Court Opinion

ID: 9722139
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:17:36.116216+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:30.853100
License: Public Domain

COLER, Justice
(dissenting).
While I agree with the majority opinion to the extent that it holds that the respondent is entitled to the return of his fine and costs, I cannot concur in the opinion because of the procedural and jurisdictional defects which exist and the precedent which this decision will set. The order in this case, phrased in language of a judgment, was entered against Lawrence County, albeit naming the county treasurer, which was not a party, on a petition in the original criminal proceeding which is a collateral proceeding. I am convinced that such a remedy must be enforced by an independent civil action and the trial court was without jurisdiction, absent the commencement of an action against the real party or parties in interest to enter the “order.” In addition, the “order” merely directed payment without directing which fund should be charged.
*341Conceding the right of the respondents to be reimbursed, it is first necessary to determine who are the real parties in interest against whom the action must be commenced. SDCL 15-6-17(a). The second consideration is what procedure is to be utilized to provide the remedy. Although dealing with forfeitures, the decisions of this court, namely, State v. Newson, 1896, 8 S.D. 327, 66 N.W. 468 and State v. Davis, 1898, 11 S.D. 111, 75 N.W. 897, indicate that although neither the state nor the counties benefit from the fines collected under the provisions of S.D.Const. Art. VIII, § 3 and SDCL 23-48-30, they act as trustees of the fund and are, therefore, the real parties in interest. State v. Newson, supra. Neither of the entities receives any payment from the fund created by the fines collected since the entire fund is constitutionally required to be allocated to the school districts and to me it is this fund against which the claim must be made. S.D.Const. Art. VIII, § 6. See also SDCL 5-10 and SDCL 13-13. The state as a trustee of the fund has a claim against this sum of money, the money being personal property under SDCL 2-14-2(17), adverse to the interest of the respondent so that the state therefore is a proper party defendant. SDCL 15-6-17(a). Because of the state’s adverse interest in the property, the state may be sued but it must be by action. SDCL 21-32-8.
The county was not sued as it might have been under SDCL 7-18-1 and no claim had been filed if such a claim is required to be filed under SDCL 7-18-6. No action was commenced against either the state or the county as no summons was issued as is required by SDCL 15-2-30 and there is but one form of action, SDCL 15-6-2. No process of any nature was served upon a county commissioner of Lawrence County as is required under SDCL 15-6-4(d)(4)(i). The judgment or order is void as it relates to Lawrence County. SDCL 15-2-30 and decisions annotated thereunder.
The procedure utilized in the present case I believe is analogous to collateral proceedings attempted to be used by the railroads to collect interest on taxes paid by virtue of overassessment, Chicago & N. W. Ry. Co. v. Schmidt and Asper, 1970, 85 S.D. 223, 180 N.W.2d 233. The circuit court in that case was sitting as “another board of equalization” and it was held that under those circumstances the court was without jurisdiction to assess *342interest. Under the logic of that decision and by virtue of SDCL 21-32-81 would hold the trial court should have required an action to be commenced in which the parties were properly served with process.
This court has had occasion to provide a remedy where the statutes were silent as in inverse condemnation suits, Hurley v. State, 1966, 82 S.D. 156, 143 N.W.2d 722, but we need not fashion a remedy here on the basis of SDCL 23-52 when an action is already authorized by SDCL 7-18-1 and SDCL 21-32-8 and the claim could be presented pursuant to SDCL 15-39 in small claims.