Opinion ID: 1967065
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: We first address the State's position that this court lacks jurisdiction over the instant appeal because there is no order in the record granting Jones permission to proceed in forma pauperis. The following statutes are applicable: An order sustaining or overruling a motion filed under sections 29-3001 to 29-3004 shall be deemed to be a final judgment, and an appeal may be taken from the district court as provided for in appeals in civil cases. A prisoner may, in the discretion of the appellate court and upon application to the appellate court, be released on such recognizance as the appellate court fixes pending the determination of the appeal. § 29-3002. Any county or state court, except the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court, may authorize the commencement, prosecution, defense, or appeal therein, of a civil or criminal case in forma pauperis. An application to proceed in forma pauperis shall include an affidavit stating that the affiant is unable to pay the fees and costs or give security required to proceed with the case, the nature of the action, defense, or appeal, and the affiant's belief that he or she is entitled to redress. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 25-2301.01 (Cum.Supp. 2000). (1) An application to proceed in forma pauperis shall be granted unless there is an objection that the party filing the application: (a) Has sufficient funds to pay costs, fees, or security or (b) is asserting legal positions which are frivolous or malicious. The objection to the application shall be made within thirty days after the filing of the application. Such objection may be made by the court on its own motion or on the motion of any interested person. The motion objecting to the application shall specifically set forth the grounds of the objection. An evidentiary hearing shall be conducted on the objection unless the objection is by the court on its own motion on the grounds that the applicant is asserting legal positions which are frivolous or malicious.... If an objection is sustained, the party filing the application shall have thirty days after the ruling or issuance of the statement to proceed with an action or appeal upon payment of fees, costs, or security notwithstanding the subsequent expiration of any statute of limitations or deadline for appeal. In any event, the court shall not deny an application on the basis that the appellant's legal positions are frivolous or malicious if to do so would deny a defendant his or her constitutional right to appeal in a felony case. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 25-2301.02 (Cum.Supp. 2000). In State v. Dallmann, 260 Neb. 937, 947, 621 N.W.2d 86, 96 (2000), we addressed the timing of a jurisdictional challenge in a case in which a party wished to proceed in forma pauperis: Section 25-2301.02 makes clear that challenges to the ability of a defendant to proceed in forma pauperis are to occur in the district court and that the district court is charged with the responsibility of granting or denying the motion to proceed in forma pauperis. We also stated: We have uniformly held that lower courts are divested of subject matter jurisdiction over a particular case when an appeal of that case is perfected.... [W]e [have] held that an in forma pauperis appeal is perfected when the appellant timely filed a notice of appeal and an affidavit of poverty. Although jurisdiction is vested in the appellate court upon timely filing of a notice of appeal and an affidavit of poverty, some duties are still required of the lower court.... For example, the lower court must forward to the appellate court the notice of appeal, requests for the transcript and the bill of exceptions, and the docket fee or poverty affidavit. Sections 25-2301 and 25-2308 require the lower court to act if it determines that the allegations of poverty are untrue or if it determines that the appeal is not taken in good faith. Generally, appellants are entitled to the benefits of an in forma pauperis appeal when the affidavit of poverty and notice of appeal are filed and stand uncontradicted and unobjected to. If there is no hearing on the poverty affidavit and the appeal, or when there is a hearing and the evidence is uncontradicted, the trial court has a duty to allow the appellant to proceed in forma pauperis. Dallmann, 260 Neb. at 947-48, 621 N.W.2d at 96. In In re Interest of N.L.B., 234 Neb. 280, 450 N.W.2d 676 (1990), the appellant had filed both a notice of appeal and a poverty affidavit within the time prescribed by statute. However, the trial court did not enter an order authorizing the appellant to proceed in forma pauperis within 30 days. The appellee claimed that in addition to filing a poverty affidavit, the party appealing must also obtain authorization from the trial court to proceed in forma pauperis. In rejecting the appellee's contention, we stated: [A]lthough it may be customary and a mark of prudence for an appellant to obtain authorization of the trial court in order to forestall any finding of a lack of good faith and possible dismissal of the appeal, contrary to appellee's assertion, there is no statutory requirement that such authorization be obtained in order to make the affidavit effective. Id. at 282, 450 N.W.2d at 679. We held, based on the statute in effect at the time, that this court obtained jurisdiction when a party filed a notice of appeal and an affidavit of poverty. A jurisdictional question which does not involve a factual dispute is determined by an appellate court as a matter of law, which requires the appellate court to reach a conclusion independent of the lower court's decision. State v. Canaday, 263 Neb. 566, 641 N.W.2d 13 (2002). In the present case, the record contains no order granting or denying Jones' in forma pauperis request. Nor does it contain any objection to the request. The absence of an order allowing a party to proceed in forma pauperis does not divest this court of jurisdiction over an appeal. See In re Interest of N.L.B., supra . This court obtained jurisdiction over the appeal upon the timely filing of a notice of appeal and a proper in forma pauperis application and affidavit. The State's assertion that this court lacks jurisdiction has no merit, and we therefore proceed to consider the merits of the postconviction motion.