Court Opinion

ID: 9396915
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-05-23 21:07:00.32683+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:19:19.262445
License: Public Domain

05/23/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
                                                                                       Case Number: DA 23-0097

                                         DA 23-0097

NICHOLAS RODDY RAMLOW,                                                    MAY 2 3 2023
                                                                        Bowen Greenwood
                                                                      Clerk of Supreme Court
                                                                         State of Montana
              Plaintiff and Appellant,

       v.                                                          ORDER

 STEPHANIE ROSE HANSEN,

              Defendant and Appellee.

      Before this Court are Appellee Stephanie Rose Hansen's motion to dismiss appeal,
filed by counsel, and self-represented Appellant Nicholas Roddy Ramlow's motion to
convert this appeal to an application for a writ of supervisory control. Ramlow has since
filed a response in opposition to the motion to dismiss, requesting an Order to stay
Hansen's instant motion pending the determination of the writ.
       Hansen explains that this appeal is not properly before this Court under the Montana
Rules of Appellate Procedure. Hansen states that Ramlow appeals a February 6, 2023 oral
order denying his motion to extend a scheduling order and that the Flathead County District
Court has not held a trial or issued a final judgment. Hansen posits that Ramlow attempts
to appeal an interlocutory order. M. R. App. 4(1)(b). Hansen concludes that dismissal of
this appeal is warranted given Ramlow's noncompliance with the rules and unripe issues
for appeal.
      "A final judgment conclusively determines the rights of the parties and settles all
claims in controversy in an action or proceeding[.]" M. R. App. P. 4(1)(a). A party may
only appeal from a final judgment, with very lirnited exceptions under this Court's rules.
M. R. App. P. 6(1) and 6(3). This Court concludes that Ramlow's appeal is improper
because it is premature.'

 This Court observes that Ramlow has another appeal pending. Hansen v. Ramlow, No.
DA 23-0204, Notice of Appeal filed Apr. 4, 2023.
      We turn to Ramlow's motion for converting this appeal to an original proceeding.
Supervisory control may be appropriate on a case-by-case basis. This extraordinary
remedy "is sometimes justified when urgency or emergency factors exist making the
normal appeal process inadequate[.]" M. R. App. P. 14(3). Ramlow has put the cart before
the horse once again. While unopposed, his motion is inappropriate, and we decline to
exercise this Court's jurisdiction in this case. Ramlow retains the remedy of an appeal of
a final judgment, once issued. Accordingly,
      IT IS ORDERED that:
      1. Hansen's Motion to Dismiss Appeal is GRANTED and that this appeal is
          DISMISSED without prejudice;
      2. Ramlow's Motion to Convert Appeal to an Application for Writ of Supervisory
          Control is DENIED and DISMISSED; and
      3. the Clerk of the Supreme Court is directed to CLOSE this case as of this Order's
          date.
      The Clerk also is directed to provide this Order to appointed mediator, Richard P.
DeJana; to counsel of record; and to Nicholas Roddy Ramlow personally.
      DATED this           ay of May, 2023.
                                                                   A
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                                                             Chief Justice

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