When lands belonging to different persons in severalty have been occupied in common by such persons without a partition fence between their respective lands and one of the occupants desires to occupy that occupant's part in severalty, that occupant may apply to a majority of the proper fence viewers:
Upon a division or assignment as provided in subsection 1, the fence viewers, in writing over their signatures, may assign a reasonable time for building the fence, having regard to the season of the year. If either party shall not build that party's part of the fence within the time assigned, the other party, after having completed that party's part thereof, may build the part assigned to the other party or parties and recover therefor the ascertained expense thereof, together with the fees of the fence viewers.
N.D.C.C. § 47-26-14