2011] NOTE 267
almost no discussion and held that North Dakota Century Code section 28-
26-04 voided only the provision for attorney fees in the loan agreement, not
the entire loan agreement.
89
Thus, the ruling in Obrigwitch accurately
reflects the only development and the current state of affairs relating to the
recovery of legal expenses in mortgage foreclosure actions in North Dakota.
VI. OVERVIEW OF THE RECOVERY OF ATTORNEY FEES IN
RESIDENTIAL FORECLOSURE IN NORTH DAKOTA,
MINNESOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND MONTANA
All states in the United States allow judicial foreclosure in private
residential foreclosure.
90
About half of the states also permit nonjudicial
foreclosure.
91
North Dakota is not one of these states.
92
Moreover, of the
89. Obrigwitch, 462 N.W.2d at 118.
90. See ALA. CODE § 35-10-3 (Supp. 2010); ALASKA STAT. § 09.45.170 (2010); ARIZ. REV.
STAT. ANN. § 33-721 (2007 & Supp. 2010); ARK. CODE ANN. §§ 18-49-103 to -105 (2003); CAL.
CIV. CODE §§ 2924 to 2924l (Deering 2005 & Supp. 2011); COLO. REV. STAT. § 38-39-101
(2010); CONN. GEN. STAT. ANN. §§ 49-1 to -31 (West 2006); DEL. CODE ANN. tit. 10, § 5061(a)
(1999); FLA. STAT. §§ 702.01, 45.031 (2010); GA. CODE ANN. § 44-14-49 (2002); HAW. REV.
STAT. § 667-1 (1993); IDAHO CODE ANN. § 45-1502 (Supp. 2011); 735 ILL. COMP. STAT. ANN. §
5/15-1501 (West 2003); IND. CODE ANN. § 32-29-1-3 (West 2002); IOWA CODE § 654.1 (2009);
KAN. STAT. ANN. § 60-2410 (2005); KY. REV. STAT. ANN. § 426.525 (West 2006); LA. CODE
CIV. PROC. ANN. art. 3721 to 3753 (2003); ME. REV. STAT. ANN. tit. 14, § 6321 (2003); MD.
CODE ANN., REAL PROP. § 7-105 (LexisNexis 2010); MASS. GEN. LAWS ANN. ch. 244, § 1 (West
2004); MICH. COMP. LAWS ANN. §§ 600.3101 to 600.3180 (West 2010 & Supp. 2011); MINN.
STAT. § 581.01 (2010); MISS. CODE ANN. § 89-1-55 (1999); MO. ANN. STAT. § 443.190 (West
2000); MONT. CODE ANN. § 71-1-222 (2011); NEB. REV. STAT. § 25-2137 (2008); NEV. REV.
STAT. ANN. § 40.430 (LexisNexis 2006 & Supp. 2009); N.H. REV. STAT. ANN. § 479.10 (2001);
N.J. STAT. ANN. §§ 2A:50-1 to -21 (2000); N.M. STAT. ANN. § 39-5-1 (West 2010); N.Y. REAL
PROP. ACTS. LAW §§ 1301-1391 (Consol. 1981 & Supp. 2011); N.C. GEN. STAT. §§ 45-4 to -
21.33 (2009 & Supp. 2010); N.D. CENT. CODE § 32-19-01 (2010); OHIO REV. CODE ANN. §
2323.07 (West 2004); OKLA. STAT. tit. 12, § 686 (2010); OR. REV. STAT. ANN. § 88.010 (West
2003); 35 PA. STAT. ANN. § 1680.402c (West 2003 & Supp. 2011); R.I. GEN. LAWS § 34-27-1
(1995); S.C. CODE ANN. § 29-3-630 (2007); S.D. CODIFIED LAWS § 21-47-1 (2004); TENN. CODE
ANN. §§ 35-5-101 to -112 (2007 & Supp. 2010); TEX. PROP. CODE ANN. § 51.005 (West 2010);
UTAH CODE ANN. § 78B-6-901 (LexisNexis Supp. 2010); VT. STAT. ANN. tit. 12, § 4526 (2002);
VA. CODE ANN. §§ 55-59 to -66.6 (2010); WASH. REV. CODE ANN. § 61.12.040 (LexisNexis
2010); W. VA. CODE ANN. § 55-12-1 (LexisNexis 2008); WIS. STAT. ANN. § 846.01 (West 2007);
WYO. STAT. ANN. § 1-18-101 (2011).
91. See ALA. CODE § 35-10-12; ALASKA STAT. § 34.20.070; ARIZ. REV. STAT. ANN. § 33-
807; ARK. CODE ANN. § 18-50-108; CAL. CIV. CODE § 2924; COLO. REV. STAT. §§ 38-38-100.3
to -114; CONN. GEN. STAT. ANN. §§ 49-1 to -31; GA. CODE ANN. § 44-14-162; HAW. REV. STAT.
§ 667-5; IDAHO CODE ANN. § 45-1505; IOWA CODE § 654.18; ME. REV. STAT. ANN. tit. 14, §
6203-A; MD. CODE ANN., REAL PROP. § 7-105; MASS. GEN. LAWS ANN. ch. 244, § 14 (2010);
MICH. COMP. LAWS ANN. §§ 600.3201 to .3280; MINN. STAT. § 580.01; MISS. CODE ANN. § 89-
1-55; MO. ANN. STAT. § 443.290; MONT. CODE ANN. § 71-1-313 (2010); NEB. REV. STAT. §§ 76-
1001 to -1018 (2009 & Supp. 2010) (deeds of trust only); NEV. REV. STAT. ANN. § 107.080
(LexisNexis 2007 & Supp. 2009); N.H. REV. STAT. ANN. § 479.25; N.Y. REAL PROP. ACTS. LAW
§§ 1301-1391; N.C. GEN. STAT. §§ 45-4 to -21.33; OKLA. STAT. tit. 46, § 43 (2001); OR. REV.
STAT. ANN. § 86.735; R.I. GEN. LAWS § 34-11-22 (Supp. 2010); S.D. CODIFIED LAWS § 21-48-1;
TENN. CODE ANN. §§ 35-5-101 to -112; TEX. PROP. CODE ANN. § 51.005; UTAH CODE ANN. §
57-1-24 (2010); VT. STAT. ANN. tit. 12, § 4531a (Supp. 2010); VA. CODE ANN. §§ 55-59 to -66.6;