As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

Terms Used In North Dakota Code 32-12.1-02

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
  • Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Property: includes property, real and personal. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.

1.    “Claim” means any claim permitted by this chapter brought against a political subdivision for an injury caused by a political subdivision or an employee of the political subdivision acting within the scope of the employee’s employment or office.

2.    “Commissioner” means the insurance commissioner.

3.    “Employee” means any officer, employee, board member, volunteer, or servant of a political subdivision, whether elected or appointed and whether or not compensated. The term does not include an independent contractor, or any person performing tasks the details of which the political subdivision has no right to control.

4.    “Injury” means personal injury, death, or property damage.

5.    “Personal injury” includes bodily injury, mental injury, sickness, or disease sustained by a person, and injury to a person’s rights or reputation.

6.    “Political subdivision”:

a. Includes all counties, townships, park districts, school districts, cities, public nonprofit corporations, administrative or legal entities responsible for administration of joint powers agreements, and any other units of local government which are created either by statute or by the Constitution of North Dakota for local government or other public purposes, except no new units of government or political subdivisions are created or authorized by this chapter.

b.    Does not include nor may it be construed to mean either the state of North Dakota or any of the several agencies, boards, bureaus, commissions, councils, courts, departments, institutions, or offices of government which collectively constitute the government of the state of North Dakota.

7.    “Property damage” includes injury to or destruction of tangible or intangible property.

8. “Public nonprofit corporation” means a nonprofit corporation that performs a governmental function and is funded, entirely or partly, by the state, a city, county, park district, school district, or township.