Opinion ID: 2525206
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Superior Court Erred When It Dismissed Brandon's Case for Failure to Pay the Filing Fee.

Text: As previously noted, Brandon's motion for an extension of time to pay the filing fee was turned into an order by Judge Shortell. That order was ambiguous because it did not set a specific date by which the filing fee was to be paid. Instead, the order incorporated Brandon's request that he be given an additional sixty to ninety days to pay. This order effectively allowed Brandon a ninety-day extension of time, resulting in a due date for the filing fee of December 7, 1998. The state concedes that it was error for the superior court to dismiss Brandon's case on November 9 because dismissal was premature. We agree. On December 28, 1998 Judge Wolverton properly vacated the November 9 order as premature. However, he concluded that Brandon's case should still be dismissed because he had not paid the filing fee by the end of December. This was error. After the entry of the dismissal order on November 9, there was no reason to expect Brandon to pay the filing fee for a dismissed case, even though he filed a motion to reinstate the action. After the court vacated the November 9 order, it should have given Brandon a new due date for the filing fee.