Court Opinion

ID: 9367515
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-01-31 23:05:20.109999+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:00.910136
License: Public Domain

r,) ORIGINAL                                                01/31/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                                 Case Number: DA 21-0508

                                          DA 21-0508
                                                                   FILED
                                                                    JAN 3 1 2023
 RANDALL KEITH ORTON,                                             Bowen        iw000
                                                                Clork of Supreme Court
                                                                   State of Montana
              Petitioner and Appellant,
       v.
                                                                     ORDER
 STATE OF MONTANA,

              Respondent and Appellee.

       Randall Keith Orton has filed a motion stating opposition to dismissal of his appeal
with prejudice, which this Court has indicated will occur if Orton continues to delay his
briefing. The State of Montana has filed a response in opposition to Orton's motion.
       On October 26, 2021, this Court granted Orton's petition for out-of-time appeal,
reasoning he had demonstrated extraordinary circumstances for an appeal of the Missoula
County District Court's Order denying and dismissing his petition for postconviction relief
from his felony DUI conviction, entered in March 2021. We have twice denied Orton's
associated motions for appointment of counsel on appeal because he is not entitled to such
appointment under Montana law. Orton v. State, No. DA 21-0508, Order (Mont. Nov. 30,
2021); § 46-8-104, MCA. However, we have granted Orton numerous extensions of time
to file his brief. In its objection to Orton's motion, State points out that, between January
2022, when Orton's brief was originally due, through October 2022, we granted Orton nine
extensions of time, and in the ninth extension stated no further extensions would be granted
and the appeal would be dismissed with prejudice if Orton "fail[ed] to file his opening brief
on or before November 25, 2022." Thereafter, we granted two more extensions and warned
Orton again about dismissal. His brief was thus due on January 26, 2023, which prompts
his current motion.
       Orton now requests that his appeal be dismissed without prejudice, and that he be
allowed to refile his appeal once he obtains counsel. The State responds that Orton should
not be permitted to begin the appellate process anew, because it is not in the interest of
justice.
       We note that Orton has also since filed another motion for extension of time, his
twelfth, and his third motion for appointment of counsel. As both the State and this Court
has noted, he represented himself in the District Court when he sought postconviction relief
on his DUI conviction. This Court has extended considerable latitude to Orton as a self-
represented litigant, and we cannot grant any further relief. See Greenup v. Russell, 2000
MT 154, ¶ 15, 300 Mont. 136, 3 P.3d 124. Therefore,
       IT IS ORDERED that:
       1. Orton's Motion in Opposition to Dismissal with Prejudice is DENIED;
       2. Orton's Motion for Extension of Time and Motion for Appointment of Counsel
           are both DENIED;
       3. This appeal is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE; and
       4. The Clerk of the Supreme Court is directed to CLOSE this matter as of this
           Order's date and to issue remittitur.
       The Clerk is also directed to provide a copy of this Order to counsel of record and
to Randall Keith Orton personally.
   DATED this    3 P71—day of January, 2023.

                                                     4, 011,, ,gr,\?
                                                               ChiefJustice

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    Justices

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