Appeals of Bottcher

Decision Date27 April 1960
Docket NumberNo. 9793,9793
Citation102 N.W.2d 623,78 S.D. 360
PartiesIn the matter of the appeals of Gertrude A. BOTTCHER, Millard Kiel and The McLaughlin Company, Inc., a Corporation, from the decision of the County Board of Equalization of Hyde County, South Dakota.
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court

Heidepriem & Widmayer, Miller, for appellants.

Fred R. Winans, Hyde County State's Atty., Highmore, for respondent.

BIEGELMEIER, Judge.

Appellants as owners of mercantile buildings in Highmore, South Dakota, made applications for reductions of the valuations fixed by the Director of Assessments. Receiving no relief from the governing body of the city or the County Board, sitting as Boards of Equalization, appeals were taken to the circuit court. In that court they were combined for trial at which appellants submitted extensive evidence. The trial judge filed a memorandum decision in which he reduced the valuations twenty and thirty per cent. Thereafter the parties to this proceeding entered a stipulation waiving findings of fact and conclusions of law, to which the circuit court attached an order to the same effect. A judgment was entered in accordance with the decision. Feeling aggrieved and claiming the reductions of the assessments made by the circuit court were inadequate, appellants have appealed to this court from the judgment. As to each building appellant has one assignment of error, that the evidence is insufficient to justify the memorandum decision and judgment of the court. Respondent calls into question the authority of this court to consider the assignment of error for the reason that this is an appeal only from the judgment, that no motion for a new trial was made and no request for findings or other apt motion was made as a foundation for the assignment. Courts prefer to determine appeals on their merits and we would prefer to so consider this appeal because of the scope and weight of the evidence introduced by appellant. Nevertheless, it is our duty to consider only such error as is properly presented in the trial court so it may be reviewed and when the objection is specifically called to our attention, it must first be determined.

The right of appeal is statutory. Insufficiency of the evidence to justify the decision is one of the causes for granting a new trial, SDC 33.1605(6) and on appeal from the order made on such application this court may then inquire into its propriety on that ground. Keyes v. Baskerville, 42 S.D. 381, 175 N.W. 874. Since the adoption of Supreme Court Rule 187 (SDC 33.1607) an application for a new trial is not necessary as a prerequisite to obtain appellate review as to the matters specified in subdivisions (6) and (7) of SDC 33.1605 and such matters may be so reviewed without a motion for a new trial, 'provided such matter has been submitted to the trial court as prescribed in section 33.0710.' This last cited section provides in part:

'Such of the matters specified in subdivisions (6) and (7) of section 33.1605 as may have been...

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6 cases
  • Scherf v. Myers
    • United States
    • South Dakota Supreme Court
    • October 31, 1977
    ... ... Moody County v. Cable, 82 S.D. 537, 150 N.W.2d 193; In re Appeals of Bottcher, 78 S.D. 360, 102 N.W.2d 623. In view of the defendant's timely motion for a new trial under SDCL 15-6-59(a), we will consider this case ... ...
  • Reede Constr., Inc. v. S.D. Dep't of Transp.
    • United States
    • South Dakota Supreme Court
    • November 1, 2017
    ... ... DOT filed a motion for a new trial, arguing insufficient evidence supported the jury's verdict. The circuit court denied the motion, and DOT appeals. We affirm.Facts and Procedural History[2.] In March 2006, DOT contracted with Reede to perform work on a portion of Interstate 29 and Highway 42 in ... 15659(b) meant that preservation of the issue on appeal required another apt motion under SDCL 15659(f) ); [903 N.W.2d 744 In re Appeals of Bottcher, 78 S.D. 360, 362, 102 N.W.2d 623, 624 (S.D. 1960) ("Insufficiency of the evidence to justify the decision is one of the causes for granting a new ... ...
  • Builders Specialties Co. v. Swanson
    • United States
    • South Dakota Supreme Court
    • September 6, 1967
    ... ... The court entered findings of fact and conclusions of law and judgment accordingly, and plaintiff appeals ...         Plaintiff predicates its assignments of error on the insufficiency of the evidence to sustain the findings of fact, conclusions ... 495, 294 N.W. 180; Doling v. Hyde County, 70 S.D. 339, 17 N.W.2d 693; Ove v. Hutcheson, 77 S.D. 78, 85 N.W.2d 675; ... In re Appeals of Bottcher", 78 S.D. 360, 102 N.W.2d 623; Iversen v. Terriere, 78 S.D. 478, 104 N.W.2d 474; Moody County v. Frank Cable, S.D., 150 N.W.2d 193 ...        \xC2" ... ...
  • Swanson v. City of Deadwood
    • United States
    • South Dakota Supreme Court
    • June 25, 1974
    ... ... Trial was to the court without a jury, and from a judgment of $600 in favor of the plaintiffs, defendant, City of Deadwood, appeals ...         The court's findings of fact will assist in the discussion of the defendant's contentions and arguments. The court found that ... See In Re Appeals of Bottcher, 78 S.D. 360, 102 N.W.2d 623, and Moody County v. Cable, 82 S.D. 537, 150 N.W.2d 193, where the court reviewed the various sections involved (then ... ...
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