Opinion ID: 1937444
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: appeal timeliness

Text: B.L.R.'s notice of appeal was filed with the juvenile court on June 30, 1988. This was 75 days after notice of entry of the judgment, 45 days after the 30 days for appeal allowed by NDCC 27-20-56(1), and 15 days after the 60 days for a civil appeal allowed by NDRAppP 4(a). Arguing that [t]his child has been in ... legal limbo for over one (1) year, Social Services insisted that [s]urely it cannot be in the best interests or for the protection of this small child to be so long in a legal limbo. Arguing that this court lacked jurisdiction to hear B.L.R.'s untimely appeal, Social Services sought dismissal without review of the merits. NDCC 27-20-56(1) authorizes an appeal from a final decision in juvenile court: An aggrieved party, including the state or a subdivision of the state, may appeal from a final order, judgment, or decree of the juvenile court to the supreme court by filing written notice of appeal within thirty days after entry of the order, judgment, or decree, or within any further time the supreme court grants, after entry of the order, judgment, or decree.... In a past application of this statute, we granted an appeal filed more than 30 days, though less than 60 days, after a judgment terminating parental rights. In B.R.T. v. Executive Director of S.S. Bd. N.D., 391 N.W.2d 594, 597 (N.D.1986), we said: The Department contends that although the appeal was filed within 60 days in compliance with Rule 4(a), N.D.R. App.P., the 30-day limit for appeals under § 27-20-56(1), N.D.C.C., of the Uniform Juvenile Court Act controls in this case. Relying upon Rule 49(b), N.D.R. App.P., and State v. Stokes, 240 N.W.2d 867 (N.D.1976), B.R.T. asserts that the 30-day limit set forth in § 27-20-56(1), N.D.C.C., has been superseded by Rule 4(a), N.D.R.App.P. Regardless of whether Rule 4(a) has superseded the 30-day time limit under the Uniform Juvenile Court Act, § 27-20-56(1), N.D. C.C., specifically allows the filing of the notice of appeal to occur `within any further time the supreme court grants, ...' We deem this an appropriate case for an extension, and conclude that B.R.T.'s appeal was timely filed. The statutory 30-day time for appeal is not absolute. In an earlier case, Heitkamp v. S.L., 338 N.W.2d 834 (N.D.1983), this court dismissed an untimely appeal from a judgment which terminated parental rights. That judgment was entered and notice of entry was given on November 22, 1982. An appeal was filed 73 days later on February 3, 1983, which was neither within the 30 days allowed by the statute nor the 60 days allowed by the rule. However, those appellants asked the juvenile court to extend the appeal time for excusable neglect as allowed by NDRAppP 4(a). At first, the juvenile court refused an extension, believing that it had no jurisdiction to grant it after an appeal had been filed. Those appellants asked the juvenile court to reconsider, citing Dehn v. Otter Tail Power Co., 248 N.W.2d 851 (N.D.1976). Then, the juvenile court realized that it had authority to act, found no excusable neglect, and denied the appellants an extension. When those decisions were not appealed, this court concluded that it was without jurisdiction and dismissed the appeal. Heitkamp made clear that this court is unwilling to grant additional time for an appeal of a juvenile matter beyond that usually allowed for a civil appeal. During oral argument, counsel for B.L.R. grasped the point of these prior opinions, and moved to remand to the juvenile court for consideration of an extension of the appeal time for excusable neglect. We remanded for that limited purpose. Upon remand, the juvenile court found excusable neglect by B.L.R. in acting on her own in attempting to appeal and granted her an extension of thirty days to appeal. If we apply NDRAppP 4(a), this expanded B.L.R.'s time for appeal to July 14, 1988, making her June 30 effort timely. We equate our statutory power to grant further time for an appeal under NDCC 27-20-56(1) with our rulemaking power which established the time for an appeal in a civil case. NDRAppP 4(a). This administers the need for finality in juvenile cases, including a termination of parental rights. It does so without treating a juvenile case differently than other civil cases for appellate procedure. Since B.L.R.'s appeal was made timely under the appellate rules by the juvenile court's extension, we conclude that we have jurisdiction to review the judgment terminating B.L.R.'s parental rights.