Opinion ID: 1801265
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: appealwhen taken

Text: Rule 4(b) Appeals in Criminal Cases. In a criminal case the notice of appeal by a defendant shall be filed with the clerk of the trial court within 10 days after the entry of the judgment or order appealed from. . . . Upon a showing of excusable neglect the trial court may, before or after the time has expired, with or without motion and notice, extend the time for filing a notice of appeal for a period not to exceed thirty days from the expiration of the time otherwise prescribed by this subdivision. [Emphasis added.] The City asserts that a timely notice of appeal was not filed pursuant to Rule 4(b), N.D.R.App.P., because Lundt failed to file a written notice of appeal within 10 days from the date of the entry of the order of dismissal or within the additional 30 days which may be granted by the trial court. The City concedes that the order of dismissal was never formally served upon Lundt (the order of dismissal dated April 29, 1975). However it asserts that Lundt became aware of the order of dismissal not later than September 30, 1975, and Lundt in his letter directed to the Supreme Court of North Dakota dated September 30, 1975, stated, in pertinent part: According to the Ward County District Court record, my case was dismissed in District Court and remanded to Minot Municipal Court for further action. Such action was refused. However, Lundt did not file a notice of appeal with the clerk of the Ward County District Court until his letter dated February 22, 1978, which was filed in the clerk's office on March 1, 1978. A perusal of the remaining correspondence by Lundt with the Supreme Court cannot be equated to or considered as constituting a notice of appeal. Lundt's correspondence other than his letter of February 22, 1978, fails to meet the requirements of Rule 3(c), N.D.R. App.P., because such correspondence does not specify the party taking the appeal, does not designate the order appealed from, and does not name the court to which the appeal is taken. Lundt also, in his correspondence, stated that he wanted a judge review of the case only and that he did not want a new trial. Lundt was apparently unaware of Rule 37(g) of the North Dakota Rules of Criminal Procedure, which provides, in pertinent part: