Holecek v. Sundby

2007 SD 128, 743 N.W.2d 131, 2007 S.D. LEXIS 193, 2007 WL 4355515
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 12, 2007
Docket24489
StatusPublished

This text of 2007 SD 128 (Holecek v. Sundby) 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
Holecek v. Sundby, 2007 SD 128, 743 N.W.2d 131, 2007 S.D. LEXIS 193, 2007 WL 4355515 (S.D. 2007).

Opinion

MILLER, Retired Justice.

[¶ 1.] Ronald J. Holecek appeals the circuit court’s grant of summary judgment and denial to vacate the same. The circuit court determined that Holecek lacked standing to bring the lawsuit to quiet title over a property belonging to Robert T. Sundby and Ganae M. Warrington (hereinafter collectively referred to as Sundby). Additionally, the circuit court granted Sundby’s summary judgment motion on two other issues. We reverse in part and affirm in part.

FACTS

[¶ 2.] Holecek brought a quiet title action against Sundby regarding a strip of land located in Pennington County, South Dakota. Holecek’s deceased grandfather, Joseph J. Holecek, owned the contested land until 1959, when he deeded it to the City of Rapid City using a quit claim deed that contained the following language:

The above described property shall revert to the grantor if the same is not used for purposes of a public street or for purposes of a public utility right of way.

In 1990, after the City’s Common Council passed a resolution that determined the property was “no longer necessary for municipal purposes,” the City sold it to Patrick Vidal and Peter B. Hendricksen for private development. However, in the same resolution, the Common Council specifically reserved the City’s right to use the property as a utility right of way, a right reiterated in the conveying instrument.

[¶ 3.] Although for some reason the City’s original deed conveying its ownership interest in the contested land lacked reference to the express utility easement, the correction deed, issued forty-one days later, unequivocally expressed the reservation, stating: “the City of Rapid City hereby retains an easement under, over, through, and across the above referenced property for the purpose of maintaining a public street or maintaining, constructing, or operating, and repairing public utilities by itself or by an authorized franchisee.”

*133 [¶ 4.] In 2006, Holecek became aware of the property and the reservation in his grandfather’s deed to the City. Later, after consulting legal counsel, Holecek drafted a letter to Sundby and the City expressing his alleged “superior ownership” in the land, and demanded that the “developer” and the City “cease and desist from trespassing upon the property.” (Emphasis omitted). The City’s response, sent to both Sundby and Holecek, expressed the need for litigation. Sundby did not respond to Holecek’s letter. Holecek then filed a complaint seeking to quiet title to the land.

[¶ 5.] Sundby responded to the complaint by filing a motion to dismiss, or in the alternative, a motion for summary judgment. At the motion hearing, Sundby presented three arguments: 1) Holecek failed to establish he was an heir, and therefore had no standing to sue; 2) the City’s reserved interest in and use of the property prevented reversion from taking place; and 3) the defense of laches. Hole-cek opposed the motion by submitting an affidavit to the court stating he was the grandson and heir of Joseph J. Holecek, the holder of the reversionary interest. The affidavit also asserted his promptness in pursuing this legal matter and his understanding that the property was not being used for “purposes of a public street or for purposes of a public utility right of way,” as required by his grandfather’s deed.

[¶ 6.] After the hearing, the circuit court granted the motion for summary judgment on Sundby’s first argument, i.e., that Holecek had no standing. The court opined that Holecek’s conclusory assertions that he was a grandson and heir of Joseph J. Holecek were insufficient to oppose the motion. Holecek later made a timely motion to vacate the summary judgment order under SDCL 15 — 6—60(b).

[¶ 7.] At the motion to vacate hearing, Holecek argued that he honestly believed his affidavit, asserting that he was a grandson and heir of Joseph J. Holecek, was sufficient evidence to survive the summary judgment motion. He also argued that this belief, even if incorrect, was an inadvertent mistake covered under SDCL 15-6-60(b)(l). Additionally, Holecek presented two separate prior judicial rulings that established him as an heir to his grandfather, Joseph J. Holecek. Finally, he argued that the lawsuit had merit and must be permitted to proceed.

[¶ 8.] Notwithstanding these and other arguments, the circuit court denied Hole-cek’s motion to vacate, stating: “The court finds there has been no showing of excusable neglect. Further there is no showing of a probable meritorious defense.” Subsequent to denying the motion to vacate, the court expanded its original disposition and proceeded to grant Sundby’s original summary judgment motion on other issues, ie., no evidence the City’s use triggered the reversion, and the affirmative defense of laches. Holecek appeals.

Standard of Review

The standard of review on a motion for summary judgment is well settled. In reviewing a grant of summary judgment:

“ ‘[W]e must determine whether the moving party demonstrated the absence of any genuine issue of material fact and showed entitlement to judgment on the merits as a matter of law. The evidence must be viewed most favorably to the non-moving party and reasonable doubts should be resolved against the moving party. The non-moving party, however, must present specific facts showing that a genuine, material issue for trial exists. Our task on appeal is to determine whether a genuine issue of material fact *134 exists and whether the law was correctly applied. If there exists any basis which supports the ruling of the trial court, affirmance of a summary judgment is proper.’ “

Continental Grain Co. v. Heritage Bank, 1996 SD 61, ¶ 14, 548 N.W.2d 507, 511 (citations omitted).

[¶ 9.] 1. Whether the court erred in granting summary judgment for lack of standing.

[¶ 10.] In resistance to Sundby’s motion, Holecek filed a brief along with an affidavit signed by himself, stating he was the grandson and heir of Joseph J. Hole-cek. He also provided case law that permitted an heir to sue in the stead of a deceased relative. However, Holecek did not provide any other information that indicated he had a right to the reversionary interest. The court granted summary judgment on the standing issue, stating:

[Pjlaintiff has failed to assert his status as an heir other than the fact that Joe Holecek, in essence, was his grandfather .... We have nothing that establishes him as an heir or signee [sic] of his grandfather’s right. Further, we have no, for example, from the will or even that there is a will, that he would be an heir. There is no information that even if grandfather Joe Holecek’s estate passed to his son, the plaintiffs father, that he would be a beneficiary under his father’s estate.

[¶ 11.] The statutory language of SDCL 15 — 6—56(e) states that:

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Related

Continental Grain Co. v. Heritage Bank
1996 SD 61 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1996)
Bordeaux v. Shannon County Schools
2005 SD 117 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2005)
Tibbitts v. ANTHEM HOLDINGS CORPORATION
2005 SD 26 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2005)
Northwest Realty Co. v. Jacobs
273 N.W.2d 141 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1978)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2007 SD 128, 743 N.W.2d 131, 2007 S.D. LEXIS 193, 2007 WL 4355515, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holecek-v-sundby-sd-2007.