The
SD Supreme Court handed down two decisions this morning:
1) Reversal & Remand, Civil Dispute
2) Criminal Conviction Affirmed;
Summaries
follows:
JED
SPECTRUM, INC. v. STOAKES, 2025 S.D. 31: The first and last paragaphs of this
opinion explain what is happening:
[¶1.] Bighorn Construction, LLC (Bighorn) and JED Spectrum, Inc.
(JED) each filed a echanic’s lien against property owned by Keith Stoakes and
thereafter jointly instituted this action to foreclose on the liens. Stoakes
answered, denying the validity of the liens and asserting counterclaims for
slander of title against both companies and breach of contract, promissory
estoppel, and fraud against JED. After a three-day bench trial, the circuit
court issued amended findings of fact and conclusions of law denying JED’s and
Bighorn’s claims for lien foreclosure and ruling in favor of Stoakes on his
slander of title claims against both companies. The court awarded Stoakes
$252,225.27 in damages on his slander of title claims and $33,394.20 in
attorney fees. The court denied relief on the parties’ remaining claims.
Bighorn and JED appeal, arguing the court erred in ruling in favor of Stoakes
on his slander of title claim and in calculating damages. By notice of review,
Stoakes challenges the denial of relief on his promissory estoppel claim and
associated request for attorney fees. We reverse in part and affirm in part.
[¶51.] We reverse the
circuit court’s order and judgment in favor of Stoakes on the slander of title
claims and affirm the court’s order denying Stoakes’s promissory estoppel
claim. We also affirm the court’s judgment for attorney fees in favor of Stoakes
in the amount of $33,394.20.10F 11 Given these rulings, we also deny Stoakes’s
request for appellate attorney fees.
Unanimous
(5-0) decision, with opinion by Justice DeVaney.
STATE
v. GEIST, 2025 S.D. 32: This opinion is
summarized in the opening paragraph:
[¶1.] Following a jury trial, Michael David Geist was convicted
and sentenced for simple assault on a law enforcement officer and criminal
trespass. Geist appeals, alleging the circuit court abused its discretion by
admitting into evidence a recording from an officer’s body camera under the
silent witness theory. We affirm.
Unanimous (5-0)
decision, opinion authored by Justice Salter.
These
decisions may be accessed at
http://ujs.sd.gov/Supreme_Court/opinions.aspx .
