Justia Missouri Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the administrative hearing commission (AHC) finding beyond Housing, Inc. and Pagedale Town Center II, LLC (PTC II) qualify for sales and use tax exemptions as charitable organizations pursuant to Mo. Rev. Stat. 144.030.2(19), holding that the AHC's decision was proper.On appeal, the director of the department of revenue argued, among other things, that the HAC erred in determining that Beyond Housing and PTC II could qualify as a charitable organization because Beyond Housing was previously granted civic exemptions and, the director claimed, the statutory categories of charitable and civic exemptions are mutually exclusive classifications. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the AHC did not err in finding Beyond Housing and PTC II qualified for the charitable exemption; and (2) the AHC’s determination that Beyond Housing and PTC II qualified for sales and use tax exemptions as charities was supported by competent and substantial evidence and comported with the law. View "Beyond Housing, Inc. v. Director of Revenue" on Justia Law

After Central Trust and Investment Company purchased Springfield Trust & Investment Company (STC), Central Trust filed an action against SignalPoint Asset Management, LLC, a registered investment advisor, for affiliating with STC’s ex-employee, who had acquired STC’s client list and had become an independent advisor representative of SignalPoint. The circuit court entered summary judgment in favor of SignalPoint on its claims for misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference with business relations, and civil conspiracy. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) Central Trust did not demonstrate that a genuine issue of material fact existed as to whether SignalPoint “misappropriated” Central Trust’s client list as that term is defined by the Missouri Uniform Trade Secrets Act; (2) this failure also justified the grant of summary judgment against Central Trust’s claim of tortious interference with business relations; and (3) Central Trust’s civil conspiracy claim was moot. View "Cent. Trust & Inv. Co. v. SignalPoint Asset Mgmt., LLC" on Justia Law

St. Louis County enacted an ordinance that established a new trash collection program in the county. Specifically, the ordinance authorized the county to establish trash collection areas in the county and allowed the county executive to advertise for bids or proposals to provide services for trash collection in the designated areas and award contracts to selected trash haulers. The County subsequently enacted an ordinance prohibiting trash haulers that were not selected in the bidding process from providing trash collection services within the eight designated collection areas. Taxpayers living in the waste collection areas then filed a class action petition, alleging (1) the County violated its charter and Mo. Rev. Stat. 260.247, violations that deemed the trash collection program void, and (2) the respondents violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MPA). The trial court granted the respondents' motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim. On appeal, the Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the County did not violate its charter, (2) the taxpayers did not have standing to file a claim under Section 260.247, and (3) the taxypayers' claim under the MPA was derivative of their claims that the trash collection program was void, so that claim also failed. View "Weber v. St. Louis County " on Justia Law