Rule 13 Sanctions

This rule gives the North Dakota Supreme Court the power to step in when someone does not follow the rules or does not do what a court order tells them to do. If a person misses a deadline, skips a required step, or ignores a judge's instructions during an appeal, the court can respond with some kind of penalty or action.

The rule does not spell out exactly what actions the court can take. This gives the court flexibility to decide what makes sense based on what went wrong. The punishment could range from something minor to something more serious, depending on the situation.

For anyone involved in an appeal, this rule is a reminder to take deadlines and court orders seriously. Following the rules of appellate procedure is not optional. If you skip a required step or ignore what the court has told you to do, you risk facing consequences that could hurt your case.