Opinion ID: 1835390
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The trial court correctly entered summary judgment in favor of Siebrecht.

Text: The instant complaint, filed June 1, 1989, alleges that Siebrecht failed to discharge his duties faithfully as receiver in the prior action. We hold that the trial court properly dismissed Hogg's complaint on the ground of res judicata. The matters sought to be litigated in the present action could have been or should have been litigated at the time the receiver's final report and account were approved. The court's order in the prior case approving the account may not be collaterally attacked in this proceeding. The doctrine of res judicata serves as claim preclusion to prevent relitigation of an issue actually litigated or which could have been properly raised and determined in a prior action. Matter of Estate of Nelson, 330 N.W.2d 151 (S.D.1983); Schmidt v. Zellmer, 298 N.W.2d 178 (S.D. 1980). Notice of the receiver's final report and account was given to all interested parties, including Hogg. In this case, the questions now sought to be raised about the propriety of various action taken by Siebrecht could and should have been raised as objections to Siebrecht's final report and account. Hogg was a principal party in the receivership. At the hearing for the final report and accounting, Hogg neither objected to the approval of Siebrecht's report nor did he appeal the trial court's order once it was entered. As the Appellate Court of Illinois stated in a case similar to the present one: [] To allow appellants to avoid the doctrine of res judicata simply by bringing a new suit would undermine its very purpose. Yaw v. Beeghly, 109 Ill.App.3d 627, 65 Ill. Dec. 211, 440 N.E.2d 1066 (1982). In Wilson v. Great Northern Ry. Co., 83 S.D. 207, 212, 157 N.W.2d 19, 21 (1968) we held that summary judgment was proper when the moving party demonstrates the absence of any genuine issue of material fact and shows entitlement to judgment on the merits as a matter of law. Based upon the foregoing reasons, there is no genuine issue of material fact in this case. Therefore, the trial court did not err in entering summary judgment in favor of Siebrecht.