Opinion ID: 879614
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: The first issue relates to whether the District Court had jurisdiction under the time restraints of Rule 60(c), M.R.Civ.P. to set aside the judgment effect of the filing of a warrant of distraint. Rule 60(c), M.R. Civ.P. provides: Time for determining motions. Motions provided by subdivision (b) of this rule shall be determined within the times provided by Rule 59 in the case of motions for new trials and amendment of judgment and if the court shall fail to rule on the motion within the 45 day period, the motion shall be deemed denied. The Department argues that the time elapsing between the date of the father's motion for relief from judgment, February 8, 1985, and the hearing on the motion, March 28, 1985 was 48 days, and the order itself did not come down until July 30, 1986, and that thereby the District Court lost jurisdiction of the cause. In cases for collections for delinquent taxes, or the recoupment of AFDC payments as here, where the collection is based upon warrants of distraint, a judgment as such is not actually entered by a District Court. Instead, the Department of Revenue files a warrant of distraint with the Clerk of the District Court, whose duty is then to file the warrant in the judgment docket with the name of the taxpayer or parent listed as the judgment debtor. Section 15-1-704, MCA. Upon the filing thereof, there is a lien against all real and personal property of the delinquent taxpayer or nonpaying parent in the county where the warrant is filed. Section 15-1-701(2), MCA. Thus, the filing of the warrant by the Department with the District Court has the same lien effect as a properly docketed judgment and the Department may collect delinquent taxes and enforce the tax lien or recoup AFDC funds in the same manner as a judgment is enforced. Section 15-1-701(2), MCA; § 40-5-241, MCA. In this case, the effect of the motion of Kenneth for relief from judgment and a stay of enforcement is the same as the situation of a person seeking relief from a judgment of the District Court under Rule 60(b), M.R.Civ.P. It is, however, provided in Rule 60(b) that the rule ... does not limit the power of a court to entertain an independent action to relieve a party from a judgment, order, or proceeding, or to grant relief to a defendant not actually personally notified as may be required by law ... The time limitations provided in Rule 60(c) must be read in light of the principle set out in Rule 60(b), which provides for such an independent action. The residual power of the District Court therein preserved is a complete reservation of the District Court's independent power. Its purpose is to protect equity by not enforcing a judgment obtained against the public conscience. Thomas v. Savage (1973), 161 Mont. 192, 505 P.2d 118, 120; Elliston Lime Company v. Prentice Lumber (1971), 157 Mont. 64, 483 P.2d 264. The residual power portion of Rule 60(b) was enacted particularly to prevent an injustice. For that reason, we hold that Kenneth's motion to set aside enforcement of an unserved warrant of distraint was an independent action, and thus is not subject to the 45 day time limitation of Rule 60(c), M.R. Civ.P.