Court Opinion

ID: 9580165
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:02:42.434014+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:06.256636
License: Public Domain

WUEST, Justice
(dissenting).
Contrary to the provisions of SDCL 15 — 6— 65(b), this court granted a discretionary appeal from a temporary restraining order entered by Judge Kern (Wuest and Sabers, JJ., dissenting). SDCL 15-6-65(b) (1984) (providing in pertinent part that, “Temporary restraining orders by their very nature- may not be appealed.”). Temporary restraining orders are for the purpose of maintaining the status quo until a hearing may be held. They become moot after the judge’s decision is made. The court either grants a restraining order — which may be appealed — or denies it. The reason for the rule in SDCL 15-6-65(b) is self-evident.
*482Rather than entering an order holding the discretionary appeal was improvidently granted, the court has now opted to write an opinion advertising the error.
Further, this court has taken another giant step toward opening the door to improvident appeals by deciding an issue — jurisdiction— which the trial court never ruled upon. We have repeatedly stated that we will not decide an issue in this court until the trial court has had an opportunity to pass upon it. Hawkins v. Peterson, 474 N.W.2d 90, 95 (S.D.1991) (“We will not consider issues raised for the first time on appeal.”) (citing Weaver v. Boortz, 301 N.W.2d 673 (S.D.1981)); Bottum v. Herr, 83 S.D. 542, 548, 162 N.W.2d 880, 883 (1968) (stating that a party “cannot now assert error on matters not considered by or ruled upon in the trial court”); Schull Constr. Co. v. Koenig, 80 S.D. 224, 229, 121 N.W.2d 559, 561 (1963) (“A reviewing court will not consider matters not properly before it or matters not determined by the trial court”) (citations omitted).
In addition, “This court has consistently held that the right to appeal is statutory and no appeal may be taken unless a statute clearly authorizes one.” South Dakota Dep’t of Transp. v. Freeman, 378 N.W.2d 241, 241 (S.D.1985). This holding is supported by a long line of precedent from this court. See Oahe Enter., Inc. v. Golden, 88 S.D. 296, 299, 218 N.W.2d 485, 487 (1974) (“An attempted appeal from an order from which no appeal lies is a nullity [citation omitted] and confers no jurisdiction on this court, except to dismiss it.”); Builders Specialties Co. v. Swanson, 82 S.D. 663, 665, 152 N.W.2d 550, 551 (1967) (stating that, “The right of appeal is statutory”); County Sch. Bd. v. Cottonwood Sch. Dist. No. 41, 81 S.D. 530, 531, 137 N.W.2d 882, 883 (1965) (“The right of appeal is purely statutory and unless that right exists, the court is without jurisdiction to determine the merits.”) (citing In re Swanson’s Estate, 71 S.D. 622, 623-24, 28 N.W.2d 663, 663 (1947)); In re Johnson’s Estate, 66 S.D. 256, 258, 281 N.W. 113, 114 (1938) (“The right of appeal is statutory and can be exercised only when and as authorized by statute”) (citations omitted).
In accordance with Oahe Enter., 218 N.W.2d at 487, the only correct action for this court to take was dismissal of the appeal. I respectfully dissent from the actions of this court.