www.ndcourts.gov [Page 1 of 3] Motion/Rev Mar 2019
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MOTION FORM
ND Legal Self Help Center Staff and Court employees cannot help you fill out forms. If you are
unsure how to proceed, you should consult a lawyer.
There is no guarantee that all judges and courts will accept forms available through the ND
Legal Self Help Center. Use at your own risk.
Do not include these instruction sheets when you serve or file your completed motion.
The “Motion” Section of the GUIDE TO A CIVIL ACTION on the ND Legal Self Help Center
website has additional information and resources.
A motion is a written request to the court for an order in an existing case. A motion cannot be
used to start a new civil action.
The party making the motion is called the “Moving Party.” The party answering the motion is
called the “Opposing Party.”
A Motion document is one of a set of required documents that make up a written motion:
• Notice of Motion;
• Motion;
• Brief in Support of Motion;
• Affidavit in Support of Motion; and
• Other supporting documents.
A motion is a short, written request to the court that includes references to the specific rules
and laws that support the request.
Research North Dakota court laws and rules. A motion to the court must include the legal
authority that supports the motion request. The motion document lists the laws, North Dakota
Supreme Court case law, and court rules, or a combination of all three, upon which the motion
is filed. You must explain how and why the law, case law, or court rule supports your request in
a separate document, the brief in support of motion.
(The North Dakota Century Code, and North Dakota Supreme Court case law, and North Dakota
court rules are also found in print in many North Dakota public and academic libraries.)
The North Dakota Century Code is found online at www.legis.nd.gov/general-
information/north-dakota-century-code. The Century Code contains the laws enacted
by the North Dakota Legislature.