South Dakota Supreme Court Decisions 2020

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions and sentences for kidnapping, rape, aggravated assault, and commission of a felony with a firearm, holding that there was no error or abuse of discretion. Specifically,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court concluding that Plaintiffs had standing to bring this declaratory judgment action challenging ad valorem property taxes that Day County assessed against them…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of simple assault for attacking his former significant other, Rosa Sosa, holding that the circuit court did not err in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of first-degree murder and other offenses, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on any of his allegations of error. Specifically, the Supreme Court held (1)…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case brought by a patient who sued her doctor for lack of informed consent, the Supreme Court reversed the decision of the circuit court granting in part Plaintiff's motion to compel the production of medical…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this insurance dispute arising from an employee's death, the Supreme Court remanded the determination that the employer's insurer providing underinsured motorist coverage and workers' compensation insurance was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of two counts of vehicular homicide, one count of vehicular battery, and driving while under the influence of alcohol, holding that the circuit court did not commit error…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of eight counts of first-degree child rape and four counts of sexual contact with a child, holding that no prejudicial error occurred in the proceedings…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of simple assault on a law enforcement officer, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on any of her assignments of error. Specifically, the Supreme Court…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court entering judgment in favor of Yankton County on Sacred Heart Health Service Inc.'s (Hospital) declaratory judgment against the County, holding that circuit…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court dissolving Buffalo Chip's municipal incorporation, holding that the State had the authority to petition the court for such relief and that the circuit court did…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's judgment and decree of divorce entered on the grounds of extreme cruelty, as well as the court's determinations regarding child custody, property division, child support,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the circuit court dismissing Petitioners' appeal from the decision of the Turner County Board of Adjustment approving an application for the construction and operation of a…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the orders of the circuit court sustaining Defendants' motions to suppress evidence seized by law enforcement, pursuant to a search warrant, at the apartment where Defendants resided, holding…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendants with respect all of Plaintiff's claims except for counts four and five, holding that the circuit court did not err in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court issued an advisory opinion requested by the Governor of the State of South Dakota questioning whether the South Dakota Constitution or any state law prohibits a current state legislator from being…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of first-degree murder and mandatory sentence of life in prison, holding that there as no prejudicial error in the proceedings below. Specifically, the Supreme Court…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the circuit court granting summary judgment in favor of Defendants and dismissing Plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction alleging the existence of an easement allowing…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting Defendants' motion for judgment on the pleadings and dismissing Plaintiff's fraud and deceit claims, holding that the claims were time barred. Plaintiff…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for first-degree burglary and grand theft, holding that the circuit court did not err when it denied Defendant's motion to suppress and when in denied Defendant's motion…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of third-degree rape, holding that the State did not violate Defendant's right to due process by failing to interview the victim and that the circuit court did not err in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the circuit court reversing the decision of the Department of Labor determining that sergeants in the Yankton Police Department are ineligible for membership in a collective…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the circuit court's property division order in this divorce proceeding, holding that the court abused its discretion in excluding farmland Wife purchased with Husband from the marital…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court affirming Defendant's magistrate court conviction for operating an onsite wastewater system without a permit, holding that the City's ordinance as applied to…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court convicting Defendant of two counts of aggravated assault and three counts of simple assault and ordering him to pay restitution to Medicaid for its coverage of…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of second-degree rape and sexual contact involving a second victim, holding that Defendant's allegations of error were unavailing. Specifically, the Supreme Court held…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court holding James Farmer in contempt for his failure to follow the terms and conditions of the parties' property settlement agreement and finding that James owed Lori…

