Case Title: Remick v. Erin, Inc.

Citation: 

Docket Number: 414-a-2d-896-0

State: maine

Court: Maine Supreme Court

Date: 1980-05-21T00:00:00Z

Document:
Decided May 21, 1980. *897 Jerome B. Goldsmith, Bangor, for plaintiff. Rudman, Winchell, Carter & Buckley, Clark P. Thompson (orally), Michael P. Friedman, Bangor, for defendants. Before McKUSICK, C. J., and WERNICK, GODFREY, NICHOLS, GLASSMAN and ROBERTS, JJ. PER CURIAM. On January 31, 1980, the Superior Court (Penobscot County) entered a pro forma decree based upon a decision of the Workers' Compensation Commission denying compensation to petitioner Remick. Petitioner filed her appeal to the Law Court on February 13, 1980, after the expiration of the 10-day appeal period prescribed by 39 M.R.S.A. § 103 (1978).[1] Respondents, on February 22, moved to dismiss the appeal for untimeliness. We grant respondents' motion and dismiss the appeal. Time requirements for the taking of an appeal are mandatory and jurisdictional. See Town of South Berwick Planning Board v. Maineland, Inc., Me., 409 A.2d 688 , 689 (1980), and cases cited therein. Petitioner's failure to appeal within the prescribed period prevents the Law Court from acquiring jurisdiction over the attempted appeal. See Town of South Berwick, supra; Reynolds v. Hooper, Me., 407 A.2d 312 , 314 (1979); Harris Baking Co. v. Mazzeo, Me., 294 A.2d 445 , 451-52 (1972). We do not reach the question whether the 30-day extension upon a showing of excusable neglect permitted by M.R.Civ.P. 73(a) applies to the statutory appeal period at issue here.[2] Petitioner requested no extension of time from the Superior Court within 30 days from the expiration of the original statutory appeal period or at any later time, and thus failed to invoke Rule 73(a). She did file in this court on March 28, 1980, a motion for an extension of time to appeal, but we had no jurisdiction to entertain the motion, particularly at that late date. The entry is: Appeal dismissed. No fee is allowed to employee's counsel. All concurring.