Opinion ID: 1678628
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: appeal # 16105brookings bank v. lengkeek

Text: In this lawsuit, the Brookings Bank (parent bank of the Bank of Toronto) instituted a declaratory judgment action against Lengkeeks, requesting that the circuit court find that Lengkeeks were not entitled to enforce the judgment in Lengkeek I because Bank quitclaimed its interest in the property to Lengkeeks in January of 1986, thus satisfying the judgment. Bank also argues that its quitclaim of the land back to Lengkeeks constitutes an abandonment, relieving it of any obligation to pay on the contracts. Bank further contends that Lengkeeks' failure to request a money judgment against Bank in their pleadings and Lengkeeks' failure to litigate that issue at trial precludes them from seeking a money judgment at this time. Bank also alleges that counsel for Lengkeeks committed a fraud upon the court because the amended judgment from Lengkeek I, prepared by Lengkeeks' attorney, contained a paragraph stating that Bank had use of the 1984 and 1985 payments. Bank objected to the amended judgment, stating that it returned the 1984 payment to Zwach when Lengkeeks refused Bank's tender of such payment and that no payment was tendered in 1985. The circuit court found no fraud and upheld the validity of the amended judgment. Lengkeeks contend that they are entitled to a money judgment against Bank on the basis of SDCL 15-6-54(c) which states: ... every final judgment shall grant the relief to which the party in whose favor it is rendered is entitled, even if the party has not demanded such relief in his pleadings. Lengkeeks also allege that Bank's unilateral quitclaim of the land back to them does not exonerate Bank from paying for the land during the time that Bank had control of it, asserting that the issue is res judicata, under Lengkeek I, where this court found that Bank was obligated to make the 1984 and 1985 payments. On the fraud issue, Lengkeeks contend that Bank failed to meet its burden for showing a fraud upon the court under SDCL 15-6-60 and that Bank's action is merely an attempt to avoid making payments during the time that it had control of the land.