Court Opinion

ID: 9687586
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 16:37:57.790964+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:29.010830
License: Public Domain

HENDERSON, Justice
(concurring in result).
By want of an accurate standard of review in the closing paragraph of the majority writing, I could outright concur in this opinion. After spiritually following the proper review, the waters are muddied by faulty language of the majority.
It is well settled law that to reverse the trial de novo herein, this Court must be definitely and firmly convinced that a mistake has been made. In re Proceedings for Deposit in Court, 417 N.W.2d 187 (S.D.1987); In re Estate of Hobelsberger, 85 S.D. 282, 181 N.W.2d 455 (1970). The standard of review for findings of fact is clearly erroneous as opposed to mistake of law. In re Beaver Lake, 466 N.W.2d 163 (S.D.1991); Permann v. Dept. of Labor, 411 N.W.2d 113 (S.D.1987). Conclusions of law, however, are fully reviewable. Cox v. Sioux Falls Sch. Dist., 514 N.W.2d 868 (S.D.1994); Permann, 411 N.W.2d at 117. These standards are not interchangeable.
This Court’s holding today states, “The judgment of the trial court denying Hen-drik’s application for a writ of mandamus is not clearly erroneous.” Certainly, the trial court’s factual findings are not clearly erroneous. Nevertheless, we cannot affirm the legal questions on this standard. To be consistent and uphold precedent, we must also be definitely and firmly convinced that the trial court’s conclusions were not mistakes of law. Kayser v. South Dakota State Elec. Comm’n, 512 N.W.2d 746 (S.D.1994); Finck v. Northwest Sch. Dist., 417 N.W.2d 875 (S.D.1988). I so hold.