Court Opinion

ID: 9908121
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-12-07 19:06:15.758524+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:48:52.126465
License: Public Domain

12/07/2023

            IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
                                                                                       Case Number: DA 23-0703

                                      DA 23-0703
                                   _________________

 STATE OF MONTANA,

              Plaintiff and Appellee,

       v.                                                           ORDER

 SETH JOSEPH JOHNSON,

              Defendant and Appellant.
                                _________________

       Through counsel Colin M. Stephens, Seth Joseph Johnson petitions for an out-of-
time appeal from the April 4, 2023 order of the Ninth Judicial District Court, Teton County,
in Cause No. DC-06-013. The Attorney General’s Office does not object to this motion.
       Stephens asserts that Johnson’s previous counsel had moved the District Court to
allow Johnson to withdraw certain admissions he had made in response to a revocation
petition.   In March 2023, while the motion was pending before the court, Johnson
terminated that attorney’s representation.    On April 11, 2023, Stephens appeared to
represent Johnson in the District Court matter. However, unbeknownst to Stephens or
Johnson, the District Court had entered an order denying Johnson’s motion to withdraw
the admissions on April 4, 2023. A copy of the order was served on Johnson’s previous
counsel but was not forwarded to Stephens or Johnson.
       Unaware of the ruling, Stephens filed a reply brief and then awaited the District
Court’s decision. Stephens’s office subsequently inquired with the Teton County Clerk of
Court about the status of the case on two occasions but was informed that nothing further
had occurred in the case. On November 6, 2023, in response to a Notice of Submittal that
Stephens had filed, court staff advised him of the April 4, 2023 order.
       Stephens argues it would be unjust to deny Johnson the right to appeal when the
untimeliness of the Notice of Appeal was caused by these circumstances outside of
Johnson’s control.
       We grant out-of-time appeals under M. R. App. P. 4(6) when an appellant
establishes the existence of “extraordinary circumstances amounting to a gross miscarriage
of justice,” which would exist if we were to deny the petition here.
       IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the petition for an out-of-time appeal is
GRANTED.
       IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, on or before January 5, 2024, Stephens shall
prepare, file, and serve a notice of appeal and a request for transcripts, if necessary, in
compliance with the Montana Rules of Appellate Procedure.
       The Clerk is directed to provide copies of this Order to all counsel of record.

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                                                                              Electronically signed by:
                                                                                    Mike McGrath
                                                                       Chief Justice, Montana Supreme Court
                                                                                  December 7 2023