Opinion ID: 2112519
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Timeliness of the plaintiffs' appeal

Text: Before addressing the merits of the issues presented for our consideration on appeal, we must first dispose of the defendant's contention that the plaintiffs' notice of appeal was not timely filed. Initially, we must bear in mind that it is the entry of the judgment appealed from, and not the underlying decision of the court, even though filed with the clerk, that triggers the appeal period provided by Rule 73(a), M.R.Civ.P. And, pursuant to Rule 58, M.R.Civ.P., [t]he notation of a judgment in the civil docket . . . constitutes the entry of the judgment; and the judgment is not effective before such entry.  (Emphasis supplied) See Field, McKusick & Wroth, Maine Civil Practice, § 58.1, vol. 2, at p. 49; Maine Savings Bank v. DeCosta, Me., 403 A.2d 1195 (1979); Sothen v. Continental Assurance Co., 147 W.Va. 458, 128 S.E.2d 458 (1962); Kanatser v. Chrysler Corp., 10th Cir., 199 F.2d 610 (1952), cert. denied, 344 U.S. 921, 73 S.Ct. 388, 97 L.Ed. 710 (1953); Gore v. Jarrett, 192 Md. 513, 64 A.2d 550 (1949). Although the 30-day period for filing notice of appeal from this judgment started to run on January 24, 1977, the date of its notation by the clerk in the civil docket, according to Rules 73(a) and 58, M.R.Civ.P., the running of the period for appeal terminated, when the defendant filed in proper time her motion to amend the judgment pursuant to Rule 52(b), M.R. Civ.P. [2] The defendant's motion was granted by the trial Court on September 12, 1977 and resulted in the entry by the Clerk of a new judgment on September 15, 1977. This last entry of judgment as amended had the effect of reactivating the running of the full time for appeal as provided by Rule 73(a), M.R.Civ.P. [3] Following the entry of the amended judgment on September 15, 1977, the plaintiffs, on September 26, 1977, filed a motion to amend the findings of fact and for a new trial pursuant to Rules 52(b) and 59(a) respectively, M.R.Civ.P.; both motions were timely, even though filed eleven days after the entry of the amended judgment, since the tenth day after the entry of judgment fell on a Sunday. Rule 6(a), M.R. Civ.P. [4] Furthermore, Rule 52(b) permits the motion for amendment of findings and judgment to be made within 10 days after notice of the previous findings made by the court. Rule 59(b) requires the motion for a new trial to be served not later than 10 days after entry of the judgment. No issue is made as to proper service. [5] Thus, the period for filing notice of appeal again was terminated until, as provided in Rule 73(a), the court's action on the motions resulted in the entry of an order granting or denying the relief sought therein. The full time for appeal (30 days) started anew on April 10, 1978, when, on that date, the Clerk received an order dated March 1, 1978, which was entered in the civil docket on the same day and which purported to amend certain previous findings of fact and conclusions of law and denied the plaintiffs' motion for a new trial. The entry-of-judgment rule which determines the commencement of the appeal period applies with equal force to orders of the court. We said in State v. Baker, Me., 390 A.2d 1086, at 1089 (1978): The efficiency of the appellate process is enhanced if the various time periods provided by statutes and rules begin unambiguously on the dates when judgments and orders are entered as such.  (Emphasis provided) See also Torrey v. Full Gospel Church of Searsport, Me., 394 A.2d 276, 279 (1978); Rule 79(a), M.R.Civ.P. Following the entry of the ensuing amended judgment and of the order denying the motion for a new trial on April 10, 1978, the plaintiffs, on April 20, 1978, filed yet another motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence under Rule 59(a), M.R.Civ.P. Once again, this timely motion terminated the running of the thirty day period for filing the notice of appeal. Finally, this last motion for a new trial was denied by the presiding Justice in a decision dated May 31, 1978, but filed with, and received by, the Clerk on June 2, 1978, at which time the Clerk made the entry of the order in the civil docket. The entry of this order on June 2, 1978 started the 30-day period of appeal anew and the plaintiffs' appeal on June 8, 1978 was well within the requirements of Rule 73(a), M.R. Civ.P. As stated in 73(a), M.R.Civ.P., an appeal shall not be dismissed, because it is designated as being taken from an order, but shall be treated as an appeal from the judgment. The plaintiffs were not compelled to appeal before final judgment in order to save their right of review of all rulings to which they objected and which led up to the final judgment. Since the record manifests full compliance with the time requirements of the rules, this Court has jurisdiction to entertain the plaintiffs' appeal.