Use of force by persons with parental, custodial, or similar responsibilities
N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-05-05
in effect12.1-05-05. Use of force by persons with parental, custodial, or similar
responsibilities.
The use of force upon an individual is justified under any of the following circumstances:
1. Except as provided in section 15.1-19-02, a parent, guardian, or other person
responsible for the care and supervision of a minor, or other person responsible for the
care and supervision of a minor for a special purpose, or person acting at the direction
of any of the foregoing persons, may use reasonable force upon the minor for the
purpose of safeguarding or promoting the minor's welfare, including prevention and
punishment of the minor's misconduct, and the maintenance of proper discipline.
a. If the person using reasonable force for the prevention and punishment of the
minor's misconduct or the maintenance of proper discipline is a paid caregiver,
that person must be acting under written direction of the parent or guardian of the
minor.
b. The reasonable force may be used for this purpose, regardless of whether the
reasonable force is "necessary" as required by subsection 1 of section
12.1-05-07.
c. The reasonable force used may not create a substantial risk of death, serious
bodily injury, disfigurement, or gross degradation.
2. A guardian or other person responsible for the care and supervision of an individual
who is incompetent, or a person acting at the direction of the guardian or responsible
person, may use reasonable force upon the individual for the purpose of safeguarding
or promoting the welfare of the individual, including the prevention of the individual's
misconduct or, if the individual is in a hospital or other institution for care and custody,
for the purpose of maintaining reasonable discipline in the institution.
a. The force may be used for these purposes, regardless of whether the force is
"necessary" as required by subsection 1 of section 12.1-05-07.
b. The force used may not create a substantial risk of death, serious bodily injury,
disfigurement, or gross degradation.
3. A person responsible for the maintenance of order in a vehicle, train, vessel, aircraft,
or other carrier, or in a place in which others are assembled, or a person acting at the
responsible person's direction, may use force to maintain order.
4. A duly licensed physician, or a person acting at a duly licensed physician's direction,
may use force in order to administer a recognized form of treatment to promote the
physical or mental health of a patient if the treatment is administered:
a. In an emergency;
b. With the consent of the patient, or, if the patient is a minor or an individual who is
incompetent, with the consent of the patient's parent, guardian, or other person
entrusted with the patient's care and supervision; or
c. By order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
5. A person may use force upon an individual about to commit suicide or suffer serious
bodily injury, to prevent the death or serious bodily injury of that individual.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12-1c05.pdf#nameddest=12p1-05-05Fetched: 10/16/2026