Legal bill continues to climb for NCAA lawsuit

At the end of August, UND's legal bill was well on its way to reaching $900,000.

The current legal costs of the lawsuit against the NCAA are around $872,000, according to the North Dakota Attorney General's Office and the UND Foundation.

The university is currently suing the NCAA over a mandate barring them from displaying the Fighting Sioux logo or nickname in postseason play. UND is also barred from hosting playoff games, and has been labeled as having a "hostile and offensive" nickname by the NCAA. The restrictions will not be enforced while the lawsuit is ongoing due to a temporary injunction.

The money for the lawsuit has come from private donations to a litigation fund set up by the UND Foundation.

Liz Brocker, a spokesperson for Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, said that the last bill sent on Sept.14 had been for $54,700.65, and so far $47,726.34 of it has been paid. Stenehjem is defending the university in the case.

"September charges have not been billed yet, because the cut-off date for every month is the tenth," Brocker said.

The rest of the bill has come from the Salt Lake City law firm of Fabian and Clendenin, who are assisting the Attorney General's Office on the case.

LeAnna Anderson, public information and media relations coordinator for the UND Foundation, said that $816,938.03 has been paid to them so far.

Brocker said that UND has no remaining balance to Fabian and Clendenin.

According to Anderson, the foundation didn't have a clear expectation on costs of the lawsuit and are unclear on how much more they will have to pay. She said it depends on whether on not the lawsuit is settled before its court date in December.

The Attorney General's Office is unable to make any comments on UND litigation at this time, Brocker said.