Rahhal v. Mossie

577 S.W.2d 143, 1979 Mo. App. LEXIS 2204
Missouri Court of Appeals·Decided January 29, 1979·No. Nos. KCD 29488, KCD 29491·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

PRITCHARD, Judge.

The appeal of Nabeha Mossie arises from a judgment upon the verdict of a jury for $49,863.00 on Count I granted to her brother, Moneer M. Rahhal, upon his claim for a share in the proceeds of a promissory note, payable to both, given by Mr. and Mrs. Roberts in partial payment of the purchase price of an apartment building at 3431-3433 Holmes, Kansas City, Missouri. Count II prayed for punitive damages, but that issue was not submitted to the jury. The court also entered judgment for Moneer upon his Count III for partition of the remainder of the Roberts’ note, and ordered distribution of the balance of the note and of an account containing payments received from the Roberts after Moneer filed his action. Upon the facts, and for the reasons following, Nabeha’s appeal must be dismissed because not timely filed.

Judgment upon the verdict of Count I was entered January 6, 1977, and upon Count III for partition January 10, 1977. Nabeha filed her motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or for a new trial on January 21, 1977, and the motions were overruled on April 22, 1977. Thus, under Rule 81.04, the time for filing the notice of [145] appeal, and depositing the $20.00 docket fee, in the trial court, was fixed as of May 2, 1977. The notice of appeal shows this filing stamp: “1977 May — 3 PM 3:44 PILED CIRCUIT COURT JACKSON COUNTY, MO. By P.G.” This is one day late. Nabeha, however, seeks to impeach the foregoing record before this court by her counsel’s affidavit that the notice of appeal was timely filed on May 2, 1977. Under the cases, neither the affidavit nor the counter affidavits filed herein avail anything. In Lloyd v. Grady, 180 S.W. 1032 (Mo.App.1915), under existent statutes, plaintiff had four days after taking a voluntary nonsuit with leave to file a motion for new trial. The fourth day fell upon a Monday, a legal holiday, which was not then excluded in computing time as it is now under Rule 44.01(a). Plaintiff filed the motion to set aside the nonsuit and for new trial on Tuesday, held not to be timely. The court said, page 1033[2], “We cannot consider the evidence plaintiff incorporated in the bill of exceptions to impeach the record by showing that the motion, in fact, was filed in time. If the record does not show the true fact, plaintiff should have moved for its correction nunc pro tunc. We must take the record as it is.” In Hendershot v. Minich, 297 S.W.2d 403 (Mo.1956), it was sought to show by affidavits, pro and con, concerning the supposed consent or lack of consent on the part of defendant’s counsel to any hearing of a motion for new trial outside of Henry County, the county of trial, by a specially assigned judge thereto from Jasper County. The court rejected a consideration of the controversial affidavits filed months after the appeal was taken, saying, page 410[12-15], “We do not think that it was intended, or that it is proper, for an appellate court to hear or consider evidence, orally or by affidavit, to complete, correct, or impeach a transcript. Our appellate courts have on various occasions rejected affidavits and other extraneous writings, submitted for such purposes. See generally: (citing cases) * * *; nor was there an application for a nunc pro tunc order * * * or to employ any other traditional method to cause the record of the trial court to reflect correctly what had transpired.” In Linneman v. Whitley, 402 S.W.2d 76 (Mo.App.1966), it was sought to show, in seeking to set aside a default judgment, by affidavits that appellants’ counsel had abandoned them. It was said, page 78, “In the case of Dennison v. City of Kansas, 95 Mo. 416, 8 S.W. 429, the court was asked to consider certain affidavits which were filed in the Supreme Court after the cause was transferred to it by appeal. The court declined to do so saying: ‘Our rule and duty are to determine a cause upon the record as it comes to us from the trial court.’ ” Compare also Bonadonna v. Bonadonna, 322 S.W.2d 925, 927 (Mo.1959). Not only was there never a motion filed with the trial court to correct the clerk’s record of the filing, if it was in error, by order nunc pro tunc, but there was never any application to this court to allow the filing of a notice of appeal out of time, within six months from the date the judgment became final under Rule 81.07(a).

Nabeha suggests also that a trial court entry of May 4, 1977, “Order for Specific Performance of Judgment Under Rule 74.20” set the date for finality. That order is not a part of the transcript of the record filed herein, and may not be noticed. Holt v. Rabun, 519 S.W.2d 561 (Mo.App.1975). But regardless of that, the judgment entries of January 6 and 10, 1977, disposed of the issues and rights of the parties, and the May 4, 1977, order added nothing more. Rule 74.20 is inapplicable.

The filing of a timely notice of appeal is mandatory and is jurisdictional. Holmes v. Navajo Freight Lines, Inc., 488 S.W.2d 311 (Mo.App.1972). This court is therefore prevented from considering Nab-eha’s contentions of error because her notice of appeal was not filed within ten days of the date the judgment against her became final.

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Rahhal v. Mossie, 577 S.W.2d 143, 1979 Mo. App. LEXIS 2204 (Mo. Ct. App. 1979).

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