Mc Dev't. v. Cent. R-3 Sch. Dist.

299 S.W.3d 600
CourtSupreme Court of Missouri
DecidedDecember 22, 2009
DocketSC 90022
StatusPublished

This text of 299 S.W.3d 600 (Mc Dev't. v. Cent. R-3 Sch. Dist.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mc Dev't. v. Cent. R-3 Sch. Dist., 299 S.W.3d 600 (Mo. 2009).

Opinion

299 S.W.3d 600 (2009)

MC DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, LLC, Appellant,
v.
CENTRAL R-3 SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY, Respondent,
Farmington R-7 School District of St. Francois County, Cross-Appellant,
Damon Black, Assessor of St. Francois County, Respondent.

No. SC 90022.

Supreme Court of Missouri, En Banc.

December 22, 2009.

*601 Bianca L. Eden, Hillsboro, for appellant.

Clinton B. Roberts, Farmington, for cross-appellant.

Thomas A. Mickes, Natalie A. Hoernschemeyer, Mickes Goldman O'Toole, LLC, St. Louis, Holly Joyce, Farmington, for respondents.

ZEL M. FISCHER, Judge.

MC Development Company, LLC, appeals from the trial court's declaratory judgment finding that a portion of MC Development's land was part of the Central R-3 School District rather than the Farmington R-7 School District. Farmington School District cross-appeals, also claiming that the property at issue was part of Farmington School District. MC Development and Farmington School District argue that the trial court's decision was against the weight of the evidence. Further, MC Development and Farmington School District argue that the trial court misapplied the law in deciding the property was part of Central School District because school districts were required statutorily and constitutionally to be composed of contiguous territory. Judgment affirmed.

*602 I. BACKGROUND

This case arises out of a dispute over the determination that a tract of property is located within the Central School District. The property at issue is Parcel 13, which is surrounded by property taxed as part of the Farmington School District.

Central School District was established in 1966 through the reorganization of several school districts. In 1967, an annual election was held, and a proposal pursuant to section 162.431, RSMo Supp.1965,[1] to change the boundary line between Farmington School District and Central School District (then known as St. Francois County School District R-3) was on the ballot. Farmington School District approved the boundary change, but Central School District rejected it. The matter was appealed to a board of arbitration, which found that the boundary change was necessary and ruled in favor of Farmington School District.

In 2004, MC Development purchased a tract of property that encompassed Parcel 13 in St. Francois County. At closing, the sellers of the property delivered an assessor's map to MC Development indicating that a portion of the property was in Central School District. MC Development contacted the St. Francois County assessor, who informed MC Development that Parcel 13 had been continuously assessed as part of Central School District as far back as 1950.

On April 7, 2005, MC Development filed an action for declaratory judgment against Farmington School District, Central School District and the assessor asking the court to determine that the property owned by MC Development lies wholly within Farmington School District and to direct the assessor to change the assessment records accordingly. MC Development then filed an amended petition, and Farmington School District filed a cross-claim shortly thereafter. A two-day bench trial was held. The trial court issued findings of fact and conclusions of law deciding that the property in dispute was wholly within the territorial boundaries of Central School District.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

A judgment in a court-tried case will be affirmed if there is substantial evidence to support it, it is not against the weight of the evidence, and it does not erroneously declare or apply the law. Murphy v. Carron, 536 S.W.2d 30, 32 (Mo. banc 1976). "Great deference must be given to the trial court's resolution of conflicts in evidence, and this Court gives due regard to the court's opportunity to have judged the credibility of the witnesses before it." In re Competency of Parkus, 219 S.W.3d 250, 255 (Mo. banc 2007).

"In considering whether the judgment of the trial court is `against the weight of the evidence,' this Court may exercise its power to set aside the judgment of the trial court only with caution and only if it possesses a firm belief that the judgment is wrong." Lewis v. Gibbons, 80 S.W.3d 461, 466 (Mo. banc 2002) (citing Murphy, 536 S.W.2d at 32). In reviewing a court-tried case, this Court accepts all evidence and inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to the prevailing party and disregards all contrary evidence. Essex Contracting, Inc. v. Jefferson County, 277 S.W.3d 647, 652 (Mo. banc 2009).

*603 III. ANALYSIS

A. The trial court's judgment was not against the weight of the evidence

MC Development and Farmington School District argue that the trial court's decision was against the weight of the evidence because the trial court relied on the assessor's records rather than the records of Farmington School District. Specifically, MC Development and Farmington School District contend that the trial court's reliance on the assessor's map was in error because section 162.841 required the district secretary to record and update a correct plat of the district, and they contend there is no legal basis for the assessor's records to be more determinative. This Court finds that the trial court's judgment was not against the weight of the evidence.

The trial court relied on the assessor's records because they were more reliable under the facts and circumstances of this particular case, not because they were authoritative. The trial court found that, at the time of the reorganization in 1967, the authority to establish school district boundaries was vested in the county school superintendent; this office no longer existed at the time of trial, and no official records remained from the St. Francois county school superintendent. Moreover, the trial court found that there is no government office or agency with the authority to establish boundary lines or determine boundary lines when there is a dispute, including the county assessor. Accordingly, the trial court had to determine the boundaries based on the conflicting evidence presented from different sources. The trial court found that maps maintained by the school districts were evidence of what they believed to be their boundaries but were in conflict with other evidence.

The trial court considered the assessor's maps and records to be more persuasive evidence as to which school district Parcel 13 belonged. The trial court also considered the legal description of the land from the 1967 election, which it found to be a reliable source of information about the location of the school districts' boundary lines. As such, the trial court had substantial evidence on which to base its finding that Parcel 13 was located within the boundaries of Central School District.

MC Development further claims that the trial court erred in that it gave "no weight" to the testimony of Dr. Henry, who was superintendent of Farmington School District in 1967. The trial court was presented with testimony from numerous witnesses, including Dr. Henry.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In Re the Competency of Parkus
219 S.W.3d 250 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 2007)
Zink v. State
278 S.W.3d 170 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 2009)
Parktown Imports, Inc. v. Audi of America, Inc.
278 S.W.3d 670 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 2009)
Murphy v. Carron
536 S.W.2d 30 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1976)
Essex Contracting, Inc. v. Jefferson County
277 S.W.3d 647 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 2009)
Lewis v. Gibbons
80 S.W.3d 461 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 2002)
Nelson v. Crane
187 S.W.3d 868 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 2006)
STATE EX INF. DANFORTH v. Merrell
530 S.W.2d 209 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1975)
Bosworth v. Sewell
918 S.W.2d 773 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1996)
Hunter v. De Luxe Drive-In Theaters
257 S.W.2d 255 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1953)
MC Development Co. v. Central R-3 School District of St. Francois County
299 S.W.3d 600 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 2009)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
299 S.W.3d 600, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mc-devt-v-cent-r-3-sch-dist-mo-2009.