Work Comp, Land trust dispute, SD Guard Members prevail

 

The SD Supreme Court handed down three decisions this morning:

 

1)    Injured employee secures Work Comp benefits by 3/2 ruling;

 

2)   Land trust dispute resolved;

 

3) SD Guard Members prevail in pay dispute with Adjutant General.

  

Summaries follows:

 

BREWER v. TECTUM HOLDINGS, INC., 2025 S.D. 23: Employee sought Work Comp benefits for back-related injury.  The ALJ and the trial court denied all benefits, including a claim for Permanent Total Disability (PTD).  The SD Supreme Court affirmed the denial of PTD benefits, but -- in a split decision (3/2) – reversed and remanded for other benefits holding that, “Because [Employee] established that his work injury was a major contributing cause of his current condition and need for treatment.”  The Court’s opinion is authored by Justice Kern.  Justice Myren’s dissenting opinion, in which Justice DeVaney concurs, would affirm the denial of all benefits. 

 

STURZENBECHER v. SIOUX COUNTY RANCH, LLC, 2025 S.D. 24: This litigation involves 1,041 acres of farm land in Turner County.  The dispute, somewhat complex in nature, and the holding of the lower court are described in the opening 2 paragraphs of the opinion which are set forth below:

[¶1.] In 2020, Cody Sturzenbecher and his mother, Judy Sturzenbecher, and Sioux County Ranch, LLC (Sioux County) entered into several related transactions all connected to the purchase of  he Sturzenbechers’ family farm from a trust in which Judy held a beneficial interest. Under the arrangement, Judy purchased the farm from the trust using the proceeds of a loan from Sioux  ounty. She then conveyed the property to Sioux County under the terms of a purchase agreement, and Sioux County leased the farm to Cody. The lease required Cody to make annual payments and  ontained an option to purchase the property at a predetermined price. Cody defaulted under the terms of the lease, and Sioux County terminated the lease agreement and listed the property  for sale.

 

[¶2.] The Sturzenbechers sought declaratory and injunctive relief, arguing that Judy’s conveyance of the farm to Sioux County created an equitable mortgage and was not an absolute sale. The  circuit court granted Sturzenbechers’ request fora preliminary injunction, and also denied Sioux County’s motion for judgment on the pleadings. Sioux County has appealed both decisions. We  affirm.

 

The SD Supreme Court affirms in a unanimous (5/0) ruling, with opinion authored by Justice Salter. 

CHRISTIANSEN, ET AL v. MAJOR GENERAL MORRELL, 2025 S.D. 25: Seven members of the SD’s Air National Guard sued the South Dakota Adjutant General on the basis of wrongful denial of benefits (15 days of paid military leave) while serving on Active Duty, having been called into duty, “as active guard and reserve (AGR) orders issued pursuant to ‘32 USC 328’ and ‘502(F)[.]’” Relief was sought under the, “Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), 38 U.S.C. §§ 4301–35.” The trial court denied relief, imposing a burden on the plaintiffs of the necessity of, “demonstrate[ing] the existence of an antimilitary animus.”  The SD Supreme Court reversed, stating:

[¶43.] Whatever the reason, the Adjutant General has not offered a sufficient legal basis for its all-encompassing AGR orders theory. And we conclude that the plaintiffs could, at any given  ime, be on active duty under either Title 32 or Title 10, but not both. As a result, when the plaintiffs received Title 10 orders, their Title 32 AGR status ended, temporarily, and their  uties changed from organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components to supporting active-duty operations, missions, or exercises. Once plaintiffs  onverted to Title 10 duty, the exception of 32 U.S.C. § 709(g)(2) does not apply, and the provisions of 5 U.S.C. § 6323(a)(1) allowing 15 days of military leave control.

 

[¶44.] We conclude that the plaintiffs are entitled to the accrual of military leave while in Title 10 status and, accordingly, reverse and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

 

This ruling is unanimous (5/0) with opinion authored by Justice Salter.

 

 

These decisions may be accessed at

 

http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .

 

 

Special road assessment by City Upheld

 1)    Special Assessment against landowner upheld;

 

 

Summary follows:

 

KJD, LLC v. CITY OF TEA, 2025 S.D. 22: “The City of Tea impos[ed] a special assessment against property abutting a road construction project, after finding that the City’s improvement conferred special benefits on the property above and beyond that experienced by the public at large.”  Appeal to Circuit Court resulted in an affirmance.  This appeal to the SD Supreme Court also resulted in an affirmance.  This is a unanimous ruling (5-0), with opinion authored by Justice DeVaney.

