Court Opinion

ID: 9365774
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-01-25 01:04:48.323099+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:15:47.594310
License: Public Domain

rnrITNAL
                                                                                                01/24/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
                                                                                            Case Number: OP 22-0587

                                          OP 22-0587
                                                                             FriLFO
 MELISSA GROO,
                                                                             JAN 2 4 2023
              Petitioner,                                                 Bowa cr G
                                                                        Clortc   n rcenwood
                                                                                 Supreme C
                                                                           Stata of montanaourt

       v.
                                                                      ORDER
 MONTANA ELEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
 COURT, HON. AMY EDDY, Presiding

              Respondent.

       Petitioner and Defendant Melissa Groo seeks a writ of supervisory control over the
Eleventh Judicial District Court in Cause No. DV-22-087(A) to reverse that court's Order
denying her motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. Groo maintains the District
Court erred in concluding it could exercise personal jurisdiction over her in this matter.
       On October 19, 2022, this Court requested responses to Groo's petition. The Court
subsequently ordered further briefing on December 22, 2022. On January 4, 2023, this Court
ordered oral argument, set to occur on March 31, 2023.
       Groo then requested that this Court stay the underlying litigation, as provided for by
M. R. App. P. 14(7)(c). She alleges that if the District Court case is not stayed, she will be
require\d to continue to defend while her petition for writ of supervisory control is considered
by thil Court. She advises us that the current scheduling order in the District Court requires
expert disclosures by March 3, 2023, which is prior to the oral argument set in this Court. She
further asserts that the plaintiffs in the underlying matter will suffer little harm if the matter
is stayed as they seek damages for Groo's alleged past actions and there are no allegations of
ongoing harm.
       Triple D Game Farm, Inc. a/Wa Triple D Wildlife, Lorney "Jay" Deist, and Kimberly
Deist, the plaintiffs in the underlying District Court case, object to Groo's motion to stay.
They argue that she overstates the harm she will suffer if a stay is not granted and further
argue that she should first move the District Court to modify its scheduling order before
seeking relief here. However, they do not dispute that if a stay is not issued, Groo will be
forced to defend in the underlying lawsuit while the question of personal jurisdiction remains
at issue.
       M. R. App. P. 14(7)(c) provides that this Court may order a stay of further proceedings
in the other court pending our resolution of a petition for supervisory control. We find it
appropriate to do so here.
       IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the proceedings in Cause No. DV-22-087(A) in
the Eleventh Judicial District Court are STAYED pending this Court's decision on the
Petition.
       The Clerk is directed to provide immediate notice of this Order to counsel for
Petitioner, all counsel of record in the Eleventh Judicial District Court Cause No.
DV-22-087(A), and to the Honorable Amy Eddy, presiding District Judge.
       DATED this ,2 zMay of January, 2023.

                                                               Chief Justice

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