Court Opinion

ID: 9728092
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 13:58:12.593704+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:45.901286
License: Public Domain

*236HANSON, J.
(dissenting). A retrospective law is defined as "one which takes away or impairs vested rights acquired under existing laws, or creates a new obligation and imposes a new duty, or attaches a new disability, in respect of transactions or considerations already past." 50 Am.Jur., Statutes, § 476, p. 492.
Legislative intent is the fundamental guide as to whether or not a statute operates retrospectively or prospectively. "If it is unmistakable that an act was intended to operate retrospectively, that intention is controlling as to the interpretation of the statute, even though it is not expressly so stated * * 50 Am.Jur., § 479, p. 503.
When a member of the Soldiers' Home died without legal dependents under SDC 1960 Supp. 41.0215, all of his property went to the State and he was prohibited from otherwise disposing of his property by will regardless of the size of his estate. The retroactive operation of Chapter 206, Laws of 1961 would not destroy, interfere with, or impair any vested, contractual, or constitutional right of the decedent or of his estate. Nor would it create new obligations or impose new duties. Instead its retroactive operation would be beneficial by allowing members to dispose of their estates by will subject only to the claim of the state "in the amount of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for each month the member was in the Home with proper credits allowed to the estate of the deceased member for any payments made by him * * Such language speaks of the past as well as the future.
According to the majority opinion the State would take all the property of a member of the State Soldiers' Home dying on or before midnight June 30, 1961 as compensation for his custody and care. If the member died after midnight on July 1, 1961, the State would take nothing and would have no claim whatsoever against the estate regardless of its size and without regard to the length of decedent's residence at the Home. On August 1, 1961 the State would have a claim for $75. In other words, one minute the State would take all and the next minute *237nothing, for the care of members of the Soldiers' Home. I cannot believe this was the legislative intent of Chapter 206, Laws of 1961. It was obviously intended to operate both retrospectively and prospectively and should be so construed.