Court Opinion

ID: 9578778
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:48:16.687119+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:29:46.975582
License: Public Domain

McGEE, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion. In light of violations of the Rules of Appellate Procedure in this case, I feel compelled to vote to dismiss this appeal.
Rule 10(c)(1) of the Rules of Appellate Procedure requires, in part,
[e]ach assignment of error shall, so far as practicable, be confined to a single issue of law; and shall state plainly, concisely and without argumentation the legal basis upon which error is assigned. An assignment of error is sufficient if it directs the attention of the appellate court to the particular error about which the question is made, with clear and specific record or transcript references.
*539N.C.R. App. P. 10(c)(1). Further, subsection (a) provides that “the scope of review on appeal is confined to a consideration of those assignments of error set out in the record on appeal in accordance with this Rule 10.” N.C.R. App. P. 10(a).
Defendant’s second assignment of error reads as follows: “[t]he court’s denial of [Defendant's motion to stay the proceeding and compel arbitration pursuant to the contract on the ground that said arbitration clause was a part of the contract and reasonable under all circumstance.” In its brief, Defendant attempts to bring before this Court the following arguments: (1) “Congress has pre-empted matters ‘involving commerce’ where there is a written contract to arbitrate”; and (2) “State common law on ‘forum non conveniens’ and N.C.G.S. 22B-3 do not apply to written arbitration agreements involving interstate commerce[.]” Defendant’s assignments of error are insufficient to bring these arguments of Defendant properly before this Court. This Court has long held that “[t]he scope of appellate review is limited to the issues presented by assignments of error set out in the record on appeal; where the issue presented in the appellant’s brief does not correspond to a proper assignment of error, the matter is not properly considered by the appellate court.” Bustle v. Rice, 116 N.C. App. 658, 659, 449 S.E.2d 10, 11 (1994). “[B]road, vague, and unspecific” assignments of error do not comply with the Rules of Appellate Procedure. In re Appeal of Lane Co., 153 N.C. App. 119, 123, 571 S.E.2d 224, 226-27 (2002). Nowhere in its assignments of error does Defendant reference preemption or the Federal Arbitration Act. By reaching the merits of this appeal, I believe the majority opinion has created an appeal for Defendant by determining issues not properly before us in contravention of our Supreme Court’s mandate in Viar v. N.C. Dep’t of Transp., 359 N.C. 400, 402, 610 S.E.2d 360, 361, reh’g denied, 359 N.C. 643, 617 S.E.2d 662 (2005) (“It is not the role of the appellate courts, however, to create an appeal for an appellant.”).
In addition to the above violations of Rule 10, Defendant also failed to include a statement of the grounds for appellate review in violation of N.C.R. App. P. 28(b)(4) and failed to include “a concise statement of the applicable standard(s) of review for each question presented” in violation of N.C.R. App. P. 28(b)(6).
For the reasons stated above, I respectfully dissent.