Opinion ID: 1588415
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: denial of motion to stay under scra is final, appealable order

Text: Because Carmicheal has alleged that we do not have jurisdiction, we first turn to the question of whether the trial court's order was final and appealable. Before reaching the legal issues presented for review, it is the duty of an appellate court to determine whether it has jurisdiction over the matter before it. [2] For an appellate court to acquire jurisdiction of an appeal, there must be a final order entered by the tribunal from which the appeal is taken. [3] The three types of final orders which may be reviewed on appeal are (1) an order which affects a substantial right and which determines the action and prevents a judgment, (2) an order affecting a substantial right during a special proceeding, and (3) an order affecting a substantial right made on summary application in an action after judgment is rendered. [4] We have held that a proceeding regarding custody determinations is a special proceeding. [5] However, we have not previously addressed whether the denial of a stay under the SCRA is an order affecting a substantial right. We find that it is. One of the articulated purposes of the SCRA is to provide for the temporary suspension of judicial and administrative proceedings and transactions that may adversely affect the civil rights of servicemembers during their military service. [6] The SCRA is also intended to strengthen... and expedite the national defense by enabling persons in the military service to devote their entire energy to the defense needs of the Nation. [7] The protections afforded by the SCRA are intended to be far ranging, applying to any judicial or administrative proceeding commenced in any court or agency in any jurisdiction subject to [the SCRA]. [8] Refusal to grant a stay of civil proceedings may result in the precise wrong that the SCRA was intended to prevent. In effect, if a servicemember is unable to defend himself or herself, he or she could be subjected to a default judgment, or other legal penalty, while serving his or her country. [9] Therefore, we find that the denial of a stay affects a substantial right.