court shall not declare a legislative enactment unconstitutional unless at least four of the members of the court so decide.”
Judges properly called to sit for disqualified justices may constitute part, or all, of the majority. State ex rel. Linde v. Robinson, 35 N.D. 410, 160 N.W. 512, 514 (1916) [Robinson I]
The Supreme Court consists of the five justices, N.D. Const. Art. 6, § 2, elected by the people. N.D. Const. Art. 6, § 7, provides:
“The justices of the supreme court shall be chosen by the electors of the state for ten-year terms, so arranged that one justice is elected every two years. They shall hold office until their successors are duly qualified, and shall receive compensation as provided by law, but the compensation of any justice shall not be diminished during his term of office.”
As of January 1,1993, the duly elected and qualified Supreme Court consisted of Justices VandeWalle, Mesehke, Levine, Neu-mann, and Sandstrom.
*930A former justice, as such, retains no residual power to act, any more than a former governor or public service commissioner. See State ex rel. Spaeth v. Olson ex rel. Sinner, 359 N.W.2d 876 (N.D.1985). State ex rel. Spaeth v. Olson determined whether Allen I. Olson or George A. Sinner was Governor of North Dakota during the first days of 1985. This Court, in an opinion authored by then Chief Justice Erickstad, wrote:
“[OJfficials “who prior to January 1, 1981, have taken, subscribed, and filed with the Secretary of State their oaths of office shall have qualified and without the necessity of any further act shall, at the earliest moment of January 1, 1981, become the incumbents of the offices for which they have been elected, and the possessors of all the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the said offices.’
[[Image here]]
“Based upon the foregoing reasoning, we hold that George A. Sinner is currently, and has been since the first moment of January 1,1985, the Governor of the State of North Dakota. We therefore grant an original writ enjoining Olson from exercising the powers and duties of the Office of Governor of the State of North Dakota.”
Olson at 883-84. The issue was not without great consequence. Had Olson been entitled to continue to act, he would have filled two vacancies on this Court, which were subsequently filled by the appointments of Governor Sinner.
Following the elections of 1916, a similar dispute arose as to who constituted a majority of this Court. Robinson I and State ex rel. Linde v. Robinson, 35 N.D. 417, 160 N.W. 514 (1916) [Robinson II]. Three newly elected justices contended they took office on the first Monday in December as had been provided for the first justices elected after statehood; the outgoing justices contended they continued to serve until the first Monday in January, as statute then provided for state officers. Robinson I and II. The Attorney General asked the Court to decide the issue so there would be no question as to the validity of judgments and orders that might be issued on pending cases during the dispute ed period. Robinson I, 160 N.W. at 512. The Court, ultimately consisting totally of district judges, following the justices’ declarations of disqualification, held the terms and tenures of justices are governed by the same provisions as other state officers. Robinson II, 160 N.W. at 515, 518.
A retired justice may be designated as a surrogate judge and may sit on the supreme Court only as provided by the Constitution. N.D. Const. Art. 6, § 11:
“When any justice or judge has a conflict of interest in a pending cause or is unable to sit in court because he is physically or mentally incapacitated, the chief justice, or a justice acting in his stead, shall assign a judge, or retired justice or judge, to hear the cause.”
None of the specified grounds existed in Swenson. No justice filed a disqualification. There was no assignment of the former Chief Justice to act for a justice with a conflict of interest or for a justice physically or mentally incapacitated.
The former Chief Justice was not a member of the Court at the time of the decision, and he was not serving by assignment. Only two of those entitled to act concurred in any manner to part III. Thus a majority did not pronounce a decision in part III of Swenson.
N.D.C.C. § 27-02-22 provides:
“The concurrence of a majority of the judges of the supreme court is necessary to pronounce judgment. If a majority does not concur, the case must be reheard, but no more than two rehearings may be had. If on the second rehearing a majority of the judges does not concur, the judgment must be affirmed.”
Finally, I note that part III of Swenson is apparently the only “transitional” opinion of this Court lacking a Constitutional majority.
NEUMANN, J., concurs.