Court Opinion

ID: 9912661
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-12-22 21:06:17.905938+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:01:10.620645
License: Public Domain

12/22/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
                                                                                        Case Number: DA 23-0491

                                        DA 23-0491
                                    _________________

 CITY OF HELENA,

              Plaintiff and Appellee,

       v.
                                                                     ORDER
 FRANK HALLBERG,

              Defendant and Appellant.

                                    _________________

       This Court reviews briefs to ensure compliance with the Montana Rules of
Appellate Procedure. After reviewing the Appellant’s Opening Brief filed on December
21, 2023, this Court has determined that the brief does not comply with the below-
referenced Rules and must be resubmitted.
       First, Montana Rule of Appellate Procedure 10(2) requires that all briefs in criminal
cases appealed by the defendant shall be served on the Attorney General. The Certificate
of Service on Appellant’s Brief indicates that it was not served on the Attorney General.
       Second, Montana Rule of Appellate Procedure 13(2) requires that an original,
signed brief be filed with the Clerk of the Supreme Court. Appellant’s Brief was unsigned.
       Third, Montana Rule of Appellate Procedure 11(4)(e), requires the attachment of a
Certificate of Compliance stating the document’s line spacing and either: (1) the document
is proportionately spaced, together with the typeface, point size, and word count; or (2) the
document uses a monospaced typeface, together with the number of characters per inch
and word count, or, the number of counted pages, pursuant to section (4)(b) or (c) of the
rule must be attached to a brief. Appellant’s Brief did not include a Certificate of
Compliance.
       Finally, Montana Rule of Appellate Procedure 12(1)(i), requires that the relevant
judgment, order(s), findings of fact, conclusions of law, jury instruction(s), ruling(s), or
decision(s) from which the appeal is taken together with any written memorandum or
rationale of the court, and those pages of the transcript containing any oral ruling in support
thereof, be contained in an appellant’s brief to this Court. Appellant’s Brief did not comply
with this rule.
Therefore,
       IT IS ORDERED that within ten days of the date of this Order the Appellant shall
file with the Clerk of this Court a revised brief containing the revisions necessary to comply
with the specified Rules and that the Appellant shall serve copies of the revised brief on all
parties of record; and
       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 Appellant and to all
parties of record.
       DATED this 22nd day of December, 2023.
                                                          For the Court,

                                                          By_________________________
                                                                     Justice

                                              2                                    Electronically signed by:
                                                                                           Jim Rice
                                                                              Justice, Montana Supreme Court
                                                                                     December 22 2023