Opinion ID: 852278
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Timing for Motions to Correct Error Is Different

Text: The State's cross-appeal does not take issue with any of Dowell's filings governed by the appellate rules. Rather, the State argues that the appeal should be dismissed because Dowell's motion to correct error was untimely. The Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure require that a motion to correct error be filed within thirty days after the entry of a final judgment. Ind. Trial Rule 59(C). As the Attorney General points out, the trial rules define with some particularity what constitutes filing and when filings are deemed to have occurred, depending on the mode of delivery: (F) Filing With the Court Defined. The filing of pleadings, motions, and other papers with the court as required by these rules shall be made by one of the following methods: (1) Delivery to the clerk of the court; (2) Sending by electronic transmission under the procedure adopted pursuant to Administrative Rule 12; (3) Mailing to the clerk by registered, certified or express mail return receipt requested; (4) Depositing with any third-party commercial carrier for delivery to the clerk within three (3) calendar days, cost prepaid, properly addressed; (5) If the court so permits, filing with the judge, in which event the judge shall note thereon the filing date and forthwith transmit them to the office of the clerk; or (6) Electronic filing, as approved by the Division of State Court Administration pursuant to Administrative Rule 16. Filing by registered or certified mail and by third-party commercial carrier shall be complete upon mailing or deposit[.] Any party filing any paper by any method other than personal delivery to the clerk shall retain proof of filing. T.R. 5(F). The gist of this is that when a party transmits by an independently verifiable means (like registered mail or third-party carrier), the filing is deemed to have occurred upon mailing or deposit. When other means are used, filing occurs on the date the filing is in the hands of the clerk. Indianapolis Mach. Co. v. Bollman, 167 Ind.App. 596, 339 N.E.2d 612 (1976). The principle of the mailbox rule has been applied under Rule 5 only when the court is satisfied that the prisoner had employed certified mail, return receipt requested, and deposited his mailing in the institutional mail pouch by or before the filing deadline, notwithstanding the fact that the postmark reflected a date after the deadline. Cooper v. State, 714 N.E.2d 689 (Ind. Ct.App.1999); Baker v. State, 505 N.E.2d 498 (Ind.Ct.App.1987). Dowell used regular mail, perhaps tendering it on the last possible day. The trial court clerk thus appropriately date-stamped it on the day when it arrived in the clerk's office, two days after the filing deadline. When a motion to correct error is not timely filed, the right to appeal is not preserved. Goodman v. State, 581 N.E.2d 1259 (Ind.Ct.App.1991) (appeal dismissed after trial court wrongly purported to grant an extension); Dixon v. State, 566 N.E.2d 594, 596 (Ind.Ct.App.1991) (if an appellant files a motion to correct error that is not mandatory under the rules, the motion must be filed within thirty (30) days after the judgment in order to preserve the appellant's right to an appeal of all issues); Corkell v. Corkell, 653 N.E.2d 998 (Ind.Ct.App.1995) (untimely motion to correct error forfeits opportunity for appeal of issues to which it is addressed).