Court Opinion

ID: 9682399
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 08:10:43.26101+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:39.096938
License: Public Domain

BLACKMAR, Judge,
concurring in result.
I agree that the provisional rule should be quashed, but I would reach this conclusion because the order of March 15, 1984 was manifestly within the jurisdiction of the circuit court.
The relators admit that the order of dismissal of February 14, 1984 was procured without notice to the plaintiff. This was improper. Notice should have been given. Bindley v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., et al., 358 Mo. 31, 213 S.W.2d 387 (1948); Hoppe v. St. Louis Public Service Co., 361 Mo. 402, 235 S.W.2d 347 (banc 1950).
The relator argues that the court had already determined that, unless the sanction money were paid within 30 days, the plaintiff’s petition was to be dismissed as against the defendants who are now rela-tors. It is suggested that no further order *302was necessary. This is not so. A final dismissal should be effected only by an explicit and unconditional order. White v. Sievers, 359 Mo. 145, 221 S.W.2d 118 (1949). As has been said above notice to parties entitled should be given when application is made to convert the conditional order into an unconditional order.
It is not necessary to hold that the order of February 14, 1984 was void. It was seriously irregular and the trial court had the authority to set it aside as soon as the irregularity was called to his attention. Because of the patent irregularity, absence of notice of setting aside was not prejudicial.
The plaintiff’s motion of February 27, 1984 for reconsideration of the dismissal order was filed within the 15 day period prescribed by Rule 73.01(a)(3). The court under Rules 78.06 and 81.05 had 90 days to rule on the motion. The relators are attempting to set a trap by arguing, first, that the order of March 15, 1984 setting aside the dismissal order, was void for want of notice, Hoppe v. St. Louis Public Service Company, supra, and, second, that the trial court lost power to give any further relief because of the expiration of 90 days from filing of the motion. The Court should not countenance these efforts. The Hoppe case should not be used as a trap. If an order sustaining a post-judgment motion is found to be void or irregular for want of notice, the most that the party adversely affected should be entitled to is a reconsideration of the ruling following a hearing. Cf. State ex rel. Stoffer v. Moore, 628 S.W.2d 637 (Mo. banc 1982), in which this Court forestalled an effort to use Hoppe as a trap.
No further hearing, however, is necessary in this case. The relators admit a fatal irregularity in the order of February 14, 1984. The relators admit notice of a hearing on the motion to set aside the dismissal, noted for March 23, 1984. No reason appears why the relators could not have appeared at that time so as to present their objections to the order of March 15, 1984, which then was still under the court’s control.
Perhaps counsel under an adversary system are justified in ticking off deadlines without advising the court or opposing counsel, but the court should be vigilant to insure that cases are decided on their merits whenever possible. See Barney v. Suggs, 688 S.W.2d 356 (Mo. banc 1985), Blackmar, J., dissenting.