This decision may be accessed at

 

http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .

 

SD Supreme Court Hands Down 3 Decisions Today

 The SD Supreme Court handed down three decisions this morning:

 

1)    Denial of Motion to Suppress upheld;

 

2)   Stare Decisis overturned, upholding previous dissenting view of Retired Justice Judith Meierhenry;

 

3) For-Profit corporation (Black Hills Advocate LLC) not eligible for appointment as guardian.

  

Summaries follows:

 

STATE v. HOLY, 2025 S.D. 19:  After having his Motion to Suppress Evidence denied, Defendant secured the following result in the trial court:

[¶13.] At a subsequent court trial, the circuit court relied upon stipulated facts to find [Defendant] guilty of both counts. The court suspended a prison sentence and ordered supervised probation for the possession of a controlled substance charge and imposed court costs for the misdemeanor drug paraphernalia charge.

This appeal focuses exclusively on the Motion to Suppress with Defendant arguing, “that police officers unreasonably extended the stop by asking about contraband without any level of suspicion.”  The SD Supreme Court rejected Defendant’s argument and affirmed.  This decision is unanimous (5-0) with opinion authored by Justice Salter.

 

EARLL v. FARMERS MUTUAL INSURANCE, 2025 S.D. 20: Motor vehicle accident resulted in death.  Parents and Estate of Deceased collected $25,000 from tortfeasor’s liability insurer and then collected $75,000 from UIM (Underinsured Motorist) coverage of vehicle being driven by Deceased.  Parents and Estate sought additional coverage of $250,000 under “separate motor vehicle policy they purchased from Farmers Mutual, which provided coverage for two vehicles owned by the [family] that were not involved in the accident.”  The trial court ruled for Farmers Mutual, applying the precedent of De Smet Insurance Company of South Dakota v. Pourier, 2011 S.D. 47, ¶ 12, 802 N.W.2d 447, 451–52 (a 3/2 decision “which held that an ‘owned but not insured’ exclusion for UIM coverage was enforceable and not void as against public policy.”)  In this appeal, family requests the SD Supreme Court to overrule the Pourier decision, and the SD Supreme Court does so!  In overturning precedent, the Court handed down a lengthy opinion which “consider[s] the [four prongs of] the well-established doctrine of stare decisis.”  (the four prongs being, “(1) Quality of prior decision, (2) Workability, (3) Consistency, (4)Subsequent developments, and (5) Extent of Reliance.”) NOTE: The discussion by the SD Supreme Court in connection with the articulated criteria needed to overturn stare decisis precedent is traceable to its 2024 decision involving Governor Noem’s Request concerning potential conflicts of interest for legislators and an older 1920 Decision.  A concluding paragraph of the opinion states:

[¶48.] While we acknowledge Pourier’s careful reasoning by a sharply divided Court, our review of the public policy of this State for UM/UIM coverage and the Janus factors lead us to conclude that Pourier is an outlier in this Court’s decisions. For the reasons discussed above, we reverse our decision in Pourier and we hold that the “owned but not insured” exclusion to UIM coverage in motor vehicle policies—when used to deny coverage to an insured individual under circumstances like those in this case—violates South Dakota public policy.

NOTE: Retired Justice Judith Meierhenry’s dissenting opinion in Pourier was examined and found to be the proper rationale by this unanimous (5-0) ruling, with opinion authored by Chief Justice Jensen. 

 

GUARDIANSHIP AND CONSERVATORSHIP OF FLYTE, 2025 S.D. 21: In adjudicating conflicting requests [by Daughter and Son] to be appointed guardian of a dementia-afflicted parent who owns land worth more than $2 million, the trial court, acting sua sponte, appointed “Black Hills Advocate, LLC (BHA), a for-profit corporation” as guardian.  The SD Supreme Court reversed and remanded, stating:

[¶56.] We conclude that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion by declining to appoint [Daughter] as Gerda’s guardian and conservator. We also conclude that SDCL 29A-5-304 does not restrict the circuit court’s authority to appoint a third-party guardian or conservator sua sponte where such appointment is in the best interests of the protected person. However, we hold that SDCL 29A-5-110 does not authorize for-profit entities to be appointed as guardians or conservators, with the exception of statutorily qualified banks and trust companies. Therefore, we reverse the circuit court’s appointment of BHA and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. Additionally, we award [Son] one-half of his requested appellate attorney fee.

