Bar Association Meeting - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Bar Association Meeting

A task force met in Minot today to study the impact oil has had on the state's justice system.

The State Bar Association appointed the task force after receiving reports of delays in case filings and scheduling hearing and trial dates.
The task force held three previous public meetings throughout the state before today's meeting.
County residents, attorneys, and government officials presented information to the task force regarding the effect the oil boom has had on the courts, state's attorneys, probation officers, and others.
The information will then be distilled into a report and provided to those involved with planning and budgeting.
Task Force Chairman Jack McDonald, says delays in case filing court dates are linked to the state's growing population."

(Jack McDonald, Task Force Chairman)"It's a number system.  You have so many more cases being filed now and a lot of these issues are coming up in areas that are very small and some of the smaller counties where they only have part time states attorneys."

The task force is also accepting written testimonies.  Information may be sent to the State Bar Association of North Dakota.