Court Opinion

ID: 9388585
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-20 23:05:47.691257+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:21.126574
License: Public Domain

ORIGINAL                                                                                04/20/2023

          IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                                Case Number: DA 23-0146

                                         DA 23-0146

 IN RE THE MARRIAGE OF:
                                                                          FILED
                                                                           APR 2 0 2023
 JENNIFER BANZET, f/k/a JENNIFER BAILEY,                                BOVVe n Greenwood
                                                                      Clerk of S , eme Court
                                                                                  Montana
                                                                         State ofpr
              Petitioner and Appellee,
                                                                     ORDER
       and

 BRIAN BAILEY,

              Respondent and Appellant.

       Self-represented Appellant Brian Bailey (Brian) moves this Court to waive
mediation as well as to compel the production of tax returns. Through counsel, Appellee
Jennifer Banzet (Jennifer) responds that she does not object to his motion to waive
mediation; however, she strongly objects to his motion to compel discovery because it is
improper in an appeal.
       Brian states that he is unable to pay the additional expense associated with
mediation, and he points to his affidavit filed in support of his motion to proceed without
paying the filing fee. M. R. App. P. 7(4)(g).
       Brian's motion to compel is unwarranted because discovery, or production of
documents, does not occur at the appellate level of review.           M. R. App. P. 1(2).
Additionally, the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure apply to a district court, not this Court.
M. R. Civ. P. 1. Brian should adhere to the Montana Rules of Appellate Procedure where
the length, word count, and purpose of a motion exist. M. R. App. P. 16 and 26. Brian
should refrain from presenting his arguments in a motion and instead, present the facts,
legal issues, and arguments related to the final judgment on appeal in the briefs, filed with
this Court and in accordance with the Rules. M. R. App. P. 12 and 13. Therefore,
      IT IS ORDERED that:
   1. Brian's Motion to Waive Mediation is GRANTED and mediation is thus WAIVED
       in this appeal; and
   2. Brian's Motion to Cornpel is DENIED and DISMISSED.
      The Clerk is directed to provide a copy of this Order to the appointed mediator,
Dean D. Chisholm; to counsel of record, and to Brian Bailey along with a copy of this
Court's Civil Appellate Handbook.
                      `1—.
      DATED this 2 '6 —day of April, 2023.
                                              For the Court,

                                                           Chief Justice

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