Opinion ID: 2199956
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the trial court committed reversible error in dismissing appellants' pleading for fraud and deceit.

Text: As stated earlier, appellees made a motion to dismiss the second amended counterclaim of appellants for the reason that it failed to state a cause of action. This motion was granted. Pursuant to SDCL 15-6-41(b) and (c), the court has power to grant a motion to dismiss a pleading when the pleader has failed to comply with the rules of civil procedure (SDCL ch. 15-6), or failed to comply with any order of the circuit court. Under our statute, the power to dismiss is discretionary. Duncan v. Pennington County Hous. Auth., 382 N.W.2d 425 (S.D.1986). In reviewing the grant or denial of such a motion, this court's inquiry is whether the circuit court abused its discretion. Duncan, supra . Where an abuse of discretion is not shown reversible error will not lie. See Shamburger v. Behrens, 418 N.W.2d 299 (S.D.1988). Appellants failed to specifically comply with the trial court's order requiring them to set forth their claims in separate counts. Although they did make a more definite statement and elect a remedy, it was done via a response to appellees' summary judgment motion, in which response, among other things, they improperly asserted damages in the amount of $348,900. Exhibit E attached to the response merely indicated possible damages of $48,900. After being informed by the trial court of this error, they still could not clearly articulate their damage claim (nor have they on appeal clarified what their alleged damages are). Appellants have suggested that their response to the summary judgment sufficed to sufficiently set forth their damage claim. However, a response to a motion for summary judgment is not a pleading. It is merely a response to a motion. Not even a motion for summary judgment is a pleading. See SDCL 15-6-7(a) and (b). Under Holy Cross Parish v. Huether, 308 N.W.2d 575, 576 (S.D.1981), a pleading based on fraud as a basis of recovery of damages must allege all the essential elements of actionable fraud to be sufficient. Essential elements of actionable fraud, as set forth in Holy Cross Parish, are that a representation was made as a statement of fact, which was untrue by the party making it, or else recklessly made; that it was made with intent to deceive and for the purpose of inducing the other party to act upon it; that he did in fact rely on it and was induced thereby to act to his injury or damage. South Dakota law requires that damages be pleaded with reasonable certainty. Wang v. Bekken, 310 N.W.2d 166, 167 (S.D.1981). The court did not abuse its discretion in dismissing appellants' pleading. The pleading failed to state a cause of action in that it did not plead or allege damages with reasonable certainty. Further, such failure was a violation of the trial court's specific order. Ministrelli Constr. Co. v. Monroe County Road, 153 Mich.App. 144, 395 N.W.2d 38 (1986); Banaszewski v. Colman, 131 Mich.App. 92, 345 N.W.2d 647 (1983); Holy Cross, supra .