Court Opinion

ID: 9657274
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 20:18:32.734307+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:42.667189
License: Public Domain

LEVINE, Justice,
concurring and dissenting.
I concur in all of the majority opinion that supports affirming the summary judgment. I dissent from that portion which declares NDCC § 57-28-04 unconstitutional as applied to a homestead. I would affirm the judgment.
Issues concerning a homestead are ordinarily fact-dependent, unless there is no dispute over the facts or the inferences that may be drawn from those facts; see Farmers State Bank v. Slaubaugh, 366 N.W.2d 804 (N.D.1985). See also Brokken
*59v. Baumann, 10 N.D. 453, 18 N.W. 84 (1901). Here, no issue was raised that a homestead right existed. Such a claim would require supporting facts relating to the debtor’s intent and conduct. See Farmers State Bank v. Slaubaugh, supra at 808.
In a summary judgment proceeding, the party against whom summary judgment is sought must raise a genuine issue of material fact to defeat the motion. Rambough did not plead homestead, did not in affidavit claim homestead and did not allude to any issue of homestead, either at the trial court level or, to my knowledge, on appeal. Consequently, there is no genuine issue or reasonable inference of material fact and summary judgment was appropriately granted by the trial court. See First National Bank & Trust Co. of Williston v. Jacobsen, 431 N.W.2d 284 (N.D.1988). I believe the majority’s constitutional analysis of § 57-28-04, NDCC, as it applies to a homestead is, therefore, advisory only.
I would affirm the judgment.