Court Opinion

ID: 9367516
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-01-31 23:05:23.360162+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:00.934173
License: Public Domain

01/31/2023

                                                ORIGINAL
                                                                                                   Case Number: DA 23-0043
            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

                                          DA 23-0043

TIMOTHY J. WHALEN,                                                           FILED
             Plaintiff,
                                                                              JAN      31   7'23
                                                                            Buvv, r1
                                                                              , 4              ;our-

ONDESSONK, LLC,

             Plaintiff and Appellant,
                                                                         ORDER
       v.

BEARTOOTH ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE,
INC.,

             Defendant and Appellee.

       Plaintiff Timothy J. Whalen, as Registered Agent for Plaintiff and Appellant
Ondessonk, LLC, appeals from the August 12, 2022 Order Requiring Plaintiffs Hire Counsel
or Ondessonk, LLC Be Dismissed as a Plaintiff for Failure to Prosecute from the
Twenty-Second Judicial District Court, Stillwater County, entered in that court's
Cause No. DV-11-88.
       The District Court issued an Order Granting Motion for Rule 54 Certification
on December 14. 2022.            Whalen filed a Notice of Appeal in this matter on
January 18, 2023. In that Notice, and in compliance with M. R. App. P. 4(4)(b), Whalen
indicated the appeal was not a final order but was an appeal from an order certified as final
under M. R. Civ. P. 54(b).1

        Although Whalen's Notice of Appeal stated that he was appealing the District Court's
August 12, 2022 Order, the District Court's Rule 54 Order certified as final its September 13, 2022,
Order Dismissing Ondessonk, LLC as a Plaintiff for Failure to Prosecute. This discrepancy has no
impact on our resolution of this matter.
       An LLC must appear through a licensed attorney to assert its claims. Sagorin v.
Sunrise Heating & Cooling, LLC, 2022 MT 58, ¶ 18, 408 Mont. 119, 506 P.3d 1028. As a
non-attorney, Whalen can neither appeal the District Court's ruling on behalf ofOndessonk,
LLC, nor represent Ondessonk, LLC, before this Court. Rafes v. McMillan, 2022 MT 13,
¶ 21, 407 Mont. 254, 503 P.3d 674. Should Ondessonk, LLC, wish to pursue an appeal in
this case, it must do so through legal counsel.
       IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that this appeal is DISMISSED WITHOUT
PREJUDICE.
       Dated this 3P/c'lay of January, 2023.