Court Opinion

ID: 9658199
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 20:51:04.748404+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:52.657741
License: Public Domain

PEDERSON, Justice,
dissenting.
Chapter 35-18, NDCC is obviously ambiguous. By concentrating attention on particular provisions, one will logically conclude, as Justice Sand has, that Rolla Community Hospital’s claim is entitled to the protection of the statute.
By concentrating attention on other provisions, I can readily conclude that the Hospital should have complied with every technicality if it wanted a lien. For example, § 35-18-03 is explicit in defining the contents of a “lien statement.” If someone tries to comply with the seven requirements of § 35-18-03 but mistakenly misses one, the existence of the lien would be challenged. No one will try to comply because we have provided an easier way.
The Legislature ought to reexamine and simplify this statute.