Estate of Moore v. Moore

291 N.E.2d 566, 155 Ind. App. 92, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 1190
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 22, 1973
Docket2-972A58
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 291 N.E.2d 566 (Estate of Moore v. Moore) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Estate of Moore v. Moore, 291 N.E.2d 566, 155 Ind. App. 92, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 1190 (Ind. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinions

Per Curiam

This matter is before the Court on the Appellee’s Motion to Dismiss Appeal or Affirm Judgment, and the Appellant’s Motion to Strike Appellee’s Motion to Dismiss Appeal or in the Alternative to Affirm Trial Court’s Ruling Correcting Record Showing Praecipe filed as of July 5, 1972.

The Motion to Dismiss alleges that the praecipe was not timely filed as required by rule AP. 2(A).

The record of the proceedings herein reveals that the motion to correct errors was filed in the trial court on May 4, 1972, and overruled on June 28, 1972. The praecipe was filed on July 31, 1972, as evidenced by the order book entry and by the trial court clerk’s file stamp. Thereafter the appellee filed his motion to strike notice of appeal and praecipe, alleging that the praecipe was not timely filed. The appellant then filed its motion to correct record, nunc pro tunc, alleging that on July 5, 1972, counsel for the executor requested of [94]*94the court reporter that the transcript of the proceedings be prepared, the pleadings be certified for the Appellate Court and that the praecipe be prepared. The motion to correct record nunc pro tunc was accompanied by the affidavit of the court reporter stating that counsel for appellant approached her in open court and requested of her preparation of court transcript, certification of the pleadings and record for filing with the Court of Appeals, and preparation of the praecipe, including the items for appeal.

Thereafter the court heard argument on the appellee's motion to strike notice of appeal and praecipe, and the appellant’s motion to correct record nunc pro tunc, and entered its order directing the record to be corrected to show the praecipe filed on July 5, the date of the oral request to the reporter. Because of the importance of the question presented, we set out the trial court’s order in full, as follows:

“Come now the parties by counsel for hearing upon Motions pending herein concerning failure of record to reveal the filing of precipe (sic) pursuant to Appellate Rule 2A as amended effective on and after April 1, 1972.
“Argument is heard and the Motions and Affidavit filed with reference thereto are considered.
“The Court now finds as follows:
“1. The record does not reveal a written Precipe (sic) filed within the thirty days set out by the rules.
“2. During consideration of Motions the Affidavits herein are examined and the Court finds that an oral request was made to the Court Reporter of this Court to prepare a transcript of the record herein of all testimony received in this cause.
“3. The Court notes that it has been alleged that a like oral request was made to the Clerk of this Court for the preparation of a transcript of the record of pleadings filed herein.
“4. The Court further finds that such oral request was acted upon by both the Court Reporter and the Clerk of this Court without formal entry upon the record.
“5. The Court further finds that through custom in this jurisdiction the Clerk of the Court has on occasions [95]*95used a form precipe for purpose of issuance of requested summons and other process issued by the Clerk. The Court further finds that such custom without the Court having formally issued a local Court rule to comply with Appellate Rule 2A as amended effective April 1, 1972, contributed to the absence form (sic) the record herein of a formal entry upon the record of the precipe orally requested by counsel for the executor herein.
“6. The Court now finds that the record herein should be corrected to note the filing of formal precipe initiating the appeal action of the attorney for the within estate, directed to the court’s judgment entry of March 24, 1972, and the Court’s ruling upon Motion to Correct Errors entered June 28,1972.
“7. The Court does now, therefore, grant the Motion to Correct Record Nunc Pro Tunc as filed by counsel for the executor herein August 3, 1972, and the Court now rules, orders, and directs that the record herein be corrected to show Precipe heretofore tendered for filing July 31, 1972 to be shown as filed July 5, 1972.”
“MEMORANDUM
“The Court assumes the responsibility in this instance for failure to have published a proper local Court rule or having given notice of cessation of service voluntarily given by both the Clerk and Court Reporter in matters of this import heretofore.
“The Court recognizes that by local Court rule it cannot enlarge rules as established by the appellate court as exemplified by Appellate Court Rule 2A.
“However, in this instance the Court must recognize that representatives of the Court family may have by custom and practice assumed to perform service solely the responsibility of counsel for the parties. The record here indicates that the only detriment which has occurred may have been a delay of information to counsel for Robert J. Moore that an appeal was contemplated. There is no evidence in the record as to any notice being given to counsel. However, the record does indicate that there is sufficient time in which for counsel for Robert J. Moore and counsel for the executor to perfect the appeal assuming that the transcript of both of evidence and of the pleadings and exhibits is promptly delivered.”

[96]*96Appellate Rule 2(A) reads as follows:

(A) Initiation of the Appeal. An appeal is initiated by filing with the clerk of the trial court a praecipe designating what is to be included in the record of the proceedings, and that said praecipe shall be filed within thirty (30) days after the court’s ruling on the Motion to Correct Errors or the right to appeal will be forfeited. A copy of such prae-cipe shall be served promptly on the opposing parties. (Amended Nov. 30, 1971, eff. as to all appeals where the Motion to Correct Errors is filed on or after April 1, 1972.) ”

The rules of the Supreme Court are binding on the courts and the litigants as well. No court except the Supreme Court can amend, alter or change the rules. No inferior court or litigant can circumvent the rules and thereby avoid their application. Trial Rule 81 provides in part as follows:

“(A) Rules by local courts. Each local court may from time to time make and amend rules governing its practice not inconsistent with these rules. In all cases not provided for by rule the local court may regulate its practice in any manner not inconsistent with these rules.”

An oral request to the court reporter to prepare the transcript does not comply with the requirement of the rule that an appeal is initiated by filing with the Clerk of the trial court a praecipe. The rule further requires that a copy of such praecipe shall be served promptly upon opposing parties. The rule clearly requires that the praecipe be a written document, that it be filed with the clerk, the custodian of matters filed in the court, and that a copy thereof be served on opposing counsel.

The appellant did not comply with rule AP. 2(A) by timely filing its praecipe with the clerk. Therefore, by operation of the rule, it has forfeited its right to appeal.

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Estate of Moore v. Moore
291 N.E.2d 566 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
291 N.E.2d 566, 155 Ind. App. 92, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 1190, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/estate-of-moore-v-moore-indctapp-1973.