Opinion ID: 2180243
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Failure to Pay Filing Fees

Text: Francis W. Gardner, III, Euphemia E.G. Gardos, Pamela F. Boynton, John A. Stey, Vytis L. Virbickas, Algute M. Virbickas, and Ralph J. Perrotta argue that they should be permitted to go forward with this appeal because their failure to file timely notices of appeal was the result of excusable neglect. In Mosby v. Devine, 851 A.2d 1031, 1036-37 & n. 3 (R.I.2004), we held that plaintiff Steven Golotto's appeal was invalid because of his chronic failure to make timely payment of the appellate filing fee. Although Golotto attempted to tender the fee by letter to the clerk of the Supreme Court after the second oral argument of that appeal, we deemed this effort to be untimely and wanting. Id. at 1036 n. 3. Golotto's failure to pay the fee had been brought to his attention during two rounds of oral argument before this Court. Id. At no point did Golotto attempt to show excusable neglect or otherwise offer any explanation. Id. In contrast, plaintiffs before this Court realized the error before the prebriefing conference and moved to amend the notice of appeal and offered payment of the additional filing fees. After a single justice of this Court ordered the issue left for consideration at oral argument, plaintiffs filed a supplemental memorandum addressing the error. The plaintiffs' counsel candidly admitted that he has no excuse for this lapse but his own lack of awareness of the requirement of multiple fees. We hold that plaintiffs are properly before us. Unlike the situation in Mosby, these plaintiffs immediately sought to correct their error upon becoming aware of it. We are satisfied that counsel's failure to tender individual filing fees, although neglectful, was excusable as to his clients, who stood ready to pay the additional fees upon discovery of counsel's error.