Opinion ID: 2015956
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: The Wanhas contend that this court is without jurisdiction to hear the instant appeal because the Longs failed to make a timely appeal. Specifically, the Wanhas argue that since the Longs' motion for new trial was filed 12 days after the judgment was rendered, the 30-day period for filing the notice of appeal was not tolled. In order to vest an appellate court with jurisdiction, the notice of appeal must be filed within 30 days of the entry of the final order or the overruling of a motion for new trial. Tri-County Landfill v. Board of Cty. Comrs., 247 Neb. 350, 526 N.W.2d 668 (1995). A timely motion for new trial suspends the time limit for filing a notice of appeal, until the motion for new trial has been disposed of by the court rendering the decision. Manske v. Manske, 246 Neb. 314, 518 N.W.2d 144 (1994). However, an untimely motion for new trial is ineffectual, does not toll the time for perfection of an appeal, and does not extend or suspend the time limit for filing a notice of appeal. Id. In the instant case, the notice of appeal was filed within 30 days of the order overruling the motion for new trial. Thus, the question is whether the motion for new trial was timely filed such that it effectively tolled the time for perfection of the appeal. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 25-1143 (Reissue 1995) states: The application for a new trial must be made, within ten days, either within or without the term, after the verdict, report or decision was rendered.... Neb.Rev. Stat. § 25-2221 (Reissue 1995) prescribes the method for computing the 10-day period: [T]he period of time within which an act is to be done in any action or proceeding shall be computed by excluding the day of the act, event, or default after which the designated period of time begins to run. The last day of the period so computed shall be included unless it is a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day during which the offices of courts of record may be legally closed as provided in this section, in which event the period shall run until the end of the next day on which the office will be open. See Harsche v. Czyz, 157 Neb. 699, 61 N.W.2d 265 (1953). Thus, when the 10th day after a judgment is a Saturday or Sunday, a motion for new trial is timely filed on the following Monday. See Fiala v. Tomek, 164 Neb. 20, 81 N.W.2d 691 (1957). In the instant case, the 10-day period ended on April 26, 1997, which was a Saturday. Accordingly, the motion for new trial could be timely filed on the following Monday, which was April 28. The Longs filed their motion for new trial on that date, and thus, it was timely filed. Because their motion for new trial was timely filed, the time for perfection of their appeal was tolled, and their notice of appeal was likewise timely filed. Therefore, we conclude that this court has jurisdiction to hear the instant appeal.