Opinion ID: 2047341
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Weeder's Motion for New Trial

Text: [2] 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. Webb v. American Employers Group, 268 Neb. 473, 684 N.W.2d 33 (2004). At issue is whether Weeder's notice of appeal was timely filed. The district court sustained CCC's motion to dismiss and entered judgment on August 14, 2003. Thereafter, Weeder filed a pleading entitled Motion for New Trial on August 22. That motion was overruled on September 11, and Weeder filed his notice of appeal on October 8. [3] A new trial is a reexamination in the same court of an issue of fact after a verdict by a jury, report of a referee, or a trial and decision by the court. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1142 (Cum. Supp. 2002); Central Neb. Pub. Power v. Jeffrey Lake Dev., 267 Neb. 997, 679 N.W.2d 235 (2004). In this case, we are presented with a court granting a motion to dismiss. Such action is not a verdict by a jury or a trial and decision by the trial court. As a result, Weeder's motion for new trial was not a proper motion and would not toll the time for filing a notice of appeal. [4] However, we have stated that a postjudgment motion must be reviewed based on the relief sought and not based on its title. See, Central Neb. Pub. Power v. Jeffrey Lake Dev., supra ; State v. Bellamy, 264 Neb. 784, 652 N.W.2d 86 (2002). As a result, the issue is whether Weeder's August 22, 2003, motion could be viewed as a motion to alter or amend the judgment pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1329 (Cum. Supp. 2002), which would toll the time for filing a notice of appeal. [5] In order to qualify for treatment as a motion to alter or amend the judgment, the motion must be filed no later than 10 days after the entry of judgment, as required under § 25-1329, and must seek substantive alteration of the judgment. See, Central Neb. Pub. Power v. Jeffrey Lake Dev., supra ; State v. Bellamy, supra . In this case, Weeder's August 22, 2003, motion for new trial was filed within 10 days of the district court's grant of the motion to dismiss on August 14. Furthermore, in his August 22 motion, Weeder asked the district court, inter alia, to reexamine its decision to dismiss . . . and reinstate the action as previously filed. We conclude that this language seeks substantive alteration of the judgment of the district court dismissing Weeder's action. As a result, Weeder's August 22 motion qualifies as one to alter or amend the judgment under § 25-1329, and tolled the time for filing a notice of appeal. Weeder's appeal was timely, and we have jurisdiction over this matter. We pause briefly to note that since Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-1912(3) (Cum. Supp. 2002) was amended in 2000, see 2000 Neb. Laws, L.B. 921, this court or the Court of Appeals, on repeated occasions, has found it necessary to determine whether an improperly filed motion for new trial could be viewed as one to alter or amend a judgment. See, Diversified Telecom Servs. v. Clevinger, 268 Neb. 388, 683 N.W.2d 338 (2004); Central Neb. Pub. Power v. Jeffrey Lake Dev., supra ; DeBose v. State, 267 Neb. 116, 672 N.W.2d 426 (2003); State v. Bellamy, supra ; Vesely v. National Travelers Life Co., 12 Neb. App. 622, 682 N.W.2d 713 (2004). In the future, we request the practicing bar to carefully consider the nature of the proceeding prior to filing any motion calling into question a court's judgment. We now turn to Weeder's assignments of error.