Opinion ID: 1910318
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: summary judgment hearing on coalition's violation of merger petition and procedural due process claims

Text: The Coalition moved for summary judgment on its first and second causes of action: breach of the merger petition and violation of its members' procedural due process rights. In July 2005, the court heard the summary judgment motion. The school district argued that the merger petition conflicted with what is now Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-419(2) (Reissue 2003 & Cum. Supp. 2006). It argued that paragraph IV(A) exceeded the former Lyons and Decatur school boards' authority in two ways. First, the school district argued that the merger statute allowed the merging school boards to require a vote by electors in the reorganized district who are served by a school. But it did not authorize a vote by electors in a former school district, as required by paragraph IV(A). Second, it argued that the merger statute allowed the former school boards to require a majority vote by electors before closing a school, but it did not authorize a majority vote before discontinuing any grades at a school. The school district also argued it had provided due process. It argued that due process required only notice and an opportunity to be heard at the meeting when the school district discussed cost-saving measures. The court denied the Coalition's partial summary judgment motion regarding its first and second causes of action. In addition, relying on In re Freeholders Petition, [4] the court granted summary judgment to the school district on those causes of action. The Coalition appealed, but the Nebraska Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction. [5]