Opinion ID: 1127618
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: on motion of appellees to retax costs

Text: RODGERS, J.: An appeal was taken in two causes of action which had been tried upon the same record in the Circuit Court of Hinds County, Mississippi. The purpose of the appeal, and the sole assignment of error, was that the lower court erred in allowing a ten percent attorney's fee and $500 suit fee. When the case was examined on appeal, it was discovered that two of the judgments complained of had been entered in vacation at a time when the court was without authority to hear the matter, with the exception of one order, or orders, which had been entered at the next regular term. This Court reversed the judgments entered in vacation, and in our order of reversal the Court said:    It is further ordered and adjudged that the appellants, Hyde Construction Company, United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, and the Travelers Indemnity Company, surety and all appellees and cross-appellants, with the exception of Dan Bottrell & Company, do pay the costs of this appeal to be taxed, for which let proper process issue. This Court did not pass upon the assignment of errors in this cause since we did not have jurisdiction of the action on appeal. The appeal was therefore dismissed. Section 1579, Miss. Code 1942, Rec., is as follows: In all civil actions, the party in whose favor judgment shall be given, and in case of nonsuit, dismission or discontinuance, the defendant shall be entitled to full costs, except when it may be otherwise directed by law; and the law of costs shall not be interpreted as penal. We are of the opinion and so hold that, since the appeal was dismissed, the party who caused the premature appeal should be required to pay the costs on appeal. See Aetna Life Ins. Company v. Thomas, 166 Miss. 53, 144 So. 50, 146 So. 134. The appellants argue, however, that the motion to retax the costs is filed too late. They point out that the order of this Court is dated December 20, 1963, and that the appellees took no exception to the order fixing the costs due, although the cost bill was mailed out to the interested parties by the Clerk of the Court. It is also pointed out by the appellants that the claim of Highway Materials Company and Knowles Materials Company were reversed, but that a judgment in favor of Dan Bottrell & Company was sustained. It is argued that since there were three parties to the cause of action, the appellants were not, or should not be, required to pay more than one-third of the costs, or that part of the costs wherein the case was affirmed. The appellees suggest, in reply to the appellants' argument, that Rule 19 of the Rules of the Supreme Court is applicable in this cause because the suggestion of error filed by the litigants was overruled on January 20, 1964, and the motion to retax costs was filed on March 13, 1964, within sixty days after the date of the judgment of this Court. Rule 19 is in the following language: Motion to Retax Costs  Statutory Penalty. All motions to retax costs or for the awarding or disallowance of 5% damages on appeal or to correct any judgment shall be filed within sixty days from the entry of the final judgment in the case. Provided, however, that when such allowance or disallowance of costs or other matter affecting the judgment has been incorporated in the opinion, the rule applicable to the filing of suggestions of error shall apply. The rule does not require that the motion to retax costs be filed within the time allowed for the filing of a suggestion of error, except when the allowance or disallowance of costs has been incorporated within the opinion. We are therefore of the opinion, and so hold, that the motion was timely filed and that the appellants should have been taxed with the costs. The motion is sustained. The judgment of this Court in the above-styled action, recorded in Minute Book BN at page 86 will be corrected by the Clerk so as to require the appellants to pay all costs on appeal. So ordered.