Court Opinion

ID: 9743760
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:42:16.709937+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:43.302099
License: Public Domain

Concurring Opinion
Sullivan, J.
It has been stated and very recently restated that :
“The Constitution of this state vests the judicial power in the courts. The judiciary is an independent and equal coordinate branch of the government. Courts were established for the purpose of administering justice judicially, and it has been said that their powers are coequal with their duties. In other words, they have inherent power to do everything that is necessary to carry out the purpose of their creation.” Knox County Council v. State ex rel. McCormick (1940), 217 Ind. 493, 498, 29 N.E.2d 405; Burrus v. Silhavy (1973), 155 Ind. App. 558, 293 N.E.2d 794.
Accordingly, I believe this court to have the inherent power to permit belated civil appeals for good cause shown. In Schilling v. Ritter (1963), 134 Ind. App. 168, 171, 172, 186 N.E.2d 887, the Appellate Court said:
“It is true that this court has inherent power to grant time to perfect an appeal even after the expiration of time allowed by the rules of the Supreme Court, or statute, for sufficient reasons shown (See State ex rel. Thomas v. Elkhart Circuit Ct. [1950], 228 Ind. 572, 94 N.E.2d 485; Flanagan, Wiltrout & Hamilton’s Indiana Trial and Appellate Practice, § 2471, p. 193; Lowe, by Next Friend et al. v. Gardner et al. [1959], 129 Ind. App. 527, 158 N.E.2d 808) as the appellant herein maintains in his Memorandum in Support of Petition for Extension of Time; however, this is only done in rare and exceptional cases, such as matters of great public interest, or where extraordinary circumstances exist.”
And in Tourkow v. Hoover (1952), 122 Ind. App. 676, 679-680, 108 N.E.2d 195. the court noted:
*496“The rule upon this issue is well established that, where an appellant is, by physical restraint or by fraud on the part of appellee, prevented from perfecting his appeal in time, or where appellant’s failure to perfect his appeal was due to accident or excusable mistake, the appellate tribunal may grant an appeal on a proper application by virtue of its inherent power. But this extraordinary power will never be exercised except when appellant presents a meritorious case, in which he has been free from negligence. Smythe v. Boswell (1889), 117 Ind. 365, 20 N.E. 263; Hutts v. Martin (1892), 131 Ind. 1, 30 N.E. 698, 31 Am. St. 412; Bank of Westfield v. Inman et al. (1892), 133 Ind. 287, 32 N.E. 885; Tate v. Hamlin et al. (1895) 149 Ind. 94, 41 N.E. 356, modification overruled 149 Ind. 94, 41 N.E. 1035; Brady v. Garrison (1912), 178 Ind. 459, 99 N.E. 738; State ex rel. Cook v. Howard, supra; State ex rel. Barnes v. Howard, supra; Hurst v. Hawkins (1907), 39 Ind. App. 467, 79 N.E. 216; rehearing denied 39 Ind. App. 467, 80 N.E. 42; Masters v. Abbitt (1912), 51 Ind. App. 429, 99 N.E. 815; Coxe Bros. & Co. v. Foley (1915), 58 Ind. App. 584, 107 N.E. 85; Union Trust Co., Exr. v. Burke (1937), 104 Ind. App. 353, 11 N.E.2d 55; McGuire v. Review Board, Emp. Sec. Div. (1951), 121 Ind. App. 377, 99 N.E.2d 263.” See also Indiana Personnel Board v. Parkman (1967), 140 Ind. App. 308, 223 N.E.2d 352.
Appellant here, however, has not demonstrated such good cause as would justify the exercise of that inherent power. It is for this reason alone that I concur in the denial of appellant’s petition to file omitted Assignment of Error and in the dismissal of the attempted appeal.
NOTE. — Reported at 300 N.E.2d 895.