Court Opinion

ID: 9643080
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 20:06:39.907265+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:57.554252
License: Public Domain

08/22/2023

           IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
                                                                                      Case Number: DA 23-0026

                                       DA 23-0026
                                   _________________

STATE OF MONTANA,

            Plaintiff and Appellee,

      v.                                                          ORDER

THOMAS WOJTOWICZ,

            Defendant and Appellant.
                                   _________________

       This Court reviews briefs to ensure compliance with Rules 11 and 12 of the
Montana Rules of Appellate Procedure. After reviewing the Appellant’s Opening brief
filed electronically on August 21, 2023, this Court has determined that the brief does not
comply with the below-referenced Rules and must be resubmitted.
       M. R. App. P. 12(1)(c) requires a statement of the case that indicates briefly the
nature of the case and its procedural disposition in the court. M. R. App. P. 12(1)(d)
requires a statement of the facts that contains references to the pages or parts of the
record where the facts appear. The submitted brief contains a section labeled “Statement
of the Case” that in substance is a Statement of Facts, but no Statement of the Case
consistent with Rule 12(1)(c) is present. Appellant must revise the brief so that the
current “Statement of the Case” is correctly labeled as the “Statement of Facts” and must
further include a Statement of the Case that comports with the applicable Rule.
       M. R. App. P. 12(1)(i) provides that an appellant’s opening brief shall contain an
appendix that includes the relevant judgment, orders, findings of fact, conclusions of law,
jury instructions, rulings, or decisions from which the appeal is taken. Appellant’s
appendix does not include all necessary relevant judgments and orders.
       Therefore,
       IT IS ORDERED that the referenced brief is rejected.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within ten (10) days of the date of this Order the
Appellant shall electronically file with the Clerk of this Court a revised brief containing
the revisions necessary to comply with the specified Rule[s] and that the Appellant shall
serve copies of the revised brief on all parties of record;
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that no changes, additions, or deletions other than
those specified in this Order may be made to the brief as originally filed; and
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the times for any subsequent briefing contained
in M. R. App. P. 13 shall run from the date of filing of the revised brief.
       The Clerk is directed to provide a true copy of this Order to the Appellant and to
all parties of record.

                                                                                   Electronically signed by:
                                                                                       Laurie McKinnon
                                                                              Justice, Montana Supreme Court
                                                                                       August 22 2023