S-16-0107, Christy J. Hargesheimer and Richard S. Hargesheimer (Appellants) v. John Gale, Secretary of State for the State of Nebraska, Nebraskans for the Death Penalty, Inc., a Nebraska Corporation and Ballot Question Committee, Judy Glassburner, Aimee Melton, and Bob Evnen
District Court for Lancaster County, Hon. Lori A. Maret
Attorneys: Alan E. Peterson, Christopher Eickholt, Jerry Soucie, & Amy Miller (Appellants) --- Douglas J. Peterson, Ryan S. Post, L. Jay Bartel, & David A. Lopez (Attorney General's Office) (Appellee Gale) ' L. Steven Graz & Mark D. Hill (Husch Blackwell LLP) & J.L. Spray, Stephen D. Mossman, & Ryan K. McIntosh (Mattson Ricketts Law Firm) (Appellees)
Civil: Referendum
Proceedings below: The district court dismissed Appellant's complaint with prejudice for failing to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
Issues: The district court erred by 1) granting the Appellees' motion to dismiss for a failure to state a claim pursuant to Neb. Ct. R. Pldg. '6-1112(b)(6), 2) adopting an incorrect definition of "sponsor" as defined in Neb. Rev. Stat. '32- 1405(1), 3) determining that "substantial compliance" was sufficient for the Appellees' obligation to file a proper Sworn Statement listing every sponsor to the referendum petition effort, 4) dismissing the Complaint "with prejudice" and without providing Appellants an opportunity to amend their Complaint, or to complete any discovery, or have an evidentiary hearing prior to dismissal with prejudice, 5) taking ''judicial notice" of a document to the extent of authenticating and relying upon such incomplete document referenced to be a 'Sworn Statement" filed with the Secretary of State and determining, as a matter of law, that it has satisfied the requirements of Neb. Rev. Stat. '32-1405(l).