Court Opinion

ID: 9645208
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 21:16:19.598719+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:11:24.936091
License: Public Domain

RENDLEN, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent because I believe the 30 day time limit of the statute (§ 536.110.1, RSMo 1978) and the rule (100.-04(a)) should be construed with rule 44.01(e) which extends the time for filing the petition for review 3 days when notice is served by mail. The statute and rule prescribe nothing more than the procedural format for invoking the Circuit Court’s jurisdiction to judicially review administrative decisions. Though the 1972 divisional opinion of this Court in Randles v. Schaffner, 485 S.W.2d 1 (Mo.1972), cited by the majority, states that compliance with § 302.111 is “jurisdictional,” the court also recognized that the statute was “procedural.” Id. at *83.1 Whatever the meaning of the phrase, “within 30 days after the mailing or delivery of the notice,” this Court under its constitutional rule making powers pursuant to art. V, § 5, Mo.Const. superseded the statute by adoption of procedural rules 100.-04(a) and 44.01(e) which must be read in harmony and construed together. Thus, procedural rule 100.04(a) and procedural rule 44.01(e) when read together should control. To paraphrase the language from Randles cited by the majority, “[T]he legislature [the Supreme Court under its rule making power] is authorized to, and did, provide a method of review by designating . the time within which such review should be sought.” Id. at 3. Within this view of our rule making power it is neither necessary nor desirable to overrule Randles, for indeed it could be said when such notice was mailed the procedure for invoking the trial court’s jurisdiction contemplated a 33 day time limit and, in the cited language of Randles, “Such procedure having been established, failure to comply with the statute [rule] is jurisdictional.” (Emphasis added.) Id.
Appellant’s filing of its petition for review on the 31st day after the order was mailed was timely. Accordingly, I would remand the cause with directions to entertain the appeal on its merits.

. Though cited by the majority Randles v. Schaffner, 485 S.W.2d 1 (Mo.1972) is not controlling here. That case involved an interpretation of § 302.311, RSMo 1969, providing for review of determinations by the Director of Revenue where drivers’ licenses were revoked or suspended. In the case of drivers’ license determinations this Court had not promulgated a rule like rule 100.04(a) pertinent to the case sub judice, prescribing the procedure for invoking the substantive right of appeal. Moreover, Randles did not address the effect of rule 44.-01(e) (effective September 1, 1972) as that rule was not applicable to the notice mailed by the Department of Revenue on December 7, 1970. See Id. at 2.