Justia South Dakota Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the circuit court reversing the decision of the Davison County Drainage Commission approving permits to install drain tile on Appellant's farmland, holding that the circuit court lacked jurisdiction to hear Kenneth Hostler's challenge to the commission's permitting decision.Hostler, Appellant's downstream neighbor, appeared on the commission's public hearing on Appellant's applications and objected to the permits. After the commission approved the permits Hostler appealed. The circuit court reversed, ruling that the commission abused its discretion in granting the permits. The Supreme Court vacated the circuit court's order, holding that the circuit court did not have authority under the Declaratory Judgment Act to consider Hostler's complaint challenging the commission's decision to grant Appellant's permitting request. View "Hostler v. Davison County Drainage Commission" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the circuit court finding co-defendants Adrianna Reecy and Kevin Dickerson guilty of robbery and burglary and also finding Dickerson guilty of aggravated assault against Julio Rojas, holding that exclusion of certain evidence resulted in violation of both defendants' Sixth Amendment right of confrontation.On appeal, both defendants argued that the circuit court erred in precluding any reference to Rojas's immigration status and in admitting into evidence an exhibit listing transactions from Rojas's debit card. The Supreme Court agreed and reversed, holding (1) the circuit court's exclusion of the immigration evidence was error, and the error was not harmless; and (2) the circuit court erred in admitting the bank records at issue because the State did not lay an adequate foundation for the admission of the documents and the court erroneously determined that Rojas was a qualified witness, as contemplated by the exception to the hearsay rule. View "State v. Dickerson" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's convictions for seven counts, including aggravated assault by physical menace with a dangerous weapon and grand theft by receiving stolen property, holding that there was sufficient evidence to support the convictions.Defendant's convictions arose from two separate incidents involving an alleged shooting and an ensuing confrontation between Defendant and two other men. On appeal, Defendant challenged the circuit court's denial of his motion for acquittal, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to support the convictions. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that there was sufficient evidence to support the jury's guilty verdict. View "State v. Ahmed" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's sentence imposed in connection with his plea of guilty to attempted first-degree murder and commission of a felony with a firearm, holding that the sentence did not violate the Eighth Amendment, nor was it an abuse of the circuit court's sentencing discretion.Defendant and the State entered into a plea agreement under which Defendant agreed to plead guilty to attempted first-degree murder and commission of a felony with a firearm. After a sentencing hearing, the circuit court sentenced Defendant to a total of thirty years in prison. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the circuit court (1) did not abuse its discretion in imposing the sentence, and (2) Defendant failed to demonstrate that his sentence transgressed the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. View "State v. Deleon" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed in part the decision of the circuit court granting summary judgment in favor of David Straight on Doug Gantvoort's claims asserting intentional invasion of privacy, aiding and abetting others in the invasion of his privacy, and civil conspiracy, holding that the circuit court erred in granting summary judgment as to the aiding and abetting count.Doug sued his former wife, Mary Ranschau, and Strait, her attorney, alleging claims arising from the divorce proceedings between Doug and Mary. During their divorce, Mary placed a hidden recording device in Doug's office, and Strait accepted fifty-one of those records, attempting to introduce two of them into evidence during trial. The circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of Strait on all counts. The Supreme Court reversed in part, holding that the circuit court (1) erred in granting Strait summary judgment on Doug's claim for aiding and abetting Mary's invasion of privacy; but (2) correctly granted summary judgment on the remaining counts. View "Gantvoort v. Ranschau" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court determining that James Bruggeman was a vulnerable adult and finding by a preponderance of the evidence that Jennifer Ramos neglected and financially exploited Bruggeman while she was a caretaker and was entrusted with his property, holding that there was no error.Specifically, the Supreme Court held that the circuit court (1) did not abuse its discretion when it quashed the subpoena for Bruggeman to testify; (2) did not err in determining that Bruggeman was a vulnerable adult under S.D. Codified Laws 21-65-1(15); (3) did not err when it found that Bruggeman was the victim of financial exploitation; and (4) did not err when it ordered Ramos to pay Black Hills Advocate’s attorney fees. View "Bruggeman v. Ramos" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed Defendant's conviction of burglary and two counts of simple assault arising from a home invasion, holding that Defendant was not entitled to relief on his allegations of error.After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of burglary and simple assault. Defendant was tried on a part two habitual offender information alleging two prior felon convictions. The jury found Defendant to be a habitual offender. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the circuit court (1) did not err in denying Defendant's motion to suppress the show-up identification; (2) did not err in denying Defendant's motion for a mistrial; and (3) did not err in denying Defendant's motion for judgment of acquittal in the habitual offender trial. View "State v. Red Cloud" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court upheld the action of the Deuel County Board of Adjustment (Board) unanimously approving the application filed by Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC for a special exception permit (SEP) to construct and operate a wind energy system (WES) in Deuel County, holding that there was no error.In 2004, the Deuel County Board of County Commissioners adopted the Deuel County Zoning Ordinance, which created the Board and authorized it to decide requests for "special exceptions" from zoning standards. In 2018, Crowned Ridge sought an SEP from the Board for the construction and operation of a WES with up to sixty-eight wind turbines to be build on property zoned for agricultural use. The Board granted the SEP, and the circuit court upheld the decision. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the ordinance complied with the statuary requirements of S.D. Codified Laws 11-2-17.3, and therefore, the Board acted within its jurisdiction by considering crowned Ridge's application for an SEP; (2) the Board acted within the requirements of the ordinance and S.D. Codified Laws chapter 11-2; and (3) as to Appellants, landowners in Deuel County, the Board did not illegally grant an easement over Appellants' property, nor did the ordinance violate due process. View "Ehlebracht v. Deuel County Planning Commission" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court affirming the decision of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approving the application filed by Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC for a permit to construct a large-scale wind energy farm in northeast South Dakota, holding that there was no error.Several individual intervened in this case and objected to Crowned Ridge's application. After an evidentiary hearing, the PUC voted unanimously to approve Crowned Ridge's permit. The circuit court affirmed the issuance of the permit. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the intervenors failed to raise any meritorious issues upon which the PUC's final decision and order may be reversed or modified. View "Ehlebracht v. Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC" on Justia Law

In these three consolidated appeals the Supreme Court held that the State has discretion to charge juveniles under the provisions of either S.D. Codified laws 32-23-1 or S.D. Codified Laws 32.23-21.Defendants, all minors under the age of eighteen, were charged as adults in separate cases for driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than .08, in violation of section 32-23-1(1). Each defendant filed a motion to dismiss, claiming that their status as juveniles stripped the magistrate courts presiding over their cases of jurisdiction. The magistrate courts dismissed the motions, and the circuit courts affirmed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Defendants failed to support their argument that the language of the relevant statutes prevents the State from charging them in magistrate court with violations of section 32-23-1. View "State v. Bettelyoun" on Justia Law