Court Opinion

ID: 9669549
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 02:59:31.513431+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:57.926447
License: Public Domain

SANDSTROM, Justice,
Concurring specialty-
Although I concur in the result reached by the majority, I would not consider the issue answered in part II of the majority opinion. That issue was not raised by the State before the trial court, does not involve plain error, and is not dispositive on appeal.
*806In part II the majority considers the State’s argument that N.D.C.C. § 32-06-03 “applies only to temporary restraining orders and not to preliminary injunctions.” The State did not raise this issue in the trial court.
Issues not raised at the trial court are not considered on appeal. Morstad v. State, 518 N.W.2d 191, 194 (N.D.1994) (“Because Mor-stad did not raise the Eighth Amendment issue below, we do not decide this issue.”); State v. Whiteman, 79 N.W.2d 528, 540 (N.D.1956). As a sole exception, we have permitted a defendant to raise for the first time on appeal an “obvious error” affecting the defendant’s fundamental rights. State v. Austin, 520 N.W.2d 564, 569-570 (N.D.1994) (“Our power to notice obvious error is exercised cautiously and only in exceptional circumstances where the defendant has suffered serious injustice.”) (citing State v. McNair, 491 N.W.2d 397, 399 (N.D.1992)).
The majority cites civil cases permitting consideration of other issues or authorities not raised in the trial court, which involve plain error or which are dispositive on appeal. But as the majority concludes, however, the issue considered in part II neither involves plain error (nor any error), nor is it dispositive on appeal.