Opinion ID: 1275751
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Timely Motion for New Trial

Text: As a preliminary matter, the Railroad urges that this appeal should be dismissed because plaintiff failed to make a timely motion for a new trial, with the result that, under Rule 59(f) of the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure (R.C.P.), plaintiff-appellant is deemed to have waived all errors occurring during the trial. [1] The Railroad points out that the circuit court judgment was entered on October 2, 1980, and the motion for a new trial was not served until October 15, 1980, several days beyond the 10-day period provided for by Rule 59(b). [2] However, at the conclusion of trial on October 2, 1980, plaintiff's counsel made a motion orally for a new trial, although he did not specify the grounds on which it was based. At that time, the trial court, without objection from the Railroad, permitted the plaintiff to proceed under a common law motion in arrest of judgment in lieu of a motion for new trial. By an order dated October 2, 1980, the court set a hearing on the motion for October 20. [3] Thus, the plaintiff received in advance a purported waiver of the time limit from the trial court, with no objection on the part of the defendant-appellee Railroad. In its motion to dismiss the appeal, the Railroad argues that under Rule 6(b), R.C.P., the trial court is not permitted to extend the time period for a motion for a new trial. [4] The United States Supreme Court and federal circuit courts have made it clear that where a trial court makes an erroneous ruling extending a time period under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and one of the parties relies on the ruling, such party will not be foreclosed from further pursuit of his claim because of this error. This holding is particularly true where the opposing party acquiesces or fails to object to the erroneous ruling at the time it was made. [5] Thompson v. Immigration and Naturalization Service, 375 U.S. 384, 84 S.Ct. 397, 11 L.Ed.2d 404 (1964); Harris Truck Lines, Inc. v. Cherry Meat Packers, Inc., 371 U.S. 215, 83 S.Ct. 283, 9 L.Ed.2d 261 (1962); Needham v. White Laboratories, 639 F.2d 394 (7th Cir. 1981); Hernandez-Rivera v. Immigration and Naturalization Service, 630 F.2d 1352 (9th Cir. 1980); Wright & Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure: Civil § 2812 & n. 51 (1973). Consequently, plaintiff's motion for a new trial will not be treated as untimely for purposes of preserving the issues he raises in this appeal.