Opinion ID: 1158979
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: Tarkanian cross-appealed only from that portion of the order and judgment entered June 25, 1984, denying him attorney's fees as damages. UNLV contends that under well-settled principals of appellate procedure, reversal or modification of a judgment against a defendant who appeals does not affect the judgment against a non-appealing co-defendant, which is final, res judicata and cannot be modified. Thus, UNLV argues that this court, and the United States Supreme Court, never acquired jurisdiction to consider, modify, or vacate the district court order awarding costs against UNLV. UNLV seeks support from Mahaffey v. Investor's Nat'l Sec., 102 Nev. 462, 725 P.2d 1218 (1986), wherein this court dismissed an untimely cross-appeal, stating that a timely notice of cross-appeal is jurisdictional with respect to the cross-appeal. Id. at 464, 725 P.2d at 1219. UNLV also cites to two federal appellate court decisions which stand for the proposition that a reviewing court may not enlarge the rights of an appellee when no cross-appeal is filed. See Davis v. Murphy, 587 F.2d 362, 365 (7th Cir.1978) (If [plaintiff] were dissatisfied with the district court award [of attorney's fees], he should have filed a cross appeal in this court. Lacking such an appeal this court cannot review the district court's decision.); North Texas Producers Ass'n v. Metzger Dairies, Inc., 348 F.2d 189, 197 (5th Cir.1965) ([I]n the absence of a cross-appeal, this Court cannot enlarge the rights of the appellee.). For purposes of this appeal, we find it unnecessary and inappropriate for this court to address the issue of whether the United States Supreme Court had jurisdiction to consider, modify, or vacate the district court judgment as it pertained to UNLV. There are, however, several aspects of UNLV's jurisdiction argument that we feel compelled to address. First, Tarkanian received full relief in the initial judgment and order awarding costs, thus he had no occasion to appeal from it. We are not persuaded that Tarkanian could or should have anticipated the outcome of the NCAA's appeal to the United States Supreme Court. Indeed, because Tarkanian received full relief initially, he was not an aggrieved party and could not have appealed from the original judgment. [5] See NRAP 3A(a); In re Estate of Hughes, 96 Nev. 178, 605 P.2d 1149 (1980); Ronnow v. City of Las Vegas, 57 Nev. 332, 65 P.2d 133 (1937); see also Farnham v. Farnham, 80 Nev. 180, 391 P.2d 26 (1964) (successful party is not an aggrieved party and thus is not entitled to file cross-appeal). UNLV's argument that this court lacked jurisdiction to consider or modify the district court's costs award is also flawed. [6] Significantly, the NCAA appealed from the entire June 25, 1984, judgment. Since the NCAA's notice of appeal designated the entire judgment and the fee award, this court had jurisdiction to consider the same on appeal. See NRAP 3(c). Further, this court's adjudication of the NCAA's rights and Tarkanian's rights would necessarily have an impact on UNLV's rights. Where a non-appealing party's rights under a judgment are dependent upon and interwoven with the parts of a judgment determining the appealing parties' rights, an appellate court can reverse the entire judgment if justice so requires. See Grouse Creek Ranches v. Budget Financial Corp., 87 Nev. 419, 488 P.2d 917 (1971); Blache v. Blache, 37 Cal.2d 531, 233 P.2d 547 (1951); Kvenild v. Taylor, 594 P.2d 972 (Wyo.1979). The rule under which a judgment becomes final as to a non-appealing party, even though a judgment is reversed on appeal, is not applied where portions of a judgment adverse to the non-appealing party are so interwoven with the whole that an appeal from a part affects other parts. In such a situation, a reviewing court can reverse an entire judgment if necessary to do justice. In re Sanderson's Estate, 183 Cal. App.2d 740, 6 Cal.Rptr. 893 (Ct.App.1960). We acknowledge the principle argued by appellant that a judgment will not be set aside or altered on appeal in favor of a person who has not filed a timely notice of appeal, whether an appellee or a co-party of the appellant is well recognized and quite generally applied. 9 James Moore, Moore's Federal Practice § 204.11[5] (1993). Nonetheless, the facts of this case do not warrant an application of that principle. In the prior appeal, this court did not alter a judgment in favor of an appellee who did not cross-appeal. Rather, this court upheld the injunction ordered by the district court, partially reversed the award of attorney's fees, and remanded the matter for further proceedings, which included a recalculation of attorney's fees. See Tarkanian v. Nat'l Collegiate Athletic Association, 103 Nev. 331, 741 P.2d 1345 (1987). Finally, we note that Tarkanian did not seek to attack the district court judgment. As the prevailing party below, he could argue in support of the judgment without filing a cross-appeal, even if his rationale differed from that of the district court. [E]ven if an appellee does not file a cross-appeal or cross-petition, he may defend the judgment in his favor with any argument that is supported by the record. 9 James Moore, Moore's Federal Practice § 204.11[3] (1993); see United States v. American Railway Express Co., 265 U.S. 425, 44 S.Ct. 560, 68 L.Ed. 1087 (1924); see also Engleson v. Burlington N. R.R., 972 F.2d 1038, 1041 (9th Cir.1992) (a cross-appeal is not necessary to assert arguments in support of judgment as entered, even if alternative theories are raised); accord Johnson v. Enron Corp., 906 F.2d 1234, 1238 (8th Cir. 1990). Further, with regard to any equitable concerns, UNLV was permitted to fully participate on remand to the district court even though it had not appealed. As noted by this court in its order of remand: Although UNLV did not appeal the injunctive decree previously entered against it, that fact alone will not necessarily preclude the university from participating in further proceedings below. See System Federation v. Wright, 364 U.S. 642, 647 [81 S.Ct. 368, 371, 5 L.Ed.2d 349] (1961) (a court possesses continuing authority to modify injunctive decree where the circumstances, whether of law or fact, obtaining at the time of its issuance have changed, or new ones have since arisen); Foley v. Smith, 437 F.2d 115 (5th Cir.1971) (on remand, a trial court may pass upon any issues not expressly or impliedly disposed of on appeal); Hawkins v. Cleveland, C., C. & St. L. Ry., 99 F. 322 (7th Cir.1900) (where decision and mandate of a reviewing court reverses a lower court's judgment and remands the matter for further proceedings not inconsistent with the appellate decision, the lower court has the same authority to permit amendment of the pleadings for the purpose of enlarging the issues and of admitting further proofs as it had before the entry of the reversed decree). Tarkanian v. NCAA, Docket No. 16256 (Order of Remand at 2-3, September 28, 1989). We conclude that UNLV's arguments are without merit as this court had jurisdiction to consider the entire judgment appealed from. Further, we note that the district court complied with the directions of this court on remand, and we perceive no abuse of discretion by the district court. We have considered all of the other issues raised by UNLV on appeal and find them unpersuasive.