Case Name: William L. DILLON and Wilma Jean Dillon applying for Adoption of Roger Dale Fontenot and Theresa Fontenot, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. STATE of Louisiana, Defendant-Appellee
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1975-11-06
Citations: 322 So. 2d 351
Docket Number: No. 12715
Parties: William L. DILLON and Wilma Jean Dillon applying for Adoption of Roger Dale Fontenot and Theresa Fontenot, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. STATE of Louisiana, Defendant-Appellee.
Judges: Before PRICE, DENNIS and MARVIN, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 322
Pages: 351–352

Head Matter:
William L. DILLON and Wilma Jean Dillon applying for Adoption of Roger Dale Fontenot and Theresa Fontenot, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. STATE of Louisiana, Defendant-Appellee.
No. 12715.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.
Nov. 6, 1975.
Holloway, Baker, Culpepper & Bronson by William H. Baker, Jonesboro, for plaintiffs-appellants.
Whitten & Blake by Leon H. Whitten, Jonesboro, Steven E. Adams, Baton Rouge, for defendant-appellee.
Before PRICE, DENNIS and MARVIN, JJ.

Opinion:
DENNIS, Judge.
On March 7, 1975, the trial court orally announced its decision to reject appellants' rule to obtain custody of two minor children. The record does not contain a formal judgment signed in response to the trial judge's oral reasons for his decision.
An appeal is premature in the absence of a signed judgment in the record and we must dismiss this appeal ex proprio motu. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure, Articles 1911 and 2083; Cardean v. Cannon, 307 So.2d 818 (La.App., 3d Cir. 1975); McElwee v. McElwee, 244 So.2d 35 (La.App., 2d Cir. 1971); Advertiser, Division of Independent, Inc. v. Tubbs, 203 So.2d 418 (La.App., 3d Cir. 1967); Kleb v. Choate, 203 So.2d 422 (La.App., 3d Cir. 1967).
For the foregoing reasons, the appeal is dismissed without prejudice at the cost of the appellants.
Dismissed.