Court Opinion

ID: 9962895
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-23 23:06:02.502159+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:20:43.097046
License: Public Domain

04/23/2024

          IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                                  Case Number: DA 24-0130

                                         DA 24-0130

 In Re the Parenting of F.L.F.L.K.,                                     APR 2 3 2024
                                                                     Bowen Greenwood
 CHRISTOPHER J. LAMM,                                              Clerk of Supreme Court
                                                                      State of Montana

             Petitioner and Appellant,
                                                                     ORDER
       and

 AMANDA R. KINNEY ANDERSON,

             Respondent and Appellee.

       When self-represented Appellant Christopher J. Lamm ("Christopher") filed his
Notice of Appeal on March 4, 2024, he also filed his request for production of transcripts
for a February 5, 2024 hearing about a final parenting plan. Within his request, he indicated
that he had made arrangements with each court reporter to pay for the transcripts. On
March 27, 2024, Christopher filed a motion for extension of time of thirty days to file his
opening brief because he had not heard when the transcript for a February 5, 2024 hearing
would be completed for filing with this Court. He added that he last had contact with the
Court Reporter on March 18, 2024.
       This Court received the electronic record from the Roosevelt County District Court
on March 6, 2024. The Court Reporter, upon proper payment, should have filed the
transcript by April 15, 2024. We held Christopher's motion until that date passed.
       On April 17, 2024, Court Reporter Sandra Reiter filed a Notice of Preparation of
Transcript, after agreeing to produce the transcript. Within that notice, the Court Reporter
provided that "[a] copy of the transcript may be obtained by contacting Sandra Reiter,
Certified Electronic Court Reporter."
       Christopher's motion, while premature, did provide notice to this Court about the
lack of a transcript and complete record. M. R. App. P. 8. It is not clear whether this Court
Reporter has received payment from Christopher here. We recommend that Christopher
make contact and arrange payment with this Court Reporter who has produced the
transcript for appeal. Once the transcript is filed with this Court, Christopher will have
thirty days after the receipt of the transcript to file his opening brief. Christopher may file
a motion for extension of time with this Court when he receives notice about the transcript's
filing. Therefore,
       IT IS ORDERED that Christopher's Motion for Extension of Time is DENIED
without prejudice.
       The Clerk is directed to provide a copy of this Order to all parties and to Court
Reporter Sandra Blakesly Reter, sandraseiter@mt.gov.
       DATED this       3    ay of April, 2024.
                                                   For the Court,

                                                                 Chief Justice

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