Court Opinion

ID: 9689657
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 18:42:11.966337+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:51.055271
License: Public Domain

*594MORGAN, Justice
(concurring in part, dissenting in part).
While I concur with the disposition of the first issue as to failure to join, I specifically dissent from the disposition of the second issue.
The majority blithely disregards SDCL 15-6-23(b) in determining that Shangreaux failed to structure her case within SDCL 15-6-23(a) because the class claimed is far too encompassing and overbroad. SDCL 15-6-23(b) must be looked to first to determine what limitations are applicable to define the class. Under SDCL 15-6-23(b)(2), where injunctive or declaratory relief is sought, there, is no necessity to define the class within the same narrow limitations as would be appropriate under SDCL 15-6-23(b)(3) which requires notice to members of the class. The purpose of this lawsuit is not to seek damages or 'personal redress, but rather to challenge the constitutionality of an administrative rule and to obtain declaratory and injunctive relief under Rule 23(b)(2).
In reality, the class includes the ADC recipients from month-to-month whose warrants are lost in the U.S. mails, stolen or misplaced. This would constitute an average percentage of the 21,000 plus recipients. While the 21,000 plus are all potential plaintiffs, only those who are presently awaiting reissue or those who will in the future be required to await reissue would constitute the class. I see no difficulty in defining a class in this manner. As stated in Rice v. City of Philadelphia, 66 F.R.D. 17 (E.D.Pa.1974):
Defining a class as consisting of all persons who have been or will be affected by the conduct charged to the defendants is entirely appropriate where only injunc-tive or declaratory relief is sought. Indeed, the principal beneficiaries of an in-junctive decree would seem likely to be those class members whose rights have not yet been violated.
66 F.R.D. at 20.
As for the remaining qualifications, it is clear that the questions of law and fact are common to the class. Also, the named plaintiff’s claim is typical of the class and, moreover, because of the fact that, as a continuing AFDC recipient, plaintiff’s interest in the outcome of the lawsuit is likewise continuing, it can be assumed that she will prosecute the claim in the best interest of the class.
The determination of the size of the class is a mathematical calculation based on information solely within the knowledge of the defendant department or the defendant state auditor or both. I would reverse and remand to the trial court with directions to certify the class conditionally and set a reasonable timetable for plaintiff to ascertain the information necessary to delineate the class. In a similar ruling, the United States District Court in Pennsylvania stated:
I do feel that defining the class as including all “public assistance applicants and recipients” may be overly broad. . . . If, in the context of the issues raised in this litigation, the defendants can suggest a reason for further narrowing the proposed class, they may move to divide the proposed class into subclasses pursuant to Rule 23(c)(4) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
McLaughlin v. Wohlgemuth, 398 F.Supp. 269, 274-75 (E.D.Pa.1975). The Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed this action stating: “We find no abuse of discretion in the district court’s determination to defer final decision on the scope of the class until after disposition of this appeal.” McLaughlin v. Wohlgemuth, 535 F.2d 251, n.l at 251-252 (3rd Cir. 1976).
The alternative is for this court to consider that the exceptions to the mootness issue are here present, as we have in other cases. In that vein, it appears to me that
the issue raised by the plaintiff is of public importance, i. e., it involves a public right affecting a substantial portion of the citizenry, which is reasonably capable of future repetition but will not be subject to direct appellate review; that the issue requires an authoritative determination for the future guidance of public officers; that the petitioner has a collateral interest of sufficient importance *595that it will adequately represent the public interest although the underlying controversy had ended[.]*
The people involved in this case are obviously in dire financial straits or they would not qualify for AFDC. For the system to require that they have to wait sixty days for reissuance of their warrant when state employees only have to wait ten days for the reissuance of their pay warrants is hypocritical. I think that the case is justicia-ble under either alternative, but I would prefer to consider it as a class action rather than open any doors on the mootness exception.

 Order granting writ of quo warranto in Rapid City Journal v. Tice # 12353.