Court Opinion

ID: 9947979
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-05 23:07:53.637902+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:28:49.145143
License: Public Domain

03/05/2024

           IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                            Case Number: DA 23-0442

                                         DA 23-0442

 IN RE THE MAkRIAGE OF:
                                                         FLED
                                                         MAR - 5 2024
 ABRIELLE ELIZABETH HOLMQUIST,                          BOWEM Greenwood
                                                      Clerk of Supreme Court
                                                         State of Montana

              Petitioner and Appellee,
                                                                    ORDER
        and

 GIOVANNI MARINO,

              Respondent and Appellant.

        Self-represented Appellant Giovanni Marino has filed an "Emergency Motion to
Stay Orders pending Supreme Court Appeal[.]" He states that he requests a stay of the
underlying "Petitioner's proposed parenting plan and return[ing] the minor child, AEBH,
to Respondent pending Supreme Court Appeal." Marino includes several attachments with
this Motion. This Court notes that no response has been filed.
        This Court received the Flathead County District Court record on September 19,
2023, and Marino rpfiled his opening brief, after correcting certain deficiencies on
December 7, 2023. The case was sent to the Court on February 2, 2023, because no
response brief was filed. Since then, self-represented Abrielle Elizabeth Holmquist moved
the Court for additional time to file her brief, which this Court granted until March 25,
2024.
        Upon review of the register of actions and order on appeal, we conclude that
Marino's request for stay is improper and untimely. While Marino sought a motion to stay
Orders in the District Court on August 14, 2023, the court did not have the opportunity to
entertain his motion because Marino filed his Notice of Appeal the next day, on August 15,
2023. M. R. App. P. 22(1)(a) and 22(2). Additionally on that day as well, the court held a
status and scheduling conference for a non-jury trial in February and to set a contested
hearing on the interim parenting plan. In lieu of issuing an order on the status and
scheduling conference, the court stated in its Order that it would take no further action
because of the pending appeal and recommended that both parties contact the Montana
Family Transition Project for access to possible resources.
      Marino then attempted to seek relief in the District Court the next month. On
September 7, 2023, the District Court denied Marino's Emergency Motion for Contempt
of Court and Warrant, explaining that the only parenting plan is the August 9, 2023 intertim
parenting iJlan and that the Kalispell Municipal Court issued a protection order for
Holmquist and against Marino, valid until July 10, 2024.
       We further conclude that this appeal is improperly before this Court. The District
Court has not concluded all matters in this proceeding. M. R. App. P. 4(5)(a)(i). Marino
does not have a final judgment to appeal. M. R. App. P. 4(1)(a). Therefore,
       IT IS ORDERED that:
       1. Marino's Emergency Motion to Stay Orders pending Supreme Court Appeal is
          DENIED;
       2. this appeal is DISMISSED without prejudice. Marino may seek an appeal when
          he has a final judgment from the District Court; and
      3. the Clerk of the Supreme Court is directed to CLOSE this appeal as of this
          Order's date.
      The Clerk also is directed to provide a copy of this Order to all parties at their last
known address.
      DATED this ,S       day of March, 2024.

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