Court Opinion

ID: 9717670
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:08:18.948254+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:54.642004
License: Public Domain

PRENTICE, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent to the majority’s interpretation of Ind.R.Tr.P. 41(E).
The rule does not require that a hearing be held in open court. It requires the judge to order a hearing for the purpose of dismissing the case and mandates a dismissal, absent a showing of sufficient cause as to why it should not, at or before the hearing. The appellees submitted pleadings in opposition to the trial court’s proposed action and Defendants’ motion to dismiss. The use of the word “before” in the rule contemplates that the trial court will or can dismiss the cause, based upon the submissions of the parties, and without a hearing or oral argument in open court.
Plaintiffs do not argue that if they had had an opportunity to appear before the judge in person, they would have presented additional grounds in opposition or that they would have somehow been able to convince the trial court to rule in their favor. The trial court’s order of dismissal explicitly stated that it considered Plaintiffs’ response when ruling upon the motion. Therefore, Plaintiffs have been “heard” or have had the “hearing” contemplated by the rule, and what they seek is a reversal premised upon the denial of oral argument that was never requested and which the rule does not mandate.
The majority relies upon Otte v. Tessman, (1981) Ind., 426 N.E.2d 660, which does not support its conclusion. In that case we construed Ind.R.Tr.P. 56(C) in two different actions where the Court of Appeals had found violations of the rule to be harmless error. In the case at bar the trial court did not violate Ind.R.Tr.P. 41(E) but gave Plaintiffs the procedural due process due them under the rule.
Lastly, I note that Plaintiffs might not be remediless if the trial court’s judgment be affirmed. They may yet attempt to invoke the reinstatement provisions of. Ind.R.Tr.P. 41.
DeBRULER, J., concurs.