MARRIAGE OF REX
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No. 81-304 1N THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA 1982 IN RE THE MARRIAGE OF PATRICIA A. REX, Plaintiff and Respondent, and CALVIN T. REX, Defendant and Appellant. Appeal from: District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, In and for the County of Missoula Honorable James B. Wheelis, Judge presidinq. Counsel of Record: For Appellant: Morales, Volinkaty & Harr, Missoula, Montana For Respondent : Anthony Keast, Kissoula, Montana Submitted on briefs: June 24, 1982 Decided: Ailgust 11, 1982 AtJt; Filed- !. 1 i 1582 Mr. C h i e f J u s t i c e F r a n k I . H a s w e l l d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n o f the Court. Husband 1 9 8 0 , which appeals from an order dated September 24, imposed a s a n c t i o n o f $400 i n a t t o r n e y f e e s t o b e p a i d by him t o w i f e ' s c o u n s e l a s a c o n d i t i o n p r e c e d e n t t o setting aside a default entered a g a i n s t him on A u g u s t 4, 1980. Two whether issues are t h e n o t i c e of presented to this Court: First, a p p e a l was f i l e d i n a t i m e l y m a n n e r ; secondly, whether t h e District Court abused its d i s c r e t i o n in imposing a sanction of attorney fees as a condition precedent t o s e t t i n g aside the default. On A u g u s t 4, 1 9 8 0 , h e a r i n g was h e l d by t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t on two c o n s o l i d a t e d m o t i o n s o f f e r e d by r e s p o n d e n t w i f e that requested the District Court (1) t o hold appellant husband i n contempt o f c o u r t f o r a r r e a r a g e i n c h i l d s u p p o r t p a y m e n t s and ( 2 ) t o amend a p r i o r tunc t o r e f l e c t s u p p o r t o r d e r nunc p r o appellant father's responsibility for the c h i l d r e n ' s m e d i c a l d e d u c t i b l e s and a n y m e d i c a l c o s t s e x c e e d ing the insurance coverage provided by the father's em- ployer. A p p e l l a n t d i d n o t a p p e a r e i t h e r p e r s o n a l l y o r by counsel. No c o n t i n u a n c e had b e e n o b t a i n e d by a p p e l l a n t . The D i s t r i c t C o u r t h e a r d and g r a n t e d t h e c o n s o l i d a t e d motions, defaulting appellant f o r f a i l u r e t o appear. t h a t day, appellant's set aside the default. 1980. Appellant's professional c o u n s e l moved Later t h e D i s t r i c t Court t o T h i s m o t i o n was a r g u e d on A u g u s t 1 8 , c o u n s e l c o n t e n d e d t h a t l o c a l custom and courtesy required the District Court and o p p o s i n g c o u n s e l t o make i n q u i r y i n t o a p p e l l a n t ' s c o u n s e l ' s a b s e n c e f r o m law and m o t i o n p r i o r t o a l l o w i n g d e f a u l t t o b e taken. Appellant's counsel a l s o argued excusable n e g l e c t b a s e d upon numerous i n f o r m a l a t t e m p t s he had t a k e n t o o b t a i n a continuance. The D i s t r i c t C o u r t t o o k t h e m a t t e r under advisement a n d , on S e p t e m b e r 2 3 , 1 9 8 0 , handed down a n o r d e r w h i c h enunc i a t e d t h a t l o c a l custom p r o v i d e d for contacting attorneys t o remind them of h e a r i n g s i n which o n l y l e g a l m a t t e r s would be d e c i d e d and n o t i n i n s t a n c e s w h e r e f a c t u a l m a t t e r s would be c o n t e s t e d . but required respondent 's The D i s t r i c t C o u r t d i d f i n d e x c u s a b l e n e g l e c t appellant counsel a as pay $400 condition in attorney precedent fees to to setting I t is f r o m t h i s o r d e r t h a t a p p e l l a n t a s i d e of t h e d e f a u l t . appeals. to N o t i c e of a p p e a l was f i l e d on J u n e 2 , 1 9 8 1 . T h i s C o u r t may c o n s i d e r a m a t t e r on a p p e a l o n l y when appeal is t a k e n p u r s u a n t t o t h e Montana R u l e s of A p p e l l a t e C i v i l Procedure. t i o n upon which R u l e 1, M.R.App.Civ.P., t h i s Court t o hear include "a final confers jurisdic- an a p p e a l i n s p e c i f i c c a s e s , judgment entered in an action or s p e c i a l p r o c e e d i n g commenced i n a d i s t r i c t c o u r t " and " f r o m a n y s p e c i a l o r d e r made after final judgment." An appeal f r o m a n y s p e c i a l o r d e r made a f t e r f i n a l j u d g m e n t i n c l u d e s a n order setting judgment. Mont. aside or S t a t e ex rel. 1 1 0 , 1 1 2 , 207 P. requires that notice refusing D e c k v. 1004, 1005. of t h i r t y d a y s of e n t r y of to vacate a default D i s t r i c t Court ( 1 9 2 2 ) , 64 R u l e 5 , M.R.App.Civ.P., a p p e a l must t h e n be filed within judgment o r o r d e r o r w i t h i n t h i r t y d a y s of s e r v i c e of n o t i c e of e n t r y o f j u d g m e n t o r o r d e r when n o t i c e i s s o r e q u i r e d by R u l e 7 7 ( d ) , I4.R.Civ.P. Such n o t i c e of e n t r y of judgment is r e q u i r e d t o be s e r v e d a f t e r e n t r y o f judgment o r o r d e r t o " e a c h p a r t y who i s n o t i n d e f a u l t f o r f a i l u r e t o a p p e a r " and i s t o b e t h e n n o t e d i n t h e docket. R u l e 7 7 ( d ) , t4.R.Civ.P. In District entered order the instant case, Court file reveals after entered t h e August on a examination that no 1980, 4, September careful the judgment was default. 23, 1980, final of a Nor final was order. the No s e r v i c e o f n o t i c e o f e n t r y o f j u d g m e n t o r o r d e r was made t o either appellant d e f a u l t of 1980. August or 4, respondent 1980, or in the relation to either the order September 23, of T h i s C o u r t d o e s n o t h a v e j u r i s d i c t i o n of t h i s m a t t e r . U n t i l f i n a l judgment is e n t e r e d , any a p p e a l is p r e m a t u r e . Dismissed w i t h o u t p r e j u d i c e f o r l a c k of j u r i s d i c t i o n . g k 4 agwd* Chief J u s t i c e We concur:
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