North Dakota v. Isaak
Annotate this CaseChad Isaak died after appealing a criminal judgment entered against him. His counsel argued the case should have either been dismissed because the judgment was not yet final, or the appeal should have been decided on the merits. The State argued the appeal was moot and the judgment should stand. No one sought substitution on Isaak’s behalf. The victims’ families did not assert a constitutional right to have the appeal proceed to disposition on the merits. The district court did not order restitution or fees. Absent any of these occurrences, and with no other apparent collateral consequences from a decision by the North Dakota Supreme Court, the Supreme Court concluded the appeal was moot and dismissed it. The judgment stood as issued by the district court.
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