1.    Any person who has real or personal property or an interest therein, which is subject to a filed or recorded nonconsensual common-law lien may petition the district court for the county in which the lien is filed or recorded for an order directing the lien claimant to appear before the court to show cause why the lien should not be declared void and the relief provided for by section 35-35-06 granted to the petitioner. The order directing the lien claimant to appear and show cause may be granted ex parte. The petitioner shall serve the order and petition on the lien claimant by personal service or by mailing copies of the petition and order to the lien claimant at the lien claimant’s last-known address.

Terms Used In North Dakota Code 35-35-05

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. 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

2.    The petition must state the grounds upon which relief is requested, and must be supported by the affidavit of the petitioner, or the petitioner’s attorney, setting forth a concise statement of the facts upon which the claim for relief is based.

3.    Any order rendered under this section must clearly state that if the lien claimant fails to appear at the time and place noted in the order, the lien must be declared void ab initio and released and removed from the filing officer’s files or records, and the lien claimant must be ordered to pay damages of one thousand dollars or actual damages, whichever is greater, and the costs incurred by the petitioner, including reasonable attorney’s fees.

4. If, after a hearing on the matter, the court determines that the document is a nonconsensual common-law lien, the court shall issue an order declaring the lien void ab initio, directing the filing officer to release and remove the lien from the files and records and awarding damages as provided in section 35-35-06 to the petitioner.

5.    If the court determines that the lien is not a nonconsensual common-law lien, the court shall issue an order so stating and may award costs and reasonable attorney’s fees to the prevailing party.

6.    The district court clerk shall file a copy of any order rendered pursuant to this section in the office where the lien was filed.

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