Opinion ID: 1550309
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Liability of Dawson and of Tice.

Text: Under the statutes of South Dakota, it is made the duty of the Fire Marshal and of the deputy Fire Marshals to investigate all fires resulting in property damage (R. C. of S. D. of 1919, Sec. 9122). Also, it is provided that if he [the Fire Marshal or a deputy] shall be of the opinion that there is evidence sufficient to charge any person with the crime of arson, he shall cause such person to be arrested and charged with such offense (Section 9123). The question here is whether a deputy Fire Marshal in making such a charge is liable for damages if he does so without probable cause and with malice. The answer must be that he is not. The reason is that, in instituting such a charge, he is acting in a so-called quasi-judicial capacity connected with the enforcement of the criminal law. Broadly speaking, it is his official duty to institute such proceedings. His action in so doing is, under the statute, to be the result of his honest judgment based upon the results of his investigation. He has a choice  sometimes called a discretion  to initiate or not to initiate such a criminal proceeding. The public welfare requires that this choice shall be free of all fear of personal liability. To assure this freedom of action it is deemed best to make that assurance positive and definite by securing him against even actions based upon a malicious abuse of his official power. Counsel have not cited and we have been unable to find any decision of the Supreme Court of South Dakota bearing upon the issue here. Hence, we are compelled to determine this issue by the law as stated in other jurisdictions. This rule of law has been frequently announced and is established. Yaselli v. Goff, 275 U.S. 503, 48 S.Ct. 155, 72 L.Ed. 395, affirming 2 Cir., 12 F.2d 396, 56 A.L.R. 1239; Alzua v. Johnson, 231 U.S. 106, 111, 34 S.Ct. 27, 58 L.Ed. 142; Spalding v. Vilas, 161 U.S. 483, 16 S.Ct. 631, 40 L.Ed. 780; Bradley v. Fisher, 13 Wall. 335, 347, 20 L.Ed. 646; Lang v. Wood, 67 App.D.C. 287, 92 F.2d 211. Also see Brown v. Rudolph, 58 App. D.C. 116, 25 F.2d 540, 541, certiorari denied 277 U.S. 605, 48 S.Ct. 601, 72 L.Ed. 1011. This rule finds its genesis in the necessary protection of courts in the impartial, uninfluenced discharge of judicial duties. [1] The principle has been extended to include certain other officials who are necessary implements in enforcing the criminal laws  such as grand jurors (Yaselli v. Goff, 2 Cir., 12 F.2d 396, 403, 56 A.L.R. 1239; Sidener v. Russell, 34 Ill.App. 446; Griffith v. Slinkard, 146 Ind. 117, 44 N.E. 1001; Hunter v. Mathis, 40 Ind. 356; Engelke v. Chouteau, 98 Mo. 629, 12 S.W. 358; Turpen v. Booth, 56 Cal. 65, 38 Am.Rep. 48; Ullman v. Abrams, 9 Bush., Ky., 738; Black v. Sugg, 3 Ky. 556, Hardin 556; 1 Hawkins' Pleas of the Crown 349) petit jurors (Yaselli v. Goff, 2 Cir., 12 F.2d 396, 403, 56 A.L.R. 1239; 1 Hawkins' Pleas of the Crown 349) and (although there is early authority to the contrary) various kinds of prosecutors (Yaselli v. Goff, 2 Cir., 12 F.2d 396, 399, 56 A.L.R. 1239; Watts v. Gerking, 111 Or. 641, 654, 222 P. 318, 228 P. 135, 34 A.L. R. 1489; Smith v. Parman, 101 Kan. 115, 165 P. 663, L.R.A.1917F, 698; Griffith v. Slinkard, 146 Ind. 117, 44 N.E. 1001; Anderson v. Manley, 181 Wash. 327, 43 P.2d 39; Pearson v. Reed, 6 Cal.App.2d 277, 44 P.2d 592; Semmes v. Collins, 120 Miss. 265, 82 So. 145; Ostman v. Bruere, 141 Mo. App. 240, 124 S.W. 1059). [2] In Brown v. Rudolph, 58 App.D.C. 116, 25 F.2d 540, certiorari denied 277 U.S. 605, 48 S.Ct. 601, 72 L.Ed. 1011, the rule was applied by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to the Commissioners of the District who had filed lunacy proceedings against the plaintiff. When we consider the statutory duty of the deputy Fire Marshal to investigate fires and to initiate prosecutions for arson; the character of those duties; and the effect of the exercise thereof upon the protection of the public from a serious crime, we think the exercise of such duties requires, for the public protection, immunity from personal liability. Such duties are within the principle of the above rules of law. Since the Fire Marshal is charged only because he was the superior officer of the deputy who initiated this arson charge, it follows that he too cannot be held liable under this petition. This disposes of the appeal from the judgment entered in favor of these two individual defendants.