Opinion ID: 2215347
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Actions Before Effective Date of the Act.

Text: The final issue before us is whether the Commission and this court can properly consider incidents which occurred before the effective date of the Act. We note as a preliminary matter that not all of the conduct complained of occurred before the effective date of the Act, July 1, 1973. Indeed, the petitioner's wife continued to practice before him even after the complaint against the petitioner was filed on March 22, 1974. Other conduct, however, did take place before the July 1, 1973 date. The petitioner does not argue that the legislature did not have the power to allow the Commission and this court to consider pre-enactment behavior. He argues only that the legislature did not clearly evidence an intent that such behavior be considered and that without such evidence this statute may not be so applied. [6] Our examination of the Act, however, reveals in its various provisions a clearly expressed intent that it is to apply to offenses predating its existence. SDCL 16-1A-10 provides that a judge is disqualified from acting as a judge while there is a felony charge pending against him. SDCL 16-1A-12 provides for suspension and removal of a judge on conviction of a felony. It cannot reasonably be said that the legislature intended that the court would be without power to remove felons from judgeships, under these portions of the Act, if the felony occurred before the effective date of the law. Such an interpretation would make a mockery of the Act, and we decline to accept it. Furthermore, it is a basic principle of statutory construction that an enactment of the legislature is to be considered as a whole. See Western Surety Co. v. Mydland, 1970, 85 S.D. 172, 179 N.W.2d 3. Thus, if retroactive impact is clearly intended for some of the provisions of an act, it seems logical to assume that the legislature intended retroactive impact for them all. A statute is passed as a whole and not in parts or sections and is animated by one general purpose and intent. Sutherland on Statutory Construction, Vol. 2A, § 46.05. The construction of the statute as retroactive is greatly bolstered by an appreciation that the legislature was attempting to induce reform into the judicial system through passage of the Judicial Qualifications Act. Can it reasonably be believed that the Commission created by it was to stand idle when there was work to be done? We think not. Therefore, given the clear intent that a significant portion of the Act is to be applied retroactively and the presumption that the legislature did not create an organ of reform only so it would remain idle for a period of years we conclude that the Commission properly considered the conduct of Judge Heuermann which occurred before the effective date of the Act. [7] Our duty, imposed by the state legislature and by the state constitution, is to maintain a judiciary which is both respected and trusted. We must be vigorous in uncovering the actions of an errant judge, but we must at the same time be careful not to find error or impose punishment merely to appease a public and a bar which are now demanding more of their judiciary than ever before. We share this duty with the Commission, whose proceedings reveal to us a high degree of competence and dedication to duty. The Commission's findings and its recommendation are approved. Judge William H. Heuermann is hereby censured for conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice which has brought his judicial office into disrepute. It is further ordered that costs be and are hereby assessed against petitioner. WINANS, WOLLMAN and COLER, JJ., and HANSON, Retired Justice, concur. HANSON, Retired Supreme Court Justice, sitting for DUNN, Chief Justice, disqualified.