Opinion ID: 900517
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Dismissal under SDCL 21-27-3.2

Text: [¶ 12.] South Dakota law allows for dismissal of belated habeas corpus applications. SDCL 21-27-3.2 provides: An application under this chapter may be dismissed if it appears that the state or the applicant's custodian has been prejudiced in its ability to respond to the application by delay in its filing, unless the applicant shows that the application is based on grounds of which he could not have had knowledge by the exercise of reasonable diligence before the circumstances causing the prejudice occurred. It shall be presumed that the state or the applicant's custodian has been prejudiced if the application is filed more than five years after signing, attestation and filing of the judgment or order under which the applicant is held. This presumption is rebuttable pursuant to § 19-11-1. SDCL 19-11-1 provides: In all civil actions and proceedings, unless otherwise provided for ..., a presumption imposes on the party against whom it is directed the burden of going forward with evidence to rebut or meet the presumption, but does not shift to such party the burden of proof in the sense of the risk of nonpersuasion, which remains throughout the trial upon the party on whom it was originally cast. When substantial, credible evidence has been introduced to rebut the presumption, it shall disappear from the action or proceeding. ... (emphasis added). Despite the presumption of prejudice which applies after the five year period pursuant to § 21-27-3.2, a habeas petitioner under § 19-11-1 may rebut the presumption by presenting substantial, credible evidence. Here, the habeas court concluded that the presumption applied. The court then went on to decide, as a matter of law, that Debra failed to overcome the presumption because the memories of the individuals involved in Debra's underlying conviction have faded, thereby prejudicing Respondent in his ability to respond to Debra's habeas corpus claims. How the court could know whether the memories of witnesses had faded is unknown, and neither appellate counsel suggest an answer. Debra should have been afforded an opportunity to rebut the presumption. SDCL 21-27-3.2; SDCL 19-11-1. Deciding whether a habeas applicant's delay in filing manifests a lack of diligence and whether the State has been prejudiced are acutely fact intensive questions. A habeas court must give an applicant reasonable opportunity to present evidence on these issues. If the court's decision had stopped at this point we would be compelled to remand. However, the habeas court also dismissed the application on its merits, holding essentially that assuming as true the pleaded allegations, the application nonetheless failed as a matter of law.