Opinion ID: 1650752
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the trial court erroneously allowed the estate to proceed without having paid appeal costs within two years of the issuance of the supreme court's mandate.

Text: ¶ 11. Dr. Blake contends that Mississippi Code Section 11-3-43 requires the dismissal of this action with prejudice. It states: In all cases in which the Supreme Court shall reverse the judgment or decree of the court below, and remand the cause to be proceeded within such court, or remand a cause for further proceedings, the Clerk of the Supreme Court shall prepare and certify a copy of the opinion of the Supreme Court in the case, and send it, with the mandate of the judgment or decree rendered in the cause by the Supreme Court, to the clerk of the court from which the cause was brought, or to which it may be remanded. The copy of the opinion furnished shall be preserved by the clerk to whom it is delivered, for the use of the court and parties in the case. But in all cases wherein the appellant has paid the costs of his appeal and is the successful litigant and the action is reversed and remanded for further proceedings, with costs taxed against the appellee, the action shall not proceed further before the trial court, on application of the appellee, until the appellee has paid to the clerk of the trial court, for the benefit of the appellant, the costs so paid by the appellant in perfecting his successful appeal. Should the appellee fail to make such a refund of costs to the trial court within two (2) years next after the date of the judgment of reversal and remand by the Supreme Court, the appellee, his heirs or assigns, shall not thereafter be entitled to proceed further at his own instance and the appellee's right of action, as well as his remedy, shall be forever barred and extinguished. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-3-43 (Rev.2002). Dr. Blake requests that this Court reverse the judgment of the trial court, dismiss the action with prejudice, and remand to the trial court with instructions to enter a judgment against the Estate for the total appeal costs, plus collection fees and interest. ¶ 12. Mississippi Rule of Appellate Procedure 36 governs appeal costs. Rule 36(a) provides for the taxation of costs of appeal to the losing party unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties or ordered by the appellate court. Miss. R.App. P. 36(a). The costs taxable on appeal include the premiums paid for cost of supersedeas bonds or other bonds to preserve rights pending appeal. Miss. R.App. P. 36(c). A party seeking relief from the appellate court's taxation of costs must pursue relief in the appellate court, either by filing a motion to retax costs or by filing a motion for rehearing in the appropriate circumstance. Miss. R.App. P. 36(d). However, [a] party who is not aggrieved by the opinion or mandate but who seeks relief as to any other matter involving costs shall seek relief in the trial court. Id. ¶ 13. The Estate has never disputed its liability to pay the appeal costs taxed by this Court in Blake I. [5] Instead, the Estate moved the trial court to allow the case to proceed to trial without prepayment of appeal costs on the ground of indigency. The Estate filed affidavits of poverty which the trial court found had established its entitlement to IFP status. ¶ 14. Concerning the trial court's taxation of costs, this Court has stated that the inability of the losing party to pay [should] be considered. Northern Elec. Co. v. Phillips, 673 So.2d 1384, 1386 (Miss. 1996). In Northern Electric, this Court granted the plaintiff/appellee's motion to retax the premiums for a supersedeas bond and remanded to the trial court for a determination, in that court's discretion, of whether the plaintiff/appellee was able to pay the premiums of the supersedeas bond. Id. In the instant case, the trial court already has determined that the appeal costs include the cost of the supersedeas bond. However, the trial court also has determined that, due to the Estate's indigency, the trial should proceed without prepayment of the appeal costs. This decision was within the trial court's discretion to afford relief in matters involving costs under Rule 36(d). We direct the trial court on remand to enter a judgment taxing the appeal costs previously assessed against Clein to the Estate. See Miss. R.App. P. 36(c). We make it clear that our ruling is based upon Rule 36(d), notwithstanding our citation to Section 11-3-43. We need not address the constitutionality of Section 11-3-43 under separation of powers, because that issue was not raised.