====== N.D. Const. art. VII, § 1 — Research ======

**Article Purpose.** Text of the section: [[.:start|current and prior versions]].

Every citing reference in the corpus: **34** court opinions and **11** Attorney General opinions. Counts include the section's pre-1981 designation (§ 130), era-gated by the renumbering crosswalk.

//Generated from the citation graph of the validated corpus. Treatment groupings (construing / citing / recital) are heuristic reading aids, not editorial judgments — read the opinion before relying on any signal.//

===== Cases by topic =====

//Topics are machine-generated groupings of the citing references — reading aids, not editorial judgments. Documents cited after the last classification pass appear in the lists below until the next pass.//

== Municipal corporations as creatures of statute ==

  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/82-66.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 82-66 (1982)]]
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/82-31.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 82-31 (1982)]]
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/82-26.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 82-26 (1982)]]
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/79-56.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 79-56 (1979)]]
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/72-457.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 72-457 (1972)]]
  * Satrom v. City of Grand Forks, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2011068/satrom-v-city-of-grand-forks/|1968 ND 59]] (1968, Strutz, J.)
  * Stark County v. State, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2128669/stark-county-v-state/|1968 ND 22]] (1968, Strutz, J.)
  * City of Bismarck v. Kleinschmidt, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1612975/city-of-bismarck-v-kleinschmidt/|1966 ND 57]] (1966, Strutz, J.)
  * City of Grafton v. Otter Tail Power Company, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1289630/city-of-grafton-v-otter-tail-power-company/|1957 ND 66]] (1957, Morris, J.)
  * Green v. Beste, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1247633/green-v-beste/|1956 ND 26]] (1956, Grimson, J.)  ·  construes
    * //“…%%086. In the case of Lang v. City of Cavalier, supra, the principles governing the construction of the statutes are well set forth [59 N.D. 75, 228 N.W. 822]: 'A municipal corporation is an agency of the state. It is purely a creature of statute. Constitution, § 130. It takes its powers from the statutes which give it life, and has none which are not either expressly or impliedly conferred thereby or essential to effectuate the purposes of its creation. In defining its powers, the%%…”//
  * Megarry Bros. v. City of St. Thomas, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1849335/megarry-bros-v-city-of-st-thomas/|1954 ND 51]] (1954, Morris, J.)
  * City of Fargo v. Glaser, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/3934801/city-of-fargo-v-glaser/|1932 ND 107]] (1932, Burke, J.)
  * Lang v. City of Cavalier, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/3933767/lang-v-city-of-cavalier/|1930 ND 7]] (1930, Nuessle, J.)
  * City of Bismarck v. Hughes, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/3935022/city-of-bismarck-v-hughes/|1926 ND 38]] (1926, Burke, J.)

== Maximum local self-government and home rule ==

  * City of Fargo v. State, [[https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/opinions/175521|2024 ND 236]] (2024, Bahr, J.)  ·  construes, quotes the provision
    * //¶ 15: “…%%Article VII, section 1 of the North Dakota Constitution provides "[t]he purpose of [article VII] is to provide for maximum local self-government by all political subdivisions with a minimum duplication of functions." Section 2 of article VII%%…”//
  * State v. Brown, [[https://www.ndcourts.gov/supreme-court/opinions/51521|2009 ND 150]] (2009, Kapsner, J.)  ·  quotes the provision
    * //¶ 14: “…%%.C.C. § 11-09.1-05(5) prohibits the county from enacting any ordinance if there is any state law or rule addressing the same subject matter. The result urged by Brown would also defy the directive of the people as [*273] expressed in N.D. Const. art. VII, § 1, that "[t]he purpose of this article is to provide for maximum local self-government by all political subdivisions with a minimum duplication of functions."%%…”//
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/9814.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 98-F-14 (1998)]]
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/79-14.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 79-14 (1979)]]
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/78-138.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 78-138 (1978)]]
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/76-17.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 76-17 (1976)]]