This ruling is unanimous (5-0) with opinion authored by Justice Kern.

 

These decisions may be accessed at

 

http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .

 

2 LWOP Sentences Upheld; Another Criminal Sentence upheld, Economic Loss under UCC review

 

The SD Supreme Court handed down four decisions this morning: 

1)    Criminal Sentences Affirmed; 

2)   LWOP sentence, on 2^nd Degree Murder verdict, upheld;

 

3) Economic Loss doctrine under UCC does not foreclose tort claim against subcontractor;

 

4) LWOP sentence on 2^nd Degree Murder verdict upheld, rejection of spoliation of evidence argument relating to cell phone.

  

Summaries follows:

 

STATE v. MARTIN, 2025 S.D. 15:  After pleading guilty to two felony charges and conceding habitual offender status, Defendant appeals the sentences imposed by the trial court.  The SD Supreme Court affirmed, in a unanimous ruling (5-0), with opinion authored by Chief Justice Jensen. The circumstances of the offenses, the action by the trial court, and the argument on appeal are set forth in the opening paragraph of the opinion, as follows:

[¶1.] Chad Martin was indicted on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges following a high-speed chase during which he struck another vehicle, injuring one of its occupants. Martin pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular battery and one count of aggravated eluding. He also admitted to a part II habitual offender information. The circuit court sentenced Martin to twenty years in the state penitentiary with eight years suspended on the vehicular battery conviction and imposed a suspended two-year sentence on the aggravated eluding conviction. Martin appeals, claiming the circuit court abused its discretion by considering uncharged conduct at sentencing. We affirm.

 

STATE v. TUOPEH, 2025 S.D. 16: Following jury verdict of guilty on 2^nd Degree murder, Defendant was sentenced to Life Without Parole.  This appeal raises a number of issues, each of which is resolved adversely to Defendant.  The Court’s decision is unanimous (5-0), with opinion authored by Justice Kern.  The issues considered, and rejected on appeal, are set forth in [¶13.], as follows:

1. Whether the circuit court abused its discretion when it denied Tuopeh’s proposed alternative counts instruction.

2. Whether the circuit court erred by failing to procure Robinson’s attendance or admit evidence of his statements concerning Pour’s alleged admission.

3. Whether the circuit court abused its discretion by overruling a vouching objection regarding the prosecutor’s declaration that “my job is justice.”

4. Whether the circuit court abused its discretion by overruling objections to Dr. Snell’s testimony regarding certain cause of death opinions.

5. Whether the circuit court abused its discretion when it denied Tuopeh’s proposed jury instructions on speculation and conjecture.

6. Whether the circuit court erred by denying Tuopeh’s motion for judgment of acquittal.

7. Whether the circuit court erred by denying Tuopeh’s request for statutory immunity under SDCL 22-18-4.8.

8. Whether the circuit court abused its discretion by admitting a photograph of a page from Tuopeh’s notebook.

 

MAY v. FIRST RATE EXCAVATE, INC., 2025 S.D. 17: After settling claim against Contractor under a Pierringer release. [See Pierringer v. Hoger, 124 N.W.2d 106 (Wis. 1963); Schick v. Rodenburg, 397 N.W.2d 464, 467 (S.D. 1986)], Home Owner sued sub-contractor for alleged negligence in work done in construction of foundation and septic system for their home.  The trial court dismissed the claim, applying an analysis of the economic loss doctrine under the UCC and held that, as such, a tort action in negligence was foreclosed.  The SD Supreme Court reversed and remanded, providing a review and discussion of the economic loss doctrine. The Court’s opinion is unanimous (5-0), with opinion authored by Justice Kern. The opening and closing paragraphs of the opinion present a description of the facts and issues as resolved by the trial court and the Supreme Court, as follows:

[¶1.] James and Amber May retained RES Construction (RES) to construct their home in Sioux Falls. RES hired First Rate Excavate, Inc. (First Rate), a subcontractor, to install the septic system for the home and construct the home’s foundation, which the Mays allege was installed several feet below grade level. The Mays claim this resulted in significant drainage and septic issues that caused damage to the Mays’ new house and yard and neighboring yards. The Mays sued First Rate for negligence sounding in tort. The circuit court dismissed the Mays’ claim based on the economic loss doctrine and the Mays appeal. We reverse.

