Opinion ID: 900293
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Fraudulent Concealment Tolling Accrual

Text: ¶ Unlike tolling until discovery in fraud cases, fraudulent concealment applies not when an action remains merely undiscovered, but when actionable conduct or injury has been concealed by deceptive act or artifice. Without a confidential or fiduciary relationship, fraudulent concealment consists of some affirmative act or conduct on the part of the defendant designed to prevent, and which does prevent, the discovery of the cause of action. Koenig v. Lambert, 527 N.W.2d 903, 905-06 (S.D.1995), overruled on other grounds, Stratmeyer v. Stratmeyer, 1997 SD 97, 567 N.W.2d 220. Fraudulent concealment tolls the statute of limitations until the claim is discovered or might have been discovered with reasonable diligence. Bruske v. Hille, 1997 SD 108, ¶ 19, 567 N.W.2d 872, 879; Schuster v. Woodmen Acc. & Life Co., 361 N.W.2d 286, 288 (S.D.1985); Holy Cross Parish v. Huether, 308 N.W.2d 575, 577 (S.D.1981); Conway v. Conway, 487 N.W.2d 21, 23 (S.D.1992). ¶ Nothing in the present record supports any trust or confidential relationship. Therefore, Strassburg must show the Bank took affirmative steps to prevent discovery of his claim or its underlying facts. Koenig, 527 N.W.2d at 905-06 (citing Conway, 487 N.W.2d at 23); Hinkle v. Hargens, 76 S.D. 520, 525, 81 N.W.2d 888, 891 (1957). Strassburg must further show he nonetheless exercised diligence to discover the cause of action. Bruske, 1997 SD 108, ¶ 19, 567 N.W.2d at 879; Hinkle, 76 S.D. at 524-25, 81 N.W.2d at 891. Fraudulent concealment will not toll the statute of limitations, no matter the nature of the concealment, if a plaintiff is already on notice of a cause of action. Dierking v. Bellas Hess Superstore, Inc., 258 N.W.2d 312, 314 (Iowa 1977); Hobson v. Wilson, 737 F.2d 1, 35 (D.C.Cir.1984), cert. denied, 470 U.S. 1084, 105 S.Ct. 1843, 85 L.Ed.2d 142 (1985).