Court Opinion

ID: 9692605
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 15:58:33.603399+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:35.627645
License: Public Domain

SABERS, Justice
(concurring in part and dissenting in part).
I believe that the cost of “procuring necessary evidence” in this case included obtaining the transcript of the first trial. It was a “necessary expense” of “procuring necessary evidence” under SDCL 15-17-4. The fact that portions of said transcript were not read into the record at the second trial does not change the evidence to unnecessary nor the expense to nontaxable. It was necessary at the time it was obtained not only for the purpose of the first appeal, but also for preparation for retrial.
I agree that this is a matter of discretion. Grady v. Felker, 85 S.D. 477, 186 N.W.2d 509 (1971); Wagner v. Wagner, 83 S.D. 565, 163 N.W.2d 339 (1968). However, the trial court did not articulate its reasons for denying these costs. Rather, it merely stated in a letter decision that such costs “are not allowable, and are hereby denied.” In reality, then, there is nothing in the record to indicate that the trial court has exercised any discretion.
Therefore, just as in Issue II, we should “remand to the trial court to review its holding consistent with the foregoing and to set forth its reasons for allowing or denying such costs. See Hiegel v. Hill, 771 F.2d 358 (8th Cir.1985).”