Opinion ID: 2213483
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: the jurisdictional propriety (under south dakota law) of the federal district court to remand a federal habeas corpus petition for fact finding to the circuit court of this state, and in this particular case, whether circuit judge thomas l. anderst was acting in the capacity of a fact finder for the united states district court or in his capacity as a circuit court judge of the state of south dakota.

Text: As above established, this court has no jurisdiction to hear this appeal. We must therefore leave this interesting question for another day, because we are not in the business of rendering advisory opinions. An appellate court which lacks jurisdiction of the subject matter cannot acquire jurisdiction by its decisions or otherwise; its proceedings and judgment are absolutely void, and they can have no effect whatever on the proceedings or judgment of the court below. 4 C.J.S. Appeal & Error § 42 (1957). This case is dismissed for want of subject matter jurisdiction. HENDERSON and MILLER, JJ., and HECK, Circuit Judge, concur. SABERS, J., dissents. GILBERTSON, Circuit Judge, sitting for WUEST, C.J., disqualified. HECK, Circuit Judge, sitting for MORGAN, J., disqualified.