Hall v. Salem Ind. Sch. Dist. No. 17, McCook County

217 N.W.2d 160, 88 S.D. 202, 1974 S.D. LEXIS 115
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedApril 25, 1974
Docket11378
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 217 N.W.2d 160 (Hall v. Salem Ind. Sch. Dist. No. 17, McCook County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hall v. Salem Ind. Sch. Dist. No. 17, McCook County, 217 N.W.2d 160, 88 S.D. 202, 1974 S.D. LEXIS 115 (S.D. 1974).

Opinions

BIEGELMEIER, Chief Justice.

After proceedings held pursuant to, and due compliance with, SDCL 13-43-9.1 through 13-43-10.1, the school board of Salem Independent School District (hereafter District) indicated its intention not to renew the contract of Rodney Hall (hereafter referred to as Hall) as Elementary Principal for the 1973-74 [203]*203school year, and on March 27, 1973, made a final decision not to so rehire him. He was notified in writing of that decision by certified mail, which decision was received by him on March 28, 1973.

By notice of appeal dated June 19, 1973, signed by Hall’s attorney directed to the District, Hall gave notice of appeal to the circuit court from the March 27, 1973, decision rendered by the school board. This notice with a bond for $100 was filed with the clerk of courts of McCook County on June 20, 1973. However, copies necessary to be served on the school board were mailed to the sheriff of another county where a similar action was pending. When the mistake was discovered on June 25, 1973, as an affidavit on behalf of Hall relates, instead of seeing that the papers were served that day “rather than take the chance that June 26 might be the 91st day of service”, it was nevertheless decided to serve the notice on June 26, 1973, and the notice was so served.

The District promptly made a motion in circuit court to dismiss the appeal on the ground that it was not taken within the time provided by law. The motion was denied by the court. The District gave notice of appeal from that order, and this Court granted its petition for allowance of appeal from that intermediate order. By both court order and the cooperation of counsel the appeal has been expedited for early consideration and decision on the record and briefs submitted to this and the trial court.

The sole question is whether the appeal was taken within the time allowed by law. SDCL 13-46-1 provides:

“From a decision made * * * by any school board * * * an appeal may be taken to the circuit court by any person aggrieved * * * within ninety days after the rendering of such decision.” (emphasis supplied)

SDCL 13-46-3, omitting requirements of filing the notice and bond, directs that:

“Such appeal shall be taken by s.erving a notice of appeal upon * * * a school board * * * Such notice must clearly and concisely state the decision * * * appealed from.”

[204]*204SDCL 15-6-6(a) provides:

“In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by * * * any applicable statute, the day of the act, event, or default from which the designated period of time begins to run shall not be included. The last day of the period so computed shall be included (unless a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, not here applicable).”

While this definition was adopted by Supreme Court Order, effective July 1, 1966, it but restates the former and long-standing definition. See SDC (1939) 65.0403 and § 10665 of the Revised Code of 1919.

Computing the time under the definition, March 27, 1973, the date the final determination was made, is excluded, leaving four days in March, thirty days in April, thirty-one days in May and twenty-five days in June, for a total of ninety days within which an appeal could be served to comply with the ninety-day requirement of SDCL 13-46-1. Compliance with the ninety-day requirement not having been made, the circuit court acquired no jurisdiction and should have granted the motion to dismiss the appeal.

While it does not affect the ninety-day time period in which an appeal may be taken under SDCL 13-46-1, it cannot be said the action of the school board was unexpected. To detail the proceedings, the record shows that on February 12, 1973, the school board by resolution directed notice by certified mail to be given Hall of its intention not to renew his contract for the 1973-74 school term. Evidently, guided by SDCL 13-43-10,1 the school board by letter of that date notified Hall of its intention. [205]*205The letter was sent by certified mail and was receipted for by him. On February 21, 1973, in response to this notice, Hall, as permitted by SDCL 13-43-10.1, requested in writing that his personal evaluation file be made available to him for review, that he be advised in writing of all the reasons upon which the intention not to renew his contract were based, and that he be afforded an informal, private conference at a time he suggested. By letter of February 28, 1973, Hall was again advised that the school board had by unanimous vote passed a resolution of its intention not to renew his contract; it also fixed a time and place for the meeting requested and stated the reasons for its intention not to rehire. The letter enclosed his personal evaluation file, which covers six pages in the record. One entry therein indicates a February 3, 1973 meeting concerning his resignation. The minutes of the March 12, 1973 meeting show another resolution that Hall’s contract not be renewed for the 1973-74 term and that he be notified by certified mail. Pursuant to this resolution, by letter of the same date, Hall was sent such notice by certified mail. In a letter dated March 19, 1973, Hall wrote the school board that “Pursuant to SDCL 13-43-10.12 I hereby request a formal hearing * * * regarding [the board’s] decision”, etc., and stated he would have legal counsel present. Again he suggested a time for the meeting. By letter dated March 20, 1973, the school board granted his request for the meeting and fixed the [206]*206time and place for it. This letter again stated the reasons for not rehiring him. At the requested meeting on March 27, 1973, the school board, its superintendent and legal counsel met with Hall and his attorney in open and then in executive session, after which the school board passed a resolution to “sustain its original determination not to renew” Hall’s contract. By letter dated March 28, 1973, Hall was notified that the school board on March 27, 1973, had voted after the formal hearing to sustain its original determination not to renew his contract for the 1973-74 school term. This was the school board’s final determination (SDCL 13-43-10.1, n. 2) from which Hall was allowed ninety days to appeal. The requirement that the school board give written notice of it within seven days did not extend that time.

Middle Creek School District No. 18 v. Butte County Board of Education, 1968, 83 S.D.

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Hall v. Salem Ind. Sch. Dist. No. 17, McCook County
217 N.W.2d 160 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1974)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
217 N.W.2d 160, 88 S.D. 202, 1974 S.D. LEXIS 115, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hall-v-salem-ind-sch-dist-no-17-mccook-county-sd-1974.