Opinion ID: 1355289
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Jurisdiction of Trial Court to Correct Record

Text: The court of appeals certified this case to this court because it perceived an apparent conflict between Rule 6(e) and this court's case law where we have held that once the record is lodged in the appellate court, the trial court loses jurisdiction to act further in the matter. Rule 6(e) of the Rules of Appellate Procedure  Civil provides: (e) Correction or modification of the record. If any difference arises as to whether the record truly discloses what occurred in the circuit court, the difference shall be submitted to and settled by that court and the record made to conform to the truth. If anything material to either party is omitted from the record by error or accident or is misstated therein, the parties by stipulation, or the circuit court, either before or after the record is transmitted to the appellate court, or the appellate court on proper suggestion, or on its own initiative, may direct that the omission or misstatement shall be corrected, and if necessary, that a supplemental record be certified and transmitted. All other questions as to form and content of the record shall be presented to the appellate court. Ark. R.App. P.  Civ. 6(e) (2003) (emphasis added). We find no conflict between our case law and Rule 6(e). While the trial court loses jurisdiction to act further in the matter once the record is lodged in the appellate court, trial courts have continuing jurisdiction to correct records in order to make them speak the truth. See Davie v. Smoot, 202 Ark. 294, 150 S.W.2d 50 (1941). Once the record is lodged in this court, the trial court no longer exercises jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter in controversy; however, the trial court has jurisdiction, as well as the responsibility, to settle the record on appeal. Arkansas State Highway Comm'n v. Brown, 241 Ark. 862, 864, 410 S.W.2d 737 (1967). We find no case where this court has stated that a trial court cannot correct the record after the record has been submitted to the appellate court. Rule 6(e) clearly and unequivocally states that if anything material is omitted from the record, such as the December 27 letter in this case, by error or accident, the circuit court, either before or after the record is transmitted to the appellate court, may direct that the record shall be corrected, and if necessary, that a supplemental record be certified and transmitted. The trial court clearly had jurisdiction to supplement the record.