Facing a criminal charge in North Dakota

Bond and pretrial release in North Dakota

Article I Section 11 of the North Dakota Constitution provides that all persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties except for capital offenses when proof is evident or presumption great. North Dakota Century Code Chapter 29-08 governs bail. NDCC Sec. 29-08-01 directs the court to consider release on personal recognizance or unsecured appearance bond first; secured bond may be required only if those forms will not reasonably assure appearance. NDCC Sec. 29-08-04 governs review and modification. The North Dakota Supreme Court publishes a statewide uniform bond schedule for petty offenses and Class B misdemeanors. Felony bond is judicially set at initial appearance under N.D.R.Crim.P. Rule 46.

Bond amounts, conditions, and timelines vary by county and judge. Confirm with counsel or the court.

Criminal defense attorneys serving North Dakota

Our directory is still building in North Dakota. Public-defender intake is available now.

Record clearing in North Dakota

North Dakota record sealing is governed by N.D.C.C. chapter 12-60.1. The statute establishes a petition-based pathway for sealing criminal history records after a waiting period from completion of sentence and successful compliance. The statute provides a three-year waiting period after completion of sentence for misdemeanors and a five-year period for eligible felonies, with sex offenses, violent offenses against the person, and DUI within the waiting window excluded from consideration. The petition is filed in the district court of conviction.

Eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition vs. automatic pathway depend on the conviction class and the date of the offense. Confirm with counsel or the court record.

Public defender intake in North Dakota

North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents serves STATEWIDE County. Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. We do not refer you to a specific public defender and we do not represent you.

Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. LawSensai does not refer you to a public defender and does not represent you. This packet is a courtesy summary you can share with your public defender or their intake staff. You remain responsible for applying to the court for appointed counsel.