[¶22.] In light of our conclusion that the economic loss doctrine does not apply to this case, as the claim raised is outside the context of the UCC, we need not consider the Mays’ alternative argument that the “other property” exception to the economic loss doctrine applies. We reverse and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

 

STATE v. ROGERS, 2025 S.D. 18: Following a jury verdict of guilty on 2^nd Degree Murder charge and related offenses, Defendant was sentenced to Life Without Parole (LWOP).  The SD Supreme Court affirmed in a unanimous ruling (5-0), with opinion authored by Justice Kern.  A discussion of the facts and issues resolved by the trial court consumes the first 46 paragraphs of this opinion.  The Supreme Court rejected Defendant’s argument that he was entitled to judgment of acquittal.  The Court also rejected Defendants “spoliation of evidence” argument, holding that the fact the police “fail[ed] to properly analyze data” and then returned a cell phone to “an alleged third-party perpetrator without notice to the defense, and [the] subsequent destruction [of the phone did not] constitute a due process violation under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution because he was [allegedly] denied material and potentially exculpatory evidence—namely the location data from [alleged third-party perpetrator’s] phone at the time of the murder.”

These decisions may be accessed at

 

http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .

 

 

Restrictive Convenant held null & void due to non-enforcement; Drive-By Shooting convictions affirmed; Trial Court's grant of habeas relief reversed

 The SD Supreme Court handed down three decisions this morning:

 

1)    Restrictive Covenant held null and void, on equitable principle of non-enforcement;

2)   Drive-by shooting convictions upheld;

3) Trial Court’s grant of Habeas Relief Reversed.

  

Summaries follows:

 

HOOD v. STRAATMEYER, 2025 S.D. 12: Plaintiffs are “neighbors [who] sued [Defendants] to enjoin them from constructing a house and a large three-car garage” in a subdivision on the basis that such construction violated a 1976 restrictive covenant. “After a bench trial, the circuit court declared the covenant null and void … conclud[ing] it would be inequitable to enforce the covenant because it had never been previously enforced despite numerous violations.”  The SD Supreme Court affirmed in a unanimous (5-0) ruling, with opinion authored by Justice Myren.  Circuit Judge Rank participated in this decision, in lieu of Justice Kern.  NOTE: this case was orally argued some 16 months ago, on March 8, 2023. 

 

STATE v. TURNER, 2025 S.D. 13: Arising from facts involving a drive-by shooting in Sioux Falls, Defendant was convicted by jury “on two counts of aggravated assault and four counts of discharge of a firearm in violation of SDCL 22-14-20.”  Defendant’s appeal is predicated upon numerous assertions, as summarized in the opening paragraph of the opinion:

[¶1.] Throughout the proceedings, [Defendant] filed several motions, including a motion to suppress, a motion to dismiss, a motion for judgment of acquittal, and a motion for a new trial. The circuit court denied each of these requests. [Defendant] objected to the introduction of a screenshot photograph of a traffic camera video; the circuit court overruled this objection. At the end of the trial, the circuit court rejected three jury instructions proposed by [Defendant]. [Defendant] now appeals the circuit court’s denial of each of those motions, the admission of the photograph, and the denial of his proposed jury instructions.

The SD Supreme Court rejected Defendant’s assertions and affirmed the lower court in a unanimous (5-0) ruling, with opinion authored by Justice Myren.

 

 

GONZALES v. MARKLAND, 2025 S.D. 14: Female Defendant “was convicted in 2014 by a jury, comprised of Brule and Buffalo County residents, of beating her boyfriend’s son to death.”  This conviction was summarily affirmed on appeal in State v. Gonzales, 877 N.W.2d 106 (S.D. 2016).  Defendant was originally “sentenced to 130 years in prison for the manslaughter conviction and a concurrent 15 years for the assault.”  The original sentence “was later reduced to 90 years with 50 suspended.”   Subsequently, Defendant brought this habeas corpus action asserting an improper cross section of the community for jurors through a dilution of Native American participants and also ineffective assistance of counsel.  The proceedings occurred in the 1^st Judicial Circuit but all of the Judges in the 1st Circuit recused themselves.  A judge from another Circuit was assigned to the Habeas Corpus proceeding.  The Habeas trial last three days with testimony from several witnesses, including “the tribal treasurer of the Crow Creek Tribe, the Court Administrator for the First Judicial Circuit,” and at least 4 notable attorneys.  The trial court did not rule on the ineffective assistance of counsel claim, but did find for Defendant on the “cross section” issue, stating:

“[a]pplication of the blended jury pool district concept in this case had the pernicious effect of excluding members of [Defendant’s] community and race from the process that determined her liberty.”