Justia Opinion Summary: The circuit court affirmed the circuit court's grant of summary judgment in favor of BP plc on all claims brought against it by the State and the South Dakota Petroleum Release Compensation Fund, holding that the circuit…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Defendant's motion to suppress evidence obtained as a result of his encounter with police, holding that the circuit court properly denied the motion to…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court granting the motion to dismiss filed by the City of Sioux Falls and denying Plaintiffs' motion to amend their complaint alleging negligence against the City,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court holding that property owned by Sharon Orr-Hanson and her husband, Bennet Hanson, was owned as tenants in common and ordering partition of the property after…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court convicting Defendant of second-degree murder and sentencing him to ninety years in prison, holding that Defendant's discretionary sentence did not offend the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of aggravated assault (domestic), simple assault (domestic), interference with emergency communications, and disorderly conduct but remanded with instructions to issue a…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court holding that David Leedom's obligation to pay Cindy Leedom monthly alimony in the amount of $3,000 was continuing until modified by the court, that David pay…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court in favor of Appellee in this workers' compensation case, holding that an error led to the exclusion of relevant evidence and incorrect jury instructions that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the circuit court's award of employee benefits to Plaintiff, holding that Plaintiff was not entitled to employee benefits under the City of Edgemont's Personnel Manual. Plaintiff sued the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court granting a motion to dismiss this action brought by a group of investors in the federal EB5 immigrant investment program against various agencies that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed this consolidated appeal brought by the State as to each of three jointly indicted defendants from a trial court order dismissing certain counts of the indictment against them, holding that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the order of the circuit court granting summary judgment to Defendant in this breach of contract case, holding that the evidence was sufficient to refute Defendant's argument that the alleged…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed Defendant's the order of the circuit court granting Defendant's motion to suppress evidence obtained as a result of Defendant's arrest, holding that the circuit court erred when it refused to…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court granting summary judgment for Hospital on Nurse's claims for wrongful discharge, breach of contract, and defamation, holding that summary judgment was…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Plaintiff's request for attorney fees under S.D. Codified Laws 60-11-24 after Plaintiff prevailed in an action seeking unpaid wages, holding that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the circuit court's judgment summarily dismissing Petitioners' request that the court declare an original trust and its first amendment valid, holding that the circuit court erred. After the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's judgment declining to declare that the City of Rapid City unlawfully bargained away its police power when it entered into a settlement agreement with Epic Outdoor…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction for possession of a controlled substance, holding that the circuit court judge did not err when he continued to preside over Defendant's case after Defendant filed an…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's sentence of eighty years imprisonment with forty years suspended for first-degree manslaughter, holding that the sentence was not grossly disproportionate to the offense and did not…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court determining that a limited private easement granted Thomas Estes the right of access across Lot 2R within the Estes Subdivision solely to repair or install…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court in favor of Children's Care Hospital and School (CCHS) as to Benjamin Graff's complaint alleging that CCHS was negligent and inflicted emotional distress by…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court affirming the assessed value of Appellants' agricultural land by the Meade County Commission sitting as a board of equalization (the Board), holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the judgment of the circuit court denying Karen Dunham's petition for writ of certiorari challenging the decision of the Lake County Board of Adjustment (Board)…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed for lack of appellate jurisdiction Appellants' appeal from the circuit court's order granting summary judgment dismissing some but not resolving all of the parties' claims, holding that the…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this dispute over the sale proceeds from an auction of cattle the Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the entry of partial summary judgment on Plaintiff's claim for the sale proceeds, holding that…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court concluding that coverage did not exist under an automobile insurance policy issued to Shelby Olsons' parents or an automobile policy issued to the shooter for…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Defendant's motion for judgment of acquittal after a jury found Defendant guilty of aggravated assault, holding that there was sufficient evidence to…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court in favor of Excel Underground, Inc. on its breach of contract claim against the Brant Lake Sanitary District, holding that the circuit court did not err in any…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court's decision invalidating the will and codicil of Dora Lee Gaaskjolen on the basis of undue influence, holding that the circuit court's determination of undue influence was not…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court in favor of Prussman Contracting, Inc., holding that the court did not abuse its discretion. Dennis Sedlacek commenced this suit against Prussman, alleging…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court dismissing students' claims seeking to recover for lost funding for services denied to them under the GEAR UP program due to mismanagement and embezzlement,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court affirming the decision of the Department of Labor to award benefits to James Bonebright's widow, Stephanie, after Bonebright died from injuries he sustained in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court granting Defendant's motion for judgment of acquittal on his aggravated assault conviction, holding that there was sufficient evidence on the record, and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the circuit court affirming the decision of the South Dakota Department of Labor dismissing Plaintiff's petition seeking workers' compensation benefits for lack of prosecution,…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the circuit court determining that Insurer's decision to deny coverage for a single-vehicle accident was not in violation of its duty, holding that the court did not err in…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court dismissing as untimely Appellant's appeal of an order of the Board of Pardons and Paroles revoking Appellant's parole, holding that the circuit court did not…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendants' convictions of first-degree manslaughter and sentences of life imprisonment, holding that the circuit court did not err or abuse its discretion in either case. Daniel Ceplecha and…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court reversed the circuit court's dismissal of Plaintiff's deceit claim and affirmed the circuit court's rulings as to Plaintiff's breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and fraud claims and as to…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of hit and run involving an injury, holding that the State was not required to prove that Defendant had knowledge of an accident-related injury. Defendant pled guilty…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed and remanded in part the judgment of the circuit court entering summary judgment in favor of Attorney in this legal malpractice action and dismissing the action, holding…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court denying Defendant's motion for judgment of acquittal and refusing Defendant's requested jury instructions pertaining to the language of "directly" in S.D.…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of second-degree murder, holding that the circuit court did not err in its evidentiary rulings and that there was sufficient evidence to sustain the conviction. On…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Lake County Board of Commissioners, sitting as the Lake County Drainage Board (Board), approving the application for permits filed by Steven Carmody and Edward Becker to…

Justia Opinion Summary: In this case concerning the will of Russell Tank naming his neighbor Jason Bender as his sole heir and disinheriting his four adult children (Children) the Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the decision…

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the circuit court affirming the decision of the Department of Labor determining that Appellant's knee surgery and related treatment were not compensable, holding that the…