Rissler v. Lynch

744 N.E.2d 1030, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 497, 2001 WL 275210
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 20, 2001
DocketNo. 22A01-0009-CV-313
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 744 N.E.2d 1030 (Rissler v. Lynch) 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
Rissler v. Lynch, 744 N.E.2d 1030, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 497, 2001 WL 275210 (Ind. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

RILEY, Judge

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Appellant Respondent, Alta M. Rissler (Rissler), appeals the trial court's denial of her Verified Motion for Relief from Order.

We affirm.

ISSUE

Rissler raises two issues on appeal, one of which we find dispositive 1 and restate as follows: whether the trial court abused its discretion in denying her Verified Motion for Relief from Order.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On November 22, 1974, Rissler and Ap-pellee Petitioner, Edward L. Lynch (Lynch), dissolved their marriage.

On June 10, 1988, the Floyd Cireuit Court, Floyd County, Indiana, found Lyneh to be in arrears in his child support payments in the amount of $895.00. The court also found that "[the original Decree should be modified to the extent that Edward L. Lynch should be required to pay through the Clerk of this Court, the total sum of $50.00 per week for the support and welfare of the parties minor son." (R. 26).

* On November 21, 1990, the Hancock District Court, Hancock County, Kentucky,2 found that Lynch was in arrears in his child support payments in the amount [1032]*1032of $6,855.00. The Hancock District Court ordered Lynch to pay $110.00 per month until the arrearage of $6855.00 was paid in full to Rissler.

On September 22, 1998, Rissler filed a Motion for Rule to Show Cause. On November 25, 1998, Rissler, by counsel, and Lynch, in person and by counsel, agreed that Lynch was eurrent on his child support arrearage payments and that the remaining balance was $548.00. At this time, Rissler, by counsel, reserved the right to contest the arrearage within 14 days in the event that the documentation submitted by Lynch demonstrated that a payment had not been made. On January 28, 1999, the Floyd Circuit Court made the following Entry: 3

This matter having come before. the Court on Respondent's Rule to Show Cause and Petitioner appearing in person and with counsel and Respondent appearing by counsel, the parties agree that Petitioner is current on the support arrearage payments and that as of November 25, 1998, the remaining balance on the arrearage is $548.00

(R. 7).

On October 29, 1999, Rissler filed her Verified Motion for Relief from Order. Rissler claimed that she did not have knowledge of and did not give consent to the January 28, 1999 Entry before it was signed. She further claimed that the ar-rearage amount stated in the Entry is incorrect. Rissler maintained that relief was warranted under Ind.Trial Rule 60(A), T.R. 60(B)(1), and/or TR. 60(B)(8). Finally, Rissler alleged that the correct arrear-age amount is $3,265.00.

On November 17, 1999, Lynch filed his response to Rissler's Motion for Relief from Order. On August 8, 2000, a hearing was held on the motion. On August 25, 2000, the Floyd Cireuit Court denied Ris-sler's motion. The trial court held that Lynch was entitled to rely on the January 28, 1999 Entry, because Rissler's attorney of record had the inherent authority to bind her to the $548.00 arrearage amount. The court stated that if Rissler had been injured due to the actions of her attorney of record on November 25, 1998, then she must look to him for redress. Rissler now appeals.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

Rissler claims that the trial court erred in denying her Verified Motion for Relief from Order. Specifically, Rissler claims that she is entitled to relief under TR. 60(A), TR. 60(B)(1), and/or TR. 60(B)(8).

A. Standard of Review

The decision whether to grant or deny a motion for relief from order is given substantial deference on appeal. Bonaventura v. Leach, 670 N.E.2d 123, 125 (Ind.Ct.App.1996), trans. denied. Our standard of review is limited to determining whether the trial court abused its discretion. Bennett v. Andry, 647 N.E.2d 28, 31 (Ind.Ct.App.1995). An abuse of discretion may occur if the trial court's decision is clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and cireumstances before the court, or if the court has misinterpreted the law. McCullough v. Archbold Ladder Co., 605 N.E.2d 175, 180 (Ind.1993). Furthermore, in reviewing the decision of the trial court, we will not reweigh the evidence or substitute our judgment for that of the trial court. Professional Laminate & Millwork, Inc. v. B & R Enterprises, 651 N.E.2d 1158, 1157 (Ind.Ct.App.1995).

B. TR. 60(A)

Rissler maintains that her counsel failed to communicate with her. Rissler further contends that T.R. 60(A) seems to provide a remedy for "oversight or omission" so as to grant her relief from the January 28, 1999 Entry. T.R. 60(A) provides in pertinent part, that "[ellerical mistakes in judgments, orders or other parts [1033]*1033of the record and errors therein arising from oversight or omission may be correct ed by the trial court at any time before the trial court clerk issues its Notice of Completion of Clerk's Record."

However, "[al TR. 60(A) motion is not to be used for the purpose of correcting errors of substance." First Bank of Madison v. Bank of Versailles, 451 N.E.2d 79, 81 (Ind.Ct.App.1983). Furthermore, a "clerical error" has been defined as "a mistake by a clerk, counsel, judge or printer which is not a result of judicial function and- cannot ressonably be attributed to the exercise of judicial consideration or discretion." Sarna v. Norcen Bank, 580 N.E.2d 113, 115 (Ind.Ct.App.1988).

Though Rissler claims that she was unaware of the January 28, 1999 Entry until April of 1999, we do not agree that this qualifies as a clerical error. There is nothing in the record to indicate that the $548.00 arrearage amount was a mistake by clerk, counsel, judge or printer. See id. Rissler was represented by counsel on November 25, 1998. Her counsel agreed with Lynch and his counsel that the remaining arrearage amount was $548.00. No evidence was presented by Rissler that this stipulation was entered due to an error by her counsel rather than due to an agreement. Consequently, we cannot find that the trial court abused its discretion in denying Rissler's Verified Motion for Relief from Order under TR. 60(A).

C. TR. 60(B)(1)

Next, Rissler argues that because her attorney did not communicate with her, she was not aware of the January 25, 1999 Entry until April of 1999, and she should be granted relief from the Entry due to "excusable neglect." See TR. 60(B)(1). TR. 60(B)(1) provides in pertinent part, that "[oln motion and upon such terms as are just the court may relieve a party or his legal representative from an entry of default, final order, or final judgment, including a judgment by default, for the following reasons: (1) mistake, surprise, or excusable neglect."

In Siebert Oxidermo, Inc. v. Shields, 446 N.E.2d 332

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
744 N.E.2d 1030, 2001 Ind. App. LEXIS 497, 2001 WL 275210, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rissler-v-lynch-indctapp-2001.