The SD Supreme Court disagreed with the Habeas trial court, reversed and remanded for a final adjudication, denying relief to Defendant on all bases.  The Court’s ruling is unanimous (4-1), with opinion authored by Justice Kern.  

Circuit Judge Hendrickson sat on this case, in lieu of Chief Justice Jensen. Justice Salter filed a concurring opinion.  

NOTE:  Of primary interest in the reasoning of the trial court (and subsequent analysis by the Supreme Court) is the historical “concept of the vicinage.” 

 

These decisions may be accessed at

 

http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .

 

Mother/Son Dispute Addressed

 The SD Supreme Court handed down one decision this morning, holding, inter alia:

 

1)    Mother/Son Dispute addressed

 

 

Summary follows:

 

LANGBEHN v. LANGBEHN, 2025 S.D. 11:  This dispute is between a Mother and her Son involving “a substantial amount of crop and pastureland in Beadle County,” which Mother and her Husband (Son’s father) owned during their marriage.  Husband/Father died in March, 2008 and this litigation evolved.  Below is the opening paragraph of the Court’s opinion (which gives an overview) and also the final paragraph of the Court’s opinion (which gives a summary of the result on appeal):

 

[¶1.] Mary Langbehn sued her son, Michael Langbehn, and his company, Langbehn Land and Cattle Co. (LL&C), alleging Michael breached his fiduciary duty as a co-trustee of his deceased father’s trust. Michael filed counterclaims for unjust enrichment and quantum meruit relating to improvements he claimed to have made to real estate he leased from his father’s trust and Mary’s separate living trust. The circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of Mary on her claims as well as on Michael’s counterclaims. The court also removed Michael as a co-trustee and awarded Mary $513,796.94 in damages. Michael appeals. We reverse.

***

[¶56.] Because Michael did not engage in impermissible self-dealing and genuine issues of material fact remain concerning whether Michael breached his fiduciary duty to the credit trust, we reverse the circuit court’s decision to grant summary judgment and its decision to remove him as a co-trustee. However, we affirm the court’s decision to grant summary judgment on Michael’s counterclaims. The case is remanded for further proceedings in part, affirm in part, and remand for further proceedings.

This decision is unanimous with opinion authored by Justice Salter.

 

This decision may be accessed at

 

http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .

Tort Verdict agains Highway Patrolman upheld; Medical Cannabis Dispensary prevails in license request

 The SD Supreme Court handed down two decisions this morning:

 

1)    Tort verdict against Highway Patrolman upheld;

 

2)   Medical Cannabis Dispensary prevails in license request;

  

Summaries follows:

WEILAND v. BUMANN, 2025 S.D. 9:  This is a personal injury suit against a Highway Patrolman for a motor vehicle accident in which the Patrolman’s “immediate supervisor, determined that [the Patrolman] violated SDHP safety policies and that the accident was preventable.”  Plaintiff’s claims are premised on 1 Count of Negligence and 5 Counts of Negligence Per Se’ (citing 5 separate traffic offenses).  The jury awarded Plaintiff $21,122.25, consisting of, “$17,500 in non-economic damages and $1,161.50 in past medical expenses.”  The trial court entered judgment for Plaintiff on the verdict. Plaintiff appealed and Defendant filed a cross appeal.  The SD Supreme Court affirmed.  This decision is unanimous (5-0) with opinion authored by Justice Salter.  (Note: This accident occurred in Minnehaha County and was investigated by a Minnehaha County Deputy Sheriff who prepared an Accident Report.)

PUFFY’S, LLC v. DEP’T OF HEALTH, 2025 S.D. 10:  Medical Cannabis Dispensary prevails in dispute with State regarding State’s failure to appropriately issue it a license.  The history, facts, and result are reported in the opening paragraph of the Court’s opinion as follows:

 

[¶1.] Puffy’s, LLC was first in line on a waiting list to receive a state registration certificate from the South Dakota Department of Health (Department). The certificate was required in order to operate a medical cannabis dispensary in Rapid City (City). After the Department failed to issue the certificate, Puffy’s brought a mandamus action in circuit court seeking an order compelling the Department to issue the certificate to Puffy’s. The circuit court granted the writ of mandamus. The Department appeals, claiming the court lacked jurisdiction, or in the alternative, abused its discretion in granting the writ. We affirm.

 

This ruling is unanimous (5-0), with opinion authored by Justice DeVaney.

These decisions may be accessed at

 

http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .