Case Title: ADAIR v LAKE COUNTY JUSTICE COURT

Citation: 

Docket Number: 84-317

State: montana

Court: Montana Supreme Court

Date: 1984-12-04T00:00:00Z

Document:
NO. 8 4 - 3 1 7 I N THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA 1.984 MICHAEL ADAIR, DEE ANNA JOSEPH, P l a i n t i f f s and A p p e l l a n t s , -VS- LAKE COUNTY J U S T I C E COURT, D e f e n d a n t and R e s p o n d e n t . APPEAL FROM: D i s t r i c t C o u r t of t h e F o u r t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , I n and for t h e C o u n t y of L a k e , T h e H o n o r a b l e J a m e s B. Wheelis, Judge presiding. COUNSEL OF RECORD: F o r A p p e l l a . n t : M i c h a e l A d . a i r , pro se, P o l s o n , M o n t a n a F o r R e s p o n d e n t : John F r e d e r i c k , C o u n t y A t t o r n e y , P o l s o n , M o n t a n a - S u b m i t t e d on briefs: Sept. 2 6 , 1 9 8 4 D e c i d e d : D e c e m b e r 4 , 1 9 8 4 C l e r k Mr. Justice John Conway Harrison delivered the Opinion of the Court. This is an a.ppea1 by Michael A d a i r and Dee Anna Joseph from the Justice of the Peace, Charles Meyer, County of Lake, State of Montana. This case arises from an action brought in the justice court on May 3, 1984, wherein Adair was found guilty by a jury of: (i operating a motor vehicle without proof of insurance in vehicle, a misdemeanor; (ii) operating a motor vehicle while license was suspended or revoked, a misdemeanor; and (iii) operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating liquor and/or drugs. Adair was fined $350 and was given six months in the Lake County Jail with al-1 but four days suspended on the condition that he have no further violations. On appeal, Adair alleges the justice court erred in convicting him of operating a motor vehicle while his license was suspended. Adair contends that the conviction for suspension of his license should have been stayed until a decision on the motor vehicle operation without proof of insurance conviction was rendered by the District Court. Appellants also appeal their $350 fine and sentence imposed from a conviction for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. We hold the Supreme Court does not have appellate jurisdiction to review orders of the justice court. Section 46-17-311, MCA, governs the procedure on appeal from justice courts: "46-17-311. Appeal. (1) A l l cases on appeal from j u s t i c e s ' o r c i t y c o u r t s must be t r i e d anew i n t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t and may be t r i e d before a jury of s i x s e l e c t e d i n t h e same manner a s a t r i a l jury i n a c i v i l a c t i o n , except t h a t t h e t o t a l number of jurors drawn s h a l l be a t l e a s t s i x p l u s t h e t o t a l number of peremptory challenges. . . " A n appeal t o t h e D i s t r i c t Court f o r a t r i a l de novo i s a p p e l l a n t s ' excI.usive remedy f o r review of j u s t i c e c o u r t ' s proceed.ings. Forsythe v. Wenholz (1976), 1 7 0 Mont. 496, 554 P.2d 1333; Hardin v. Myers (Mont. 1981), 633 ~ . 2 d 677, 38 Accordingly, t h e a p p e l l a n t s may appeal t h e judgment of t h e j u s t i c e c o u r t t o t h e D i s t r i c t Court pursuant t o t h e sta.tutory n o t i c e of appea.1 a s provided i n s e c t i o n 46-17-311 ( 2 ) , MCA, within t e n days a f t e r t h e r e m i t t i t u r of t h i s Court. W e concur: