Yo. '-3407
1N THE SUPREME COURT O THE STATE O MONTANA F F
CREDIT COUNSELLOK5, IIdC. , P l a i n t i f f - Respondent,
v.
NEWT ALCORN,
Defendant -Appellant.
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e Eighth J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , Honorable R. J . Nelson, Judge p r e s i d i n g .
Counsel of Record:
For A p p e l l a n t : Angstman & G i l b e r t , Havre, Montana Gary W . G i l b e r t argued
For Respondent: J . Vaughn Barron, G r e a t F a l l s , Montana.
Submitted: June 1, 1977 Decided : JUL - 1 ISTI
Piled: JUL J. ,$/;j M r . Chief J u s t i c e Paul G . H a t f i e l d d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e Court.
T h i s i s an a p p e a l from t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t j u d g e ' s r e f u s a l
t o s e t a s i d e a d e f a u l t judgment e n t e r e d i n Cascade County,
January 13, 1976.
Complaint was f i l e d March 6 , 1973 t o c o l l e c t t h e sum of
$6,275.92 w i t h i n t e r e s t on s e v e r a l accounts: (1) R a i l Ops
C r e d i t Union of S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah, a promissory n o t e w i t h
a balance of $3,432.18; (2) Mountain B e l l Telephone, S a l t Lake
C i t y , Utah, open account $54.77; (3) Anthony's, Great F a l l s ,
Montana, i n s u f f i c i e n t funds check f o r $30; (4) Freed Motor Co.,
S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah, unpaid account f o r merchandise $2,508.35.
A motion t o d i s m i s s was f i l e d A p r i l 1 6 , 1973. The motion
was summarily o v e r r u l e d on May 3 , 1973. A motion f o r d e f a u l t was
f i l e d May 30, 1973 f o r f a i l u r e of defendant t o p l e a d . The motion
was s e t f o r h e a r i n g on June 1 3 , 1973. On June 1 2 , 1973, ananswer
was- f i l e d i n t h e form of a g e n e r a l d e n i a l and a demand f o r
jury t r i a l . On Marsh 1 2 , 1974, a n o t i c e of r e a d i n e s s f o r t r i a l
was f i l e d . On A p r i l 19, 1974 t r i a l without a j u r y was scheduled
f o r A p r i l 24, 1974 a t 1 1 : O O a.m. on t h a t day. The t r a n s c r i p t
shows t h i s s e t t i n g was vacated a t t h e r e q u e s t of d e f e n d a n t ' s
counsel. O June 11, 1974, a second n o t i c e of r e a d i n e s s f o r n
t r i a l was f i l e d , a p p a r e n t l y no t r i a l was scheduled and a t h i r d
n o t i c e of r e a d i n e s s was f i l e d August 6 , 1974. On February 21,
1975 t h e c o u r t scheduled t r i a l without j u r y f o r March 20, 1975,
a t 3:00 p.m. On March 1 9 , 1975 an o r d e r i s s u e d s e t t i n g a p r e -
t r i a l conference f o r March 20, a t 3:00 p.m. From t h e t r a n s c r i p t ,
it appears t h e change was made from t r i a l t o p r e t r i a l a t t h e
r e q u e s t of d e f e n d a n t ' s c o u n s e l because i t was t o be a j u r y t r i a l . D e f e n d a n t flew front b i l l i n g s t o be a i t h e t r i a l and was
accompanied by t h r e e w i t n e s s e s , one of whom came from S a l t
Lake C i t y .
A t t h e p r e t r i a l , a t t e n d e d by a t t o r n e y s f o r b o t h p a r t i e s on
March 20, 1975 a t 3:00 p.m., t h e i s s u e s were d e f i n e d by t h e
court a s : S u i t on promissory n o t e w i t h C r e d i t Union--Unpaid
b a l a n c e a t d a t e of s u i t 3/6/73-$3432.18, p l u s i n t e r e s t and
c o s t s ; Mountain B e l l c l a i m a t d a t e of s u i t $54.77, p l u s i n t e r e s t ;
Anthony's c l a i m $30.00, p l u s i n t e r e s t ; and, Freed Motor Co.
$2508.35, p l u s i n t e r e s t . The defense t e n d e r e d was a g e n e r a l
denial.
On December 2 , 1975 an o r d e r was made t h a t on December 1 6 ,
1975 a t 2:00 p.m. t h e c o u r t would s e t t l e p r e l i m i n a r y i n s t r u c -
t i o n s , draw j u r o r s and s e t a t r i a l d a t e . On December 1 6 , 1975,
an o r d e r was made t o t h e c l e r k w i t h c o p i e s t o c o u n s e l t h a t 23
j u r o r s were t o r e p o r t f o r d u t y on Monday, January 1 2 , 1976
a t 9:30 a.m. f o r t h e t r i a l of s a i d cause. O December 2, 1975 n
p r e l i m i n a r y i n s t r u c t i o n s were d r a f t e d by t h e judge and f i l e d .
O January 1 2 , 1976 t h e c a s e was c a l l e d f o r t r i a l w i t h n
20 j u r o r s p r e s e n t , t o g e t h e r w i t h p l a i n t i f f and c o u n s e l . Defendant
d i d n o t appear i n person o r by c o u n s e l a t 9:30 a.m. Court
adjourned t h e m a t t e r u n t i l 10:OO a.m. A t 10:OO a.m. the court
took testimony and found p l a i n t i f f e n t i t l e d t o judgment f o r
$6,275.92,being t h e p r i n c i p a l and i n t e r e s t due and owing a t t h e
time t h e complaint was f i l e d t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e s u i t c o s t s when
f i l e d March 6 , 1973, and i n t e r e s t from March 6 , 1973 t o January
13, 1976 of $1,066.92, f o r a t o t a l demand of $7,342.84, t o g e t h e r
with costs. The c o u r t f u r t h e r found defendant owed: (1) R a i l Ops C r e d i t
Union of S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah, $3,432.18 with i n t e r e s t from t h e
12th day of June, 1967; (2) Mountain B e l l of S a l t Lake C i t y ,
Utah, $54.77 with i n t e r e s t from A p r i l 1970; (3) Anthony's of
Great F a l l s , Montana, $30 with i n t e r e s t from January 1970; and,
(4) Freed Motor Co. of S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah, $2,508.35 with
i n t e r e s t from August 4 , 1971; o r a t o t a l of $7,342.84.
O February 25, 1976 defendant with a new a t t o r n e y f i l e d n
a motion t o s e t a s i d e d e f a u l t judgment entered January 13, 1976,
t o g e t h e r with an a f f i d a v i t of defendant t h a t t h e judgment was
entered a g a i n s t him through mistake, inadvertence, s u r p r i s e and
excusable n e g l e c t i n t h a t h i s a t t o r n e y f a i l e d t o n o t i f y him
of t h e t r i a l d a t e . O March 17, 1976 a hearing was h e l d ' a n d n
defendant t e s t i f i e d h i s a t t o r n e y d i d n o t n o t i f y him of t h e t r i a l . and t h a t he had been ready with h i s witnesses on March 20, 1975.
H i s new a t t o r n e y s t a t e d t h a t t h e defense, apparently a g a i n s t
t h e Freed Motor Co. claim only, would be t h a t a repossessed c a r
was sold without n o t i c e t o defendant and an amount a p p l i e d by
Freed t o t h e note balance, b u t defendant'had a witness who would
t e s t i f y t h e c a r was sold f o r an amount enough:' t o pay o f f what
was supposedly owed on both c a r s covered by t h e n o t e , i f properly
applied. P l a i n t i f f ' s a t t o r n e y objected t h a t t h i s would be an
a f f i r m a t i v e defense not r a i s e d i n t h e answer o r t h e pleadings
and n o t an i s s u e .
O March 30, 1976 t h e t r i a l judge denied t h e motion t o n
s e t a s i d e t h e d e f a u l t judgment. ~ e f e n d a n t ' sn o t i c e of appeal
was f i l e d on A p r i l 29, 1976. O May 10, 1976, a c o s t bond on n
appeal was f i l e d , T r a n s c r i p t on appeal was f i l e d June 16, 1976.
On October 14, 1976, a motion t o dismiss appeal was f i l e d under Rule 26(c), M.R.App.Civ.P. for appellant's failure t o f i l e
h i s b r i e f on appeal. A p p e l l a n t ' s b r i e f on appeal was f i l e d
February 14, 1977.
The i s s u e presented i s whether t h e t r i a l judge abused h i s
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Yo. '-3407
1N THE SUPREME COURT O THE STATE O MONTANA F F
CREDIT COUNSELLOK5, IIdC. , P l a i n t i f f - Respondent,
v.
NEWT ALCORN,
Defendant -Appellant.
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e Eighth J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , Honorable R. J . Nelson, Judge p r e s i d i n g .
Counsel of Record:
For A p p e l l a n t : Angstman & G i l b e r t , Havre, Montana Gary W . G i l b e r t argued
For Respondent: J . Vaughn Barron, G r e a t F a l l s , Montana.
Submitted: June 1, 1977 Decided : JUL - 1 ISTI
Piled: JUL J. ,$/;j M r . Chief J u s t i c e Paul G . H a t f i e l d d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e Court.
T h i s i s an a p p e a l from t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t j u d g e ' s r e f u s a l
t o s e t a s i d e a d e f a u l t judgment e n t e r e d i n Cascade County,
January 13, 1976.
Complaint was f i l e d March 6 , 1973 t o c o l l e c t t h e sum of
$6,275.92 w i t h i n t e r e s t on s e v e r a l accounts: (1) R a i l Ops
C r e d i t Union of S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah, a promissory n o t e w i t h
a balance of $3,432.18; (2) Mountain B e l l Telephone, S a l t Lake
C i t y , Utah, open account $54.77; (3) Anthony's, Great F a l l s ,
Montana, i n s u f f i c i e n t funds check f o r $30; (4) Freed Motor Co.,
S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah, unpaid account f o r merchandise $2,508.35.
A motion t o d i s m i s s was f i l e d A p r i l 1 6 , 1973. The motion
was summarily o v e r r u l e d on May 3 , 1973. A motion f o r d e f a u l t was
f i l e d May 30, 1973 f o r f a i l u r e of defendant t o p l e a d . The motion
was s e t f o r h e a r i n g on June 1 3 , 1973. On June 1 2 , 1973, ananswer
was- f i l e d i n t h e form of a g e n e r a l d e n i a l and a demand f o r
jury t r i a l . On Marsh 1 2 , 1974, a n o t i c e of r e a d i n e s s f o r t r i a l
was f i l e d . On A p r i l 19, 1974 t r i a l without a j u r y was scheduled
f o r A p r i l 24, 1974 a t 1 1 : O O a.m. on t h a t day. The t r a n s c r i p t
shows t h i s s e t t i n g was vacated a t t h e r e q u e s t of d e f e n d a n t ' s
counsel. O June 11, 1974, a second n o t i c e of r e a d i n e s s f o r n
t r i a l was f i l e d , a p p a r e n t l y no t r i a l was scheduled and a t h i r d
n o t i c e of r e a d i n e s s was f i l e d August 6 , 1974. On February 21,
1975 t h e c o u r t scheduled t r i a l without j u r y f o r March 20, 1975,
a t 3:00 p.m. On March 1 9 , 1975 an o r d e r i s s u e d s e t t i n g a p r e -
t r i a l conference f o r March 20, a t 3:00 p.m. From t h e t r a n s c r i p t ,
it appears t h e change was made from t r i a l t o p r e t r i a l a t t h e
r e q u e s t of d e f e n d a n t ' s c o u n s e l because i t was t o be a j u r y t r i a l . D e f e n d a n t flew front b i l l i n g s t o be a i t h e t r i a l and was
accompanied by t h r e e w i t n e s s e s , one of whom came from S a l t
Lake C i t y .
A t t h e p r e t r i a l , a t t e n d e d by a t t o r n e y s f o r b o t h p a r t i e s on
March 20, 1975 a t 3:00 p.m., t h e i s s u e s were d e f i n e d by t h e
court a s : S u i t on promissory n o t e w i t h C r e d i t Union--Unpaid
b a l a n c e a t d a t e of s u i t 3/6/73-$3432.18, p l u s i n t e r e s t and
c o s t s ; Mountain B e l l c l a i m a t d a t e of s u i t $54.77, p l u s i n t e r e s t ;
Anthony's c l a i m $30.00, p l u s i n t e r e s t ; and, Freed Motor Co.
$2508.35, p l u s i n t e r e s t . The defense t e n d e r e d was a g e n e r a l
denial.
On December 2 , 1975 an o r d e r was made t h a t on December 1 6 ,
1975 a t 2:00 p.m. t h e c o u r t would s e t t l e p r e l i m i n a r y i n s t r u c -
t i o n s , draw j u r o r s and s e t a t r i a l d a t e . On December 1 6 , 1975,
an o r d e r was made t o t h e c l e r k w i t h c o p i e s t o c o u n s e l t h a t 23
j u r o r s were t o r e p o r t f o r d u t y on Monday, January 1 2 , 1976
a t 9:30 a.m. f o r t h e t r i a l of s a i d cause. O December 2, 1975 n
p r e l i m i n a r y i n s t r u c t i o n s were d r a f t e d by t h e judge and f i l e d .
O January 1 2 , 1976 t h e c a s e was c a l l e d f o r t r i a l w i t h n
20 j u r o r s p r e s e n t , t o g e t h e r w i t h p l a i n t i f f and c o u n s e l . Defendant
d i d n o t appear i n person o r by c o u n s e l a t 9:30 a.m. Court
adjourned t h e m a t t e r u n t i l 10:OO a.m. A t 10:OO a.m. the court
took testimony and found p l a i n t i f f e n t i t l e d t o judgment f o r
$6,275.92,being t h e p r i n c i p a l and i n t e r e s t due and owing a t t h e
time t h e complaint was f i l e d t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e s u i t c o s t s when
f i l e d March 6 , 1973, and i n t e r e s t from March 6 , 1973 t o January
13, 1976 of $1,066.92, f o r a t o t a l demand of $7,342.84, t o g e t h e r
with costs. The c o u r t f u r t h e r found defendant owed: (1) R a i l Ops C r e d i t
Union of S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah, $3,432.18 with i n t e r e s t from t h e
12th day of June, 1967; (2) Mountain B e l l of S a l t Lake C i t y ,
Utah, $54.77 with i n t e r e s t from A p r i l 1970; (3) Anthony's of
Great F a l l s , Montana, $30 with i n t e r e s t from January 1970; and,
(4) Freed Motor Co. of S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah, $2,508.35 with
i n t e r e s t from August 4 , 1971; o r a t o t a l of $7,342.84.
O February 25, 1976 defendant with a new a t t o r n e y f i l e d n
a motion t o s e t a s i d e d e f a u l t judgment entered January 13, 1976,
t o g e t h e r with an a f f i d a v i t of defendant t h a t t h e judgment was
entered a g a i n s t him through mistake, inadvertence, s u r p r i s e and
excusable n e g l e c t i n t h a t h i s a t t o r n e y f a i l e d t o n o t i f y him
of t h e t r i a l d a t e . O March 17, 1976 a hearing was h e l d ' a n d n
defendant t e s t i f i e d h i s a t t o r n e y d i d n o t n o t i f y him of t h e t r i a l . and t h a t he had been ready with h i s witnesses on March 20, 1975.
H i s new a t t o r n e y s t a t e d t h a t t h e defense, apparently a g a i n s t
t h e Freed Motor Co. claim only, would be t h a t a repossessed c a r
was sold without n o t i c e t o defendant and an amount a p p l i e d by
Freed t o t h e note balance, b u t defendant'had a witness who would
t e s t i f y t h e c a r was sold f o r an amount enough:' t o pay o f f what
was supposedly owed on both c a r s covered by t h e n o t e , i f properly
applied. P l a i n t i f f ' s a t t o r n e y objected t h a t t h i s would be an
a f f i r m a t i v e defense not r a i s e d i n t h e answer o r t h e pleadings
and n o t an i s s u e .
