Court Opinion

ID: 9695706
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:27:56.096862+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:15:27.842308
License: Public Domain

LEVINE, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority’s conclusion that NDCC § 28-04-07 conferred jurisdiction on the district court for Williams County to transfer this appeal to the district court for McKenzie County, after the thirty-day time within which to appeal had expired.
Section 28-04-07 is a general venue statute which recognizes the original jurisdiction of district courts, bestowed by the constitution, but limited by venue statutes. Thus, when a case invoking the original trial jurisdiction of a district court is filed in the “wrong” district court, that court is empowered under § 28-04-07 to transfer venue. However, district courts do not have original jurisdiction to hear appeals. Boyko v. N.D. Workmen’s Comp. Bureau, 409 N.W.2d 638, 641 (N.D.1987). District courts have appellate jurisdiction only as statute may confer. Boyko, supra. Even if it were appropriate to construe NDCC § 27-02-05.1 as the majority does, to authorize a district court, rather than the supreme court, to transfer jurisdiction, the statute anticipates a rule to govern such transfer. The majority recognizes there is no such rule extant. Consequently, only a statute addressed to appellate jurisdiction may confer the power to transfer an appeal.
I find no statute which confers on the district court of Williams County, which was without jurisdiction to hear this appeal in the first instance, the jurisdiction to transfer the appeal. Even if there were such a statute, it would have to authorize such transfer beyond the thirty-day time for appeal because that is what happened in this case.
I fear that the majority has improperly blended two very different concepts: jurisdiction and venue. Jurisdiction is the power and authority of a court to act, Reliable, Inc. v. Stutsman County Commission, 409 N.W.2d 632 (N.D.1987), while venue is the place where an action may or should be tried. Stonewood Hotel Corp. v. Davis *501Development, Inc., 447 N.W.2d 286 (N.D.1989).
In relying on NDCC § 28-04-07, a general venue statute, the majority overrules Wagner v. North Dakota Board of Barber Examiners, 186 N.W.2d 570 (N.D.1971). In Wagner, the appellant argued that the statute requiring that an appeal from an administrative decision be taken .to a designated district court was not jurisdictional but related to venue only. We rejected that argument, concluding that general statutes relating to venue have no application to appeals from administrative decisions. (Emphasis mine.) Id. at 573. Instead, appellate jurisdiction to review a decision of an administrative agency “may be had only upon compliance with the conditions imposed by the Legislature.” Id. We followed Wagner in City of Casselton v. N.D. Public Serv. Com’n, 307 N.W.2d 849 (N.D.1981); Happy Day Day Care Ctr. v. Social Service Bd., 313 N.W.2d 768 (N.D.1981); Prosper Energy Corp. v. Indus. Com’n of N.D., 359 N.W.2d 860 (N.D.1984); Boyko v. North Dakota Workers Comp. Bureau, 409 N.W.2d 638 (N.D.1987). We should follow Wagner and its progeny in this case. To do otherwise is to inject into our law needless confusion and uncertainty.
I would dismiss the appeal.