Opinion ID: 1438955
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the cross-appeal of dnrec was filed timely.

Text: Spano contends that the Superior Court erred in ruling that DNREC and Edwin H. Clark, II, Secretary, timely filed their cross-appeal in that court. Such asserted errors of law are reviewed de novo by this Court. Fiduciary Trust Co. v. Fiduciary Trust Co., Del.Supr., 445 A.2d 927, 930 (1982). Super.Ct.Civ.R. 72(h) states in pertinent part that a notice of cross-appeal shall be filed within 10 days after the date on which the first notice of appeal was filed. TVSBC filed its notice of appeal from the Board's second order on February 7, 1992. DNREC filed its notice of cross-appeal against Spano on February 22, 1992. Accordingly, Spano contends that because DNREC had until only February 17, 1992, to file its cross-appeal under Rule 72(h), the Superior Court lacked jurisdiction to hear it. DNREC, however, did not receive the notice of TVSBC's appeal until February 20, 1992. If this Court were to apply Rule 72(h) literally, DNREC would have had to file its cross-appeal before it received notice that TVSBC appealed the Board's decision. Such a holding would produce an unreasonable result, and this Court may reject such an interpretation in favor of one which will produce a more reasonable result. Coastal Barge Corp. v. Coastal Zone Indus. Control Bd., Del.Supr., 492 A.2d 1242, 1247 (1985). In addition, the Delaware Administrative Procedures Act, which applies to actions of the Board, states that [n]o petition, appeal or other application for relief of the Court shall be considered as having been taken or made until it has been filed with the Prothonotary and served upon the agency in accordance with the rules of the Court. 29 Del.C. § 10145 (emphasis added); 29 Del.C § 10161(9). When read in conjunction with 29 Del.C. § 10145, Rule 72(h) implies that the ten-day limitations period does not begin to run against an agency subject to the Delaware Administrative Procedures Act until the petition, appeal, or other application has been filed with the Prothonotary and until the agency receives notice of the appeal. We find that DNREC had ten days from the date upon which it received notice of the appeal, or until March 2, 1992, to file its cross-appeal. DNREC filed its cross-appeal on February 25, 1992, well within the ten-day period. We hold that DNREC's cross-appeal was timely filed and that the Superior Court had jurisdiction over the matter.