Opinion ID: 1236338
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the district court had jurisdiction to hear the appeal from the board of county commissioners' decision

Text: The appellant contends that the trial court erred in finding that it was without jurisdiction to hear the appeal from the Board's decision because the Hospital did not specify in the notice of appeal that the appeal was taken under I.C. § 31-1509. We agree. In its memorandum decision denying appeal, the district court addressed I.C. § 31-1509, as follows: This statute does provide a basis of appeal from almost any decision or order of the Board. However, in EIRMC's notice of appeal, there is no reference to this statute. Rather, in paragraph five, EIRMC specifically states that it has a right to appeal under I.C. § 63-2210 and/or § 67-5215. Because EIRMC failed to include I.C. § 31-1509 in its notice of appeal as a basis for its appeal, and further failed to move at the time of oral argument to amend to include I.C. § 31-1509, this statutory basis of appeal was waived. The notice required when appealing to a district court from a decision by a board of county commissioners is addressed in I.C. § 31-1510: Such appeal may be taken to the district court, or the judge thereof, of the judicial district of which the county is a part, by serving upon the clerk of the board a notice of appeal so referring to the act, order or proceeding appeal from as to identify it. Upon notice in writing of such appeal being brought by any person to the attention of such judge, he shall fix the earliest time, and a place convenient for himself, for the hearing of such appeal, ... It is clear that this statute requires only a written notice which specifies the decision which is being appealed. No specific form is required, and there is no requirement that the statutory basis for the appeal be stated in the notice. As this Court noted in Udy v. Cassia County, 65 Idaho 585, 593, 149 P.2d 999, 1002 (1944), the law does not require an appellant to state the reasons or grounds in an appeal under I.C. § 31-1509. A statement of the statutory grounds is not required under either Idaho Rule of Civil Procedure 83(f) or Idaho Appellate Rule 17; therefore we find the fact that there was no reference to I.C. § 31-1509, in the notice of appeal to be insufficient to support a finding of lack of jurisdiction. The district court also denied jurisdiction because the Hospital failed to move to amend the notice of appeal at the oral argument to include I.C. § 31-1509; however, a reading of the transcript clearly shows that the Hospital advised the district court at the oral argument that it was relying on that statutory right to appeal. In the absence of a showing that the county was prejudiced by the notice of appeal not being more specific, such a notice will not be held to be fatally defective. Fisher v. Board of County Commrs. of Bannock County, 4 Idaho 381, 39 P. 552 (1895). Because there was no showing that the county suffered any prejudice by virtue of the Hospital's failure to specify I.C. § 31-1509, as the statutory basis for jurisdiction, we conclude that the notice of appeal filed by the Hospital was sufficient. This ground for refusing jurisdiction over the appeal from the Board's decision is reversed.