Latest 2 Cases: Carmody v. Lake County Board Of Commissioners (Government & Administrative Law), In re Estate Of Tank (Trusts & Estates)

The Unacknowledged Clash Between the Supreme Court’s Interpretation of the Religion Clauses and the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment

VIKRAM DAVID AMAR, ALAN E. BROWNSTEIN

Illinois law dean Vikram David Amar and UC Davis law professor emeritus Alan Brownstein comment on a largely unacknowledged clash between religious accommodations and exemptions on the one hand, and core free speech principles which the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized, on the other. Amar and Brownstein describe this apparent conflict and suggest that the Court begin to resolve the conflict when it decides two cases later this term presenting the question of the scope of the “ministerial exception.”

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Carmody v. Lake County Board Of Commissioners

Citation: 2020 S.D. 3

Opinion Date: January 22, 2020

Judge: Kern

Areas of Law: Government & Administrative Law, Real Estate & Property Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Lake County Board of Commissioners, sitting as the Lake County Drainage Board (Board), approving the application for permits filed by Steven Carmody and Edward Becker to install drain tile on their respective properties in Lake County, holding that the circuit court did not err when it affirmed the Board's decision to issue the drainage permits. James Carmody objected to both permits and appealed the Board's approval of the permits to the circuit court. The circuit court applied the abuse of discretion standard of review and affirmed the Board's approval of the drainage permits. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the circuit court (1) applied the correct standard of review and burden of proof to Carmody's appeal of the drainage permits; and (2) did not abuse its discretion when it affirmed the Board's decision to issue the drainage permits.

In re Estate Of Tank

Citation: 2020 S.D. 2

Opinion Date: January 22, 2020

Judge: Jensen

Areas of Law: Trusts & Estates

In this case concerning the will of Russell Tank naming his neighbor Jason Bender as his sole heir and disinheriting his four adult children (Children) the Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the decision of the circuit court dismissing Children's petition challenging the will, holding that summary judgment was improperly granted on one of the children's claims of undue influence. Children filed a petition challenging the will naming Bender as Russell's sole heir on the grounds of lack of testamentary capacity, insane delusions, and undue influence. The circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of Bender. The Supreme Court reversed in part, holding that the circuit court (1) did not err in concluding that there were no genuine issues of material fact showing Russell lacked testamentary capacity to execute the will; (2) did not err in determining that there were no genuine issues of material fact showing Russell suffered from an insane delusion affecting the terms of his will; and (3) erred in determining that that there were no material issues of fact on one of the children's claim that the will was the product of undue influence but did not err in concluding that there was no evidence to support the remaining children's claim of undue influence.