Opinion ID: 1192483
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: commission orders become final by force of law after 30 days; sparlin's plea for review came too late

Text: A Corporation Commission order must be appealed, if at all, within thirty days of its entry. [2] No motion to modify or reconsider an appealable Commission order will extend the time to appeal from that order. [3] Moreover, appeal time cannot be interminably extended and the review delayed by successive motions to vacate or reconsider an appealable decision. [4] See the provisions of 12 O.S.1991 § 991(a). [5] The March 29 order was appealable within 30 days of its entry. It became final 30 days later when no appeal was brought. To be effective as a modification of the March 29 order, the July 26 Commission ruling had to be entered within 30 days of March 29. [6] If the July 26 order was to be treated as separately appealable, an appeal from that decision would be untimely if brought here after 30 days from its entry. Because no timely petition in error was lodged here from either order, both are now beyond this court's reviewing cognizance. [7] Sparlin and Rozelle's plea for review is hence untimely. Appeals from the Commission must be prosecuted in the manner prescribed for civil appeals from the district courts. Procedural symmetry for district court orders and those of the Corporation Commission is required by Art. 9, § 20, Okl.Const. [8] See also Art. 5, § 46, Okl. Const. [9] A district court order triggers appeal time when it is filed. [10] The functional equivalent of district-court filing consists of three steps by which a Commission order is deemed entered. [11] These occur when (a) an assigned number is stamped on its face, (b) the Commissioners or the Secretary (with the Commissioners' approval) sign it and (c) it is inscribed with the language Done and performed this ___ day of _____ See the pertinent terms of OAC 165: 5-1-6(c). [12]