The State Bar Association of North Dakota Fall 2015 Gavel Magazine | Page 12

As part of the Survey, respondents were asked
to identify the area of law which comprises the
majority of their legal practice. Not surprisingly, a
significant percentage of respondents who reported
threats and violence practice in the areas of criminal
defense/prosecution (36.3 percent) and family law
(16.8 percent). However, respondents in other
areas of practice also reported being the recipients
of threats and violence: Judge (11.5 percent);
Corporate/Commercial/Real Estate (6.2 percent);
and General Litigation (6.2 percent); Wills/Estates
(3.5 percent); and Administrative (3.5 percent).
Moreover, an additional 15 percent of respondents
practicing in other areas of law reported being the
recipients of threats and violence.

Types of Threats and Violence
The Survey asked respondents to identify the types
of threats and acts of violence received relating
specifically to their responsibilities as a legal
practitioner. There were 108 respondents who
reported their responses set forth in Table 2 below.
Inappropriate and threatening communications
were those communicated verbally (in person and
by phone), through letters, email, text, Facebook,
and even by a newspaper publication. Inappropriate
approaches included face-to-face confrontations,
attempts to commit violence, and being followed.
Only 10 respondents (9.3 percent) who identified
themselves as recipients of threats and violence
reported being the victim of a physical assault.
Similar to the results of the other 12 state surveys,
the vast majority of respondents identified
inappropriate and threatening communications and
approaches. Inappropriate communications were
made primarily in person or by phone, and included
direct and veiled threats. For example, individuals
made threats of: “I’ll get you”; “I’ll kill you”; “I’ll beat
the **** out of you”; “I’ll find you and your family”; “I
know where you live”; “I’ll have you removed”; “You
had better watch your back”; and “How old are your
children?” As described, the majority of reported
threats were made directly against attorneys.
However, multiple threats were directed against
attorneys’ families and children.
Many respondents described their experiences
of learning of threats through other forms of
inappropriate communications, including vandalism
to vehicles (punctured tires, broken windows, etc.),
offices (including shots fired at their office), and
their residences. For example, one respondent
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THE GAVEL

Table 2: Types of Threats/
Inappropriate Communications

Type Number

Inappropriate Communications

97

Inappropriate Approaches

56

Physical Assault

10

Property Damages

18

Other

9

Total 190