Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Grager v. Schudar Case Brief

North Dakota Supreme Court2009Docket #1827985
2009 ND 140 770 N.W.2d 692 2009 N.D. LEXIS 152 2009 WL 2152248

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: Inmate sued jailer for sexual acts. Court held inmate’s consent is not a complete defense to tort and civil rights claims due to power imbalance and a criminal statute negating such consent, but is a factor under comparative fault. Reversed and remanded.

Legal Significance: Establishes that an incarcerated person’s apparent consent to sexual acts with a jailer is not a complete defense in tort, but a factor for comparative fault, given criminal statutes protecting inmates irrespective of their consent.

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Michele Grager, an inmate at Barnes County Jail, sued jailer Kevin Schudar and Barnes County after Schudar engaged in a sexual act with her. Schudar had previously pled guilty to sexual abuse of a ward under N.D.C.C. § 12.1-20-06, a statute criminalizing such acts regardless of the prisoner’s consent. Grager’s civil suit alleged assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED), and civil rights violations against Schudar, and negligent supervision and civil rights violations against Barnes County. The trial court instructed the jury that Grager’s consent to or participation in Schudar’s conduct was a complete defense to her claims against Schudar. The jury found Barnes County not negligent and that Grager consented to Schudar’s conduct, leading to a dismissal of her action. Grager appealed, challenging the jury instruction on consent.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Did the district court err in instructing the jury that an inmate’s consent to or participation in a jailer’s sexual conduct constitutes a complete defense to the inmate’s civil claims for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil rights violations?

Yes, the district court erred. The instruction that consent was a complete Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cil

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IRAC Legal Analysis

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Legal Issue

Did the district court err in instructing the jury that an inmate’s consent to or participation in a jailer’s sexual conduct constitutes a complete defense to the inmate’s civil claims for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil rights violations?

Conclusion

This case clarifies that in jurisdictions with similar protective criminal statutes and Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit ess

Legal Rule

An adult prisoner's apparent consent to or participation in sexual conduct with Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, se

Legal Analysis

The North Dakota Supreme Court reasoned that while consent is generally a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerc

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Flash Summary

  • A prisoner’s consent to a sexual act with a jailer is
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.

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