Indecent Exposure in North Dakota

Indecent exposure — with intent to arouse or gratify sexual desire, masturbating in public or in front of a minor, exposing one's genitals or anus in public or to a minor, or sending such images by unsolicited electronic means (or any electronic means to a minor) — is a class A misdemeanor (up to 360 days in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both). It is a class C felony (up to five years, a $10,000 fine, or both) after a prior conviction for indecent exposure or surreptitious intrusion or if the person is already required to register as a sex offender, and a class C felony if done within fifty feet of or on school property (class B felony for a repeat offense there). Indecent exposure (§ 12.1-20-12.1) is listed among the offenses that make a person a 'sexual offender' under the registration statute.

North Dakota's rule on court-appointed lawyers: The state Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents provides indigent defense services to individuals the court determines are eligible under the commission's standards. A right to counsel through the commission exists for a defendant charged with a felony in district court, and for a class A or B misdemeanor in district court unless the court has determined there is no possibility of imprisonment. The commission's guidelines set financial eligibility at 125% of the federal poverty level; applicants above that generally do not qualify but should not be automatically denied, as exceptional factors are considered. A defendant requesting counsel at public expense must submit an application for indigent defense services; the commission's website directs applicants to file the application with the Clerk of Court in the county of the charge. N.D.C.C. §§ 54-61-01(1), 29-07-01.1(1); Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, Guidelines to Determine Eligibility for Indigent Defense Services (2026 version)

Lawyers set their own fees, and North Dakota has rules on how they may charge. See hiring a criminal defense lawyer in North Dakota for fee rules, how to check a lawyer's license and free help.

How release before trial works in North Dakota: Pretrial release is governed by N.D. Rule of Criminal Procedure 46 (the chapter 29-08 statutes on when bail must be taken are superseded by Rule 46). At the initial appearance, the magistrate must order release on personal recognizance or an unsecured appearance bond unless that will not reasonably assure the person's appearance; otherwise the magistrate may impose conditions such as supervision, employment or education requirements, travel/association/residence limits, no contact with alleged victims or witnesses, reporting, curfew, no firearms, no alcohol or unprescribed controlled substances, treatment, an appearance bond with a cash or security deposit not exceeding 10% of the bond amount, or a bail bond with sureties (or cash in lieu). Factors include the nature and circumstances of the offense, weight of the evidence, family ties, employment, financial resources, character, mental condition, length of residence, criminal record, record of appearances or flight, and danger to any person or the community. A person still detained 48 hours after the release hearing because they cannot meet the conditions may ask a magistrate to review them, and conditions may be amended at any time. By statute, the supreme court must establish a uniform bail schedule for individuals in custody who have not yet appeared before the district court, to be implemented by August 1, 2024. For purposes of setting release conditions at an initial appearance, an incarcerated individual is presumed indigent. N.D.R.Crim.P. 46(a); N.D.C.C. §§ 29-08-03.1, 54-61-01(1) What happens after an arrest.

Each state sets its own rules for sealing or expunging records. See North Dakota expungement and record sealing rules.