Strong v. Gant

Appellant submitted an application for a writ of mandamus asking the circuit court to compel Secretary of State Jason Gant to investigate the nominating petitions for Republic candidate Brian Gosh for the November 2012 election in Pennington County. The court dismissed Appellant’s application for failure to state a claim for which relief could be granted. Intervenors to the case moved to award attorney’s fees and to tax costs and disbursements against Appellant. Appellant, in the meantime, appealed the dismissal of her application. Subsequently, after a hearing, the circuit court granted the Intervenors’ motion. The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order, holding (1) the circuit court did not err in awarding the Intervenors attorney's fees after the hearing; (2) the court did not err when it held a hearing on the Intervenors’ motion for attorney’s fees and expenses while Appellant’s appeal on the underlying judgment on the merits was pending before the Court; and (3) Appellant was not entitled to relief on the Intervenors’ motion for attorney’s fees because Appellant failed to assert her issue with the circuit court when given the opportunity to do so. View "Strong v. Gant" on Justia Law