Does North Dakota have anti-SLAPP laws?
Anti-SLAPP laws are designed to protect people from lawsuits intended to silence them. Does North Dakota have those protections?
No.
North Dakota does not have an anti-SLAPP law, which provides specific protections against lawsuits intended to silence people for exercising rights such as free speech or petitioning the government.
SLAPP stands for “strategic lawsuit against public participation.” These lawsuits can burden defendants with legal expenses and discourage them from speaking out on public issues.
Anti-SLAPP laws typically allow defendants to seek early dismissal of meritless cases and recover attorney fees. Protections vary by state. As of March 2026, 40 states and the District of Columbia had enacted anti-SLAPP laws, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
North Dakota does have a separate law requiring courts to award reasonable costs, including attorney fees, to the prevailing party when a civil claim is found frivolous and statutory conditions are met. That law does not establish a special dismissal process for lawsuits targeting public participation.
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Sources:
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press — North Dakota
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press — Anti-SLAPP Legal Guide
- North Dakota Century Code — Section 28-26-01
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