Court Opinion

ID: 9582724
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:30:40.84235+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:38:16.242617
License: Public Domain

Judge JONES
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. I would grant defendants’ motion to dismiss and would, therefore, not reach the substantive issues in Part B of the majority opinion.
I agree with the majority that interlocutory rulings in injunction proceedings are not final judgments, see Harding Glass Co. v. Jones, 640 P.2d 1123 (Colo.1982), and that it is not clear which appellate court should exercise jurisdiction over such rul*1330ings on appeals. Indeed, I believe that, under the circumstances here, neither court has jurisdiction.
The General Assembly has strictly prescribed the jurisdiction of the Colorado Court of Appeals. Among other provisions, it has mandated that “the court of appeals shall have initial jurisdiction over appeals from final judgments of [the several trial courts and various administrative agencies throughout the state of Colorado].” Section 13-4-102(1), C.R.S. (1987 Repl.Vol. 6A) (emphasis added). Throughout § 13-4-102(2), C.R.S. (1987 Repl.Vol. 6A) the reference to “final actions and orders,” “final decisions or orders,” and “final actions” is replete. In taking the General Assembly at its word, I believe that it intended the Court of Appeals to review only final dispositions of legal disputes. The denial of the motion for preliminary injunction appealed here lacks such finality.
This court transferred this matter to the Supreme Court because we recognized that our court does not have jurisdiction over the matter. In returning the matter to us, the Supreme Court neither specifically conferred jurisdiction upon this court nor made any reference to § 13-4-110, C.R.S. (1987 Repl.Vol. 6A). That Court simply declined to exercise jurisdiction over this matter itself.
In my view, by its ruling, the majority has mistakenly put words into the order of the Supreme Court which, presumably, knows how to tell this court, expressly, when and how to accept jurisdiction. Its order here did not do so in any language express or implied.
The circumstances of this case reveal that, as it was postured for this appeal, it will not lie in either appellate court. Its present status seems to suggest that the only review possible is by certiorari under C.A.R. 21. I believe the Supreme Court recognized as much in referring the case back to this court without an express delegation of jurisdiction to this court.
Under such circumstances, the case must be dismissed. See People v. Meyers, 43 Colo.App. 63, 598 P.2d 526 (1979). This is true in spite of the language of § 13-4-110(3) because the appellants have not complied with statutory procedure. People ex rel. City of Aurora v. Smith, 162 Colo. 72, 424 P.2d 772 (1967).
Nor, in my view, may appellants take refuge in C.A.R. 1(a)(3), which provides that: “An appeal to the appellate court may be taken from ... [a]n order granting or denying a temporary injunction.” The courts may not modify by rule jurisdiction granted by statutes which create that jurisdiction. Bill Dreiling Motor Co. v. Court of Appeals, 171 Colo. 448, 468 P.2d 37 (1970).
Thus, I find no justification for this court to accept jurisdiction here. Accordingly, I would dismiss the appeal.