Court Opinion

ID: 9847197
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:55:39.077868+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:02.924183
License: Public Domain

HEDRICK, Chief Judge.
Plaintiff argues on appeal that the district judge abused his discretion by failing to modify the Washington State custody order because of “substantial and material changes in circumstances” affecting the welfare of the children. We do not even consider the merits of this contention, however, because plaintiff failed to give timely notice of appeal from the district judge’s order as required by G.S. 1-279 and Rule 3 of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure.
G.S. l-279(c) and Appellate Rule 3(c) clearly provide that written notice of appeal from a judgment or order of a superior or district court must be given within 10 days of entry of said judgment or order. Failure to do so is a jurisdictional flaw which requires dismissal of the appeal. Booth v. Utica Mutual Ins. Co., 308 N.C. 187, 301 S.E.2d 98 (1983). Furthermore, the date of entry of judgment “does not depend on the date of formal signing or filing, but instead depends upon the date when oral notice of the judgment is given in open court.” Patel v. Mid Southwest Electric, 88 N.C. App. 146, 148, 362 S.E.2d 577, 578 (1987), disc. rev. denied, 322 N.C. 326, 368 S.E.2d 868 (1988) (citations omitted).
In the present case, the district judge announced in open court on 17 January 1989 that he was giving the Washington State order full faith and credit and that he would not modify the custody arrangement. That announcement constituted entry of the court’s order for the purpose of determining when notice of appeal had *670to be given. It was therefore necessary for plaintiff to give notice of appeal within 10 days after 17 January 1989. Because he did not give notice until 6 April 1989, this Court has no jurisdiction to consider plaintiff’s appeal.
Appeal dismissed.
Judge COZORT concurs.
Judge Parker dissents.