RULE 47. MOTIONS
Effective Date: 4/24/1973
Obsolete Date: 3/1/2006
An application to the court for an order shall be made by motion which, unless made during a hearing or trial, shall be made in writing, state the grounds therefor, and set forth the relief or order sought. The requirement of writing is fulfilled if the motion is stated in a written notice of the hearing of the motion. The motion may be supported by affidavit.
Rule 47 was amended, effective March 1, 2006; March 1, 2011; March 1, 2021.
Rule 47 is an adaptation of Fed.R.Crim.P. 47. The rule is intended to state the general requirements for all motions. To achieve flexibility, the rule does not require grounds for a motion to be stated with particularity, and the use of declarations in support of a motion is permissive.
Rule 47 is not intended to permit speaking motions, i.e., a motion supported by affidavit attempting to establish facts which can only be established at a trial or hearing where evidence is introduced.
Rule 45 on calculating time, Rule 49 on service and filing of documents, and N.D.R.Ct. 3.2 relating to submission of motions should be considered when making a motion under this rule.
Subdivision (c) was amended, effective March 1, 2011, to change the time to serve a motion from 18 to 21 days before the hearing date.
Rule 47 was amended, effective March 1, 2006, in response to the December 1, 2002, revision of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The language and organization of the rule were changed to make the rule more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules. In addition, to achieve consistency with the federal rules, the language of subdivisions (c) and (d) was transferred to this rule from Rule 45.
Rule 47 was amended, effective March 1, 2021, to delete the term “affidavit” and replace it with “declaration.” This amendment was made in response to N.D.C.C. ch. 31-15, which allows anyone to make an unsworn declaration that has the same effect as a sworn declaration, such as an affidavit. N.D.C.C. § 31-15-05 provides the required form for an unsworn declaration.
SOURCES: Joint Procedure Committee Minutes of April 24, 2020, pages 4-5; April 29-30, 2010, page 20; April 28-29, 2005, page 9; April 24-26, 1973, page 15; February 20-23, 1973, page 8; September 17-19, 1970, page 10; March 12, 1970, page 10; Fed.R.Crim.P. 47.
STATUTES AFFECTED:
CONSIDERED: N.D.C.C. ch. 31-15.
CROSS REFERENCE: N.D.R.Crim.P. 45 (Computing and Extending Time); N.D.R.Crim.P. 49 (Serving and Filing Documents); N.D.R.Ct. 3.2 (Motions).