Opinion ID: 2351775
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Party to Judgment Intervention on Appeal

Text: The record reflects that the movants were parties in the consolidated proceedings in the Superior Court. If the movants had not been successful in their appeal to the Superior Court from the Board's decision granting Jolly Jumper a variance, the movants would have had the right to file their own appeal or to file a cross-appeal. See Supr.Ct.R. 6. In this case, however, as the successful party in the Superior Court, the movants had no reason to seek affirmative appellate relief. This Court has held that all parties to the litigation who would be directly affected by a ruling on the merits of an appeal, should be made party to the appellate proceedings. State Personnel Comm'n. v. Howard, Del. Supr., 420 A.2d 135, 137 (1980). The movants were successful parties to the proceedings in the Superior Court and, therefore, will be directly affected by an adverse ruling on the merits of this appeal. Jolly Jumper's appeal, however, was not taken against them. Consequently, the only means available to the movants to protect their interest on appeal is to request this Court's permission to intervene in the appellate proceedings. Supreme Court Rule 7(a) requires that a notice of appeal be served upon every party to the trial court proceedings, and not just those parties against whom the appeal is taken. An important purpose served by the procedural requirements as to the form and service of the notice of appeal, is to provide notice of the appeal to all litigants who may be directly affected thereby, and to afford them an opportunity to come in and adequately protect their interests in the appellate court. State Personnel Comm'n. v. Howard, Del.Supr., 420 A.2d 135, 138 (1980). Any party to the judgment in the Superior Court, who has not filed a separate appeal, and against whom the appeal is not taken, may seek leave of this Court to intervene and protect their interest in the judgment. After receiving notice that an appeal has been filed, any party who does not participate in the appeal assumes the risk of either having their interests jeopardized by an adverse appellate ruling or of not benefitting from a favorable appellate ruling. The general rule is that a judgment will not be set aside or altered on appeal in favor of a party who has not filed a timely notice of appeal, irrespective of whether that party is an appellee or a co-party of the appellant. See Hegger v. Green, 646 F.2d 22, 30 (2d Cir.1981). But see Kicklighter v. Nails by Jannee, Inc., 616 F.2d 734, 742-45 (5th Cir. 1980). [3] A cross-appeal is necessary if the appellee seeks affirmative relief from a portion of the judgment, i.e., enlarging the appellees' own rights or lessening the rights of an adversary. United States v. American Railway Express Co., 265 U.S. 425, 435, 44 S.Ct. 560, 564, 68 L.Ed. 1087 (1924). An appellee who does not file a cross-appeal, however, may defend the judgment with any argument that is supported by the record, even if it questions the trial court's reasoning or relies upon a precedent overlooked or disregarded by the trial court. Id. [4]