Task force recommends study committee to examine creation of a North Dakota family court

The Child Custody Review Task Force voted to recommend draft 27.0074 to legislative management, approving a revised plan to establish a 15‑member Family Court Review Committee to study whether North Dakota should create a family court.

Beth Dittus, legislative council staff, told the task force the draft ‘‘reflects the creation of a committee to study during the next interim the feasibility, structure, fiscal impact and implementation requirements for establishing a family court.’’ The draft originally listed 15 members but, after discussion, members agreed to reallocate seats so the panel would include six legislators (three from each chamber), two judges appointed from different judicial districts, two family law section attorneys (one rural, one urban), one family mediator, one trial court self‑help representative, one parent representative subject to a custody order and a clerk‑of‑court representative appointed by the trial court administrator.

Members wrestled with whether to increase the number of judicial and practitioner members and whether to require geographic diversity. ‘‘I think the rural and the urban designations are key to this,’’ said committee member Jason McLean, arguing that different districts handle family law matters differently. Dittus said she would add language directing judicial and Family Law Section appointees to reflect separate districts and rural/urban representation.

The draft charges the interim committee with examining constitutional authority and necessary changes to state law, identifying which case types would fall under a family court (including juvenile matters), proposing court structure and staffing, reviewing existing alternative dispute resolution rules, and analyzing state and local fiscal impacts — including county facility costs — and potential phased or pilot implementation options. Members specifically added language directing analysis of state and local fiscal costs and possible efficiencies from consolidating certain case types.

After accepting revisions, the task force approved the motion to recommend the draft by roll call. The motion carried, and the revised draft will be forwarded with the task force report to legislative management. The task force took a short break before moving to the next agenda item.

The committee directed legislative counsel to prepare a final report with the recommended drafts for legislative management; the task force adjourned sine die.