== Taxation, special assessments, and municipal finance ==

  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/013192-Lee_0.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. (Jan. 31, 1992)]]
  * Dakota Land Company v. City of Fargo, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1851304/dakota-land-company-v-city-of-fargo/|1974 ND 110]] (1974, Paulson, J.)
  * Parker Hotel Company v. City of Grand Forks, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2088619/parker-hotel-company-v-city-of-grand-forks/|1970 ND 30]] (1970, Teigen, J.)  ·  construes
    * //“…%%ion was not strictly complied with. Their challenge is to the power of the city council to establish a special improvement district for the purpose of levying special assessments to pay the city’s share of the cost for the construction of an overpass. [2] [3] Section 130 of the Constitution directs the Legislative Assembly to provide, by general law, for the organization of municipal corporations. This section gives the Legislative Assembly the power to create and control the government%%…”//
  * In re the Confirmation & Approval of the Master Contract Between the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District & the United States, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2202299/in-re-the-confirmation-approval-of-the-master-contract-between-the/|1966 ND 46]] (1966, Knudson, J.)
  * State ex rel. City of Minot v. Gronna, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1580653/state-ex-rel-minot-v-gronna/|1953 ND 27]] (1953, Christianson, J.)
  * Great Northern Ry. Co. v. Severson, County Treasurer, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2223110/great-northern-railway-co-v-severson/|1951 ND 37]] (1951, Morris, J.)
  * Stark v. City of Jamestown, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/3933602/stark-v-city-of-jamestown/|1949 ND 13]] (1949, Nuessle, J.)
  * N.D. Att'y Gen.: [[https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/46-36.pdf|N.D. Op. Att'y Gen. 46-36 (1946)]]
  * Capital Trust & Savings Bank v. Wallace, State Tax Com'r, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6850849/capital-trust-savings-bank-v-wallace/|1920 ND 36]] (1920, Birdzell, J.)
  * Great Northern Ry. Co. v. Duncan, County Treasurer, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6850624/great-northern-railway-co-v-duncan/|1919 ND 110]] (1919, Birdzell, J.)  ·  construes
    * //“…%%terworks, * * * or for the purpose of constructing sewers, and for no other purpose whatever." In our opinion, this section does not operate as a limitation upon the authority of the Legislature to further restrict the powers of political subdivisions. By section 130 of the Constitution, express authority is conferred upon the Legislature to restrict the powers of municipal corporations "as to levying taxes and assessments, borrowing money and contracting debts." Section 183 must be%%…”//
  * State ex rel. City of Fargo v. Wetz, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6850437/state-ex-rel-city-of-fargo-v-wetz/|1918 ND 83]] (1918, Birdzell, J.)
  * Stinson v. Thorson, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6849996/stinson-v-thorson/|1916 ND 87]] (1916, Burke, J.)
  * Stern v. City of Fargo, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6848685/stern-v-city-of-fargo/|1909 ND 63]] (1909, Spalding, J.)
  * Vallelly v. Board of Park Com'rs of Park District of City of Grand Forks, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6848441/vallelly-v-board-of-park-commissioners/|1907 ND 3]] (1907, Morgan, J.)
  * Martin v. Tyler, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6847203/martin-v-tyler/|1894 ND 35]] (1894, Bartholomew, J.)

== General-law organization of municipal corporations ==

  * Murphy v. City of Bismarck, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2019464/murphy-v-city-of-bismarck/|1961 ND 18]] (1961, Sathre, J.)
  * Enderson v. Hildenbrand, Mayor, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/3935314/enderson-v-hildenbrand/|1925 ND 35]] (1925, Burke, J.)
  * Waslien v. City of Hillsboro, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6851247/waslien-v-city-of-hillsboro/|1922 ND 61]] (1922, Birdzell, J.)
  * State ex rel. Johnson v. Clark, Mayor, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6849034/state-ex-rel-johnson-v-clark/|1911 ND 50]] (1911, Pollock, J.)

== Municipal officers and local elections ==

  * Spatgen v. O'Neil, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6850465/spatgen-v-oneil/|1918 ND 122]] (1918, Birdzell, J.)
  * State ex rel. Shaw v. Frazier, Governor, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6850377/state-ex-rel-shaw-v-frazier/|1918 ND 13]] (1918, Bruce, J.)

== Other applications ==

  * Dickinson Public School District v. Sanstead, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1827660/dickinson-public-school-district-v-sanstead/|1988 ND 137]] (1988, Erickstad, J.)
  * Fetzer v. Minot Park District, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1724676/fetzer-v-minot-park-district/|1965 ND 67]] (1965, Strutz, J.)
  * State ex rel. Dreyer v. Brekke, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/3934869/state-ex-rel-dreyer-v-brekke/|1947 ND 34]] (1947, Nuessle, J.)
  * City Commission of Bismarck v. Bismarck Water Supply Co. State ex rel. Remington v. Aandahl, [[https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/6851021/city-commission-v-bismarck-water-supply-co/|1921 ND 6]] (1921, Christianson, J.)

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