O March 30, 1976 t h e t r i a l judge denied t h e motion t o n
s e t a s i d e t h e d e f a u l t judgment. ~ e f e n d a n t ' sn o t i c e of appeal
was f i l e d on A p r i l 29, 1976. O May 10, 1976, a c o s t bond on n
appeal was f i l e d , T r a n s c r i p t on appeal was f i l e d June 16, 1976.
On October 14, 1976, a motion t o dismiss appeal was f i l e d under Rule 26(c), M.R.App.Civ.P. for appellant's failure t o f i l e
h i s b r i e f on appeal. A p p e l l a n t ' s b r i e f on appeal was f i l e d
February 14, 1977.
The i s s u e presented i s whether t h e t r i a l judge abused h i s
d i s c r e t i o n i n denying t h e motion t o s e t a s i d e t h e d e f a u l t judg-
ment under Rule 60(b), ~ . ~ . c i v . P .
F i r s t , we note t h a t no defense i s made a s t o t h r e e of t h e
four claims making up t h e judgment.
Second, t h e only f a c t presented t o move t h e d i s c r e t i o n of
t h e t r i a l judge was t h a t t h e a t t o r n e y f o r defendant f a i l e d t o
n o t i f y t h e defendant of t h e t r i a l and f a i l e d t o appear a t t h e
trial.
Rule 60(b), M.R.Civ.P., provides i n p a r t :
"On motion and upon such terms a s a r e j u s t , t h e c o u r t may r e l i e v e a p a r t y o r h i s l e g a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e from a f i n a l judgment, o r d e r , o r proceeding f o r t h e following reasons: (1) mistake, inadvertence, s u r p r i s e , o r excusable n e g l e c t ** &.I'
It i s axiomatic r e q u i r i n g no a u t h o r i t y t h a t a p p e l l a n t must
show t h e t r i a l judge abused h i s d i s c r e t i o n i n f a i l i n g t o g r a n t
t h e motion t o s e t a s i d e t h e judgment.
I n Davenport v. Davenport, 69 Mont. 405, 410, 222 P. 422,
t h i s Court s t a t e d :
"* * * The cause was t r i e d without n o t i c e t o defendant t h a t i t had been s e t f o r t r i a l . I n h e r a f f i d a v i t defendant s t a t e d t h a t she d i d not have any n o t i c e whatever t h a t t h e cause had been s e t f o r t r i a l ; but she does not challenge t h e a u t h o r i t y of M r . Chapple t o a c t a s h e r a t t o r n e y o r intimate t h a t he was not duly r e t a i n e d by h e r . Since he appeared f o r h e r and h i s a u t h o r i t y i s n o t questioned, t h e presumption w i l l be indulged t h a t he acted with her consent and by v i r t u e of h i s r e t a i n e r . I n view of t h a t presumption, h e r statement above becomes immaterial. Notice t o h e r a t t o r n e y was n o t i c e t o her.!' 69 Mont. 410.
Also Rule 6b(b) ,M.R.Civ.P., provides f o r excusing t h e p a r t y
o r " h i s l e g a l representative". As s t a t e d i n Rieckhoff v. Woodhull, 106 Mont. 22, 32, 75 P.
"* * * Assuming t h a t t h i s s i t u a t i o n e s t a b l i s h e s neg- l e c t on t h e p a r t of t h e a t t o r n e y s , t h e record f a i l s t o show any excuse t h e r e f o r . The n e g l e c t of h i s a t t o r n e y s was t h e n e g l e c t of t h e p l a i n t i f f , and, unless excused, no r e l i e f may be granted under t h i s s e c t i o n . ( F i r s t S t a t e Bank v. Larsen, 72 Mont. 400, 233 Pac. 960.)". 106 Mont. 32.
S o - i t i s i n t h e i n s t a n t case. There i s no showing of what
excuse t h e a t t o r n e y f o r defendant may have had t o not appear f o r
j u r y t r i a l o r t o a p p r i s e t h e defendant of t h e t r i a l d a t e . In
t h e absence of such evidence t h e t r i a l judge would not have
t h e power t o s e t a s i d e t h e d e f a u l t judgment,there being no e v i -
dence t o move h i s d i s c r e t i o n .
Therefore, t h e judgment i s affirmed.