Opinion ID: 2599393
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The circuit court had jurisdiction to grant Buscher's motion for costs.

Text: HRAP Rule 4(a)(3) (2006), entitled Time to appeal affected by post-judgment motions, states: If any party files a timely motion . . . for attorney's fees or costs, the time for filing the notice of appeal is extended until 30 days after entry of an order disposing of the motion; provided, that the failure to dispose of any motion by order entered upon the record within 90 days after the date the motion was filed shall constitute a denial of the motion. This rule, effective January 1, 2000, supersedes the line of cases standing for the proposition that the circuit court lacks jurisdiction to award costs after a notice of appeal is filed. The rule provides that the court has 90 days to dispose of a postjudgment motion for costs, regardless of when the notice of appeal is filed. In the instant case, Buscher prematurely filed her motion for costs on October 25, 2004, four and one-half months prior to the entry of final judgment on March 15, 2005. Although the rule does not address the situation in which a motion for costs is prematurely filed prior to the entry of final judgment, we will deem such motion filed immediately after the judgment becomes final for the purpose of calculating the 90-day period. As such, the court's June 1, 2005 order granting Buscher's motion for costs is valid, and Defendants' April 12, 2005 notice of appeal is deemed to appeal this disposition. HRAP Rule 4(b)(3).