Court Opinion

ID: 9693436
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 16:41:14.755464+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:46.506307
License: Public Domain

HENDERSON, Justice
(specially concurring).
Although I agree with that aspect of the majority decision which affirms the trial court’s judgment exonerating the State Board of Regents from liability, I specially join in the last aspect of this decision.
A Motion to Dismiss appellant’s entire cause of action pursuant to SDCL 15-6-*44712(b) was served and filed by appellee. This motion was based upon the pleadings. The trial court did not simply enter an order dismissing the complaint; rather, it treated the Motion to Dismiss as a Summary Judgment Motion. Appellant’s knowledge that he had been summarily judg-mented out of the ball game was contained in a memorandum decision of the trial court.
There were no depositions, interrogatories, affidavits and other discovery documents in the record upon which the trial court could make a discretionary-ministerial differentiation. Appellee never interposed an answer; the lawsuit never got that far. Under SDCL 15-6-12(b), a trial court has a right to treat a motion to dismiss based upon a failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted as a motion for summary judgment. However, this triggers a responsibility of the trial court to grant unto the parties moved against, a reasonable opportunity to present all material which is pertinent to such a motion as called for by SDCL 15-6-56. Appellant was given no such notice. Therefore, the trial court erred in this highly critical procedural matter thereby depriving appellant of his day in court. See Olson v. Molko, 86 S.D. 365, 195 N.W.2d 812 (1972), for case in point. Therefore, I join in a reversal in part and would accordingly remand for pretrial discovery procedures so that the issue on appellee Shea’s alleged liability may be factually developed. This would permit the trial court to examine the facts and consider the criteria in making a determination of Shea’s discretionary or ministerial function. Appellant, before called “out,” should have a swing at the ball.