Justia North Dakota Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Defendant Ryan Zottnick violated a restraining order that prohibited contact with Katie Abt. The order specified, in bold print, âconsent of [Abt] does not invalidate this order.â Evidence at trial showed he had sent repeated emails, repeated texts, made telephone calls, and visited her residence. Thereafter, a jury found him guilty of violating the order. Defendant argued on appeal that the district court erred by not allowing a jury instruction on the âexcuseâ that Ms. Abt allowed the contact. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower courtâs verdict, finding ample evidence in the record from which the jury could find Defendant guilty.