HB 1405 North Dakota House · 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 28-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to service of summons and time limitations for serving an answer to a claim.

HB 1405 would require defendants in civil court cases to serve their written responses (answers) to complaints within 60 days of being served with the complaint. This procedural change would directly affect defendants in North Dakota civil lawsuits by establishing a uniform deadline for responses, overriding any existing time limits under other laws.

Bill status passed 2 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Jan 2025

House Failed

Feb 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Last action Feb 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

INTRODUCED → FIRST ENGROSSMENT · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to change the bill number from 25.1119.01000 to 25.1119.04000, update the title to include service of summons in addition to time limitations for answers, and modify the answer time limit from sixty days to thirty days. A new requirement was added mandating that summonses served on individuals within the state must include a reference to a legal self-help program administered by the supreme court.

Scope change

The bill now covers both service of summons and time limitations for serving answers, expanding its scope from solely answer time limitations.

TIMELINE

The deadline for defendants to serve an answer to a complaint, cross-claim, or counterclaim was reduced from sixty days to thirty days after service of the pleading.

REQUIREMENT

A new requirement was added that summonses served on individuals within the state must include a reference to a legal self-help program administered by the supreme court.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was changed from 25.1119.01000 to 25.1119.04000, and the bill title was updated to reflect the new service of summons requirement.

Floor votes · House Feb 4, 2025

How they voted

20–69

Failed · 3 other

Total votes 92

Feb 4, 2025

D Democratic11

11 Nay

100% Nay

R Republican81

20 Yea 58 Nay 3

71% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 4, 2025

Vote failed

House Vote: fail (20-69-3)

house

Feb 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amendment adopted, placed on calendar

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 9 5 0

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Hearing 09:18

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Hearing 09:30

lower

Jan 13, 2025

Introduced

Introduced, first reading, referred Judiciary Committee

lower

1 primary · 11 co-sponsors