Rosas v. Eyre

2003 UT App 414, 82 P.3d 185, 487 Utah Adv. Rep. 13, 2003 Utah App. LEXIS 123, 2003 WL 22813767
CourtCourt of Appeals of Utah
DecidedNovember 28, 2003
Docket20020898-CA
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 2003 UT App 414 (Rosas v. Eyre) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Utah primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rosas v. Eyre, 2003 UT App 414, 82 P.3d 185, 487 Utah Adv. Rep. 13, 2003 Utah App. LEXIS 123, 2003 WL 22813767 (Utah Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

OPINION

GREENWOOD, Judge:

T1 Gary E. Eyre, defendant and third-party plaintiff, appeals from the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of third-party defendant, Milbank Insurance (Mil-bank). Eyre argues the trial court erred when it concluded that Milbank had no duty to defend a lawsuit filed against Eyre by plaintiff, Myrta Rosas. Milbank argues that this court does not have jurisdiction to hear this appeal because Eyre failed to timely file a notice of appeal, and that even if this court does have jurisdiction, the trial court's grant of summary judgment was correct. Milbank further argues that Eyre's claim is barred by collateral estoppel. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

T2 On January 18, 2001, Eyre, a fifteen, year-old student, attacked and seriously injured fellow student, Alvaro Estrada, in a hallway of West High School. Estrada suffered from spina bifida and was confined to a wheelchair. Eyre punched Estrada in his chest, stomach, and the back of his head. Eyre then pushed Estrada out of his wheelchair, leaving Estrada lying on the ground. During the attack, Estrada sustained a perforated bladder, for which he ultimately underwent surgery.

*187 [3 A few days later, Eyre met with police and signed a written statement in which he admitted attacking Estrada. This led to the State charging Eyre with aggravated assault, in violation of Utah Code Annotated section T6-5-103 (1999). On March 1, 2001, the Third District Juvenile Court adjudicated that the State had proven, beyond a reasonable doubt, the aggravated assault charge. 1

14 On July 31, 2001, Estrada, through his mother, Myrta Rosas, filed a complaint against Eyre, in which he alleged in part that the "action arose as a consequence of an assault"; that "[oln January 18, 2001, ... Estrada, in a wheelchair due to spina bifida, was pushed by Defendant, Gary Eyre, who knocked him out of his wheelchair"; and that Estrada's injuries were "a direct and proximate result of [Eyre's] wrongful acts, omissions, negligence and recklessness." Estrada subsequently amended his complaint to add Gary M. Eyre (Eyre Sr.), Eyre's father, to the complaint. 2 In addition, the amended complaint alleged that Estrada had engaged in a battery rather than an assault.

T5 Eyre Sr. filed a third-party complaint against Milbank, which had provided homeowner's insurance coverage to Eyre Sr. on the date Eyre assaulted Estrada In the complaint, Eyre Sr. alleged that Milbank had wrongfully refused to defend Estrada's claim against Eyre. Milbank denied that it had a duty to defend Eyre.

T 6 Accordingly, Milbank filed a motion for summary judgment on the basis that its homeowner's policy only provided liability coverage for accidental occurrences, and consequently, it had no duty to defend Estrada's intentional tort claim. After a hearing, the trial court granted Milbank's motion for summary judgment. Estrada's attorney, who was present at the summary judgment hearing, agreed with the trial court's ruling, noting that "the amended complaint clearly sound[ed] ... in an intentional tort." The trial court entered a minute entry granting the motion for summary judgment and directing Milbank to prepare a final order. 3

T7 Milbank prepared the final order and served it on Eyre on August 12, 2002. The order stated, inter alia, that Milbank was "entitled to summary judgment ... on the ground that plaintiff's claims against Gary E. Eyre [were] not covered as an occurrence under the policy." On August 16, 2002, Eyre filed an objection to Milbank's proposed order. The basis for the objection was that Milbank's order failed to "include a specific recitation that the Court found that the question of coverage was determined by the last Amended Complaint of Estrada and not by the terms of the insurance policy itself." Eyre's objection was accompanied by a copy of his own proposed order.

8 Without ruling on Eyre's objection, the trial court signed Milbank's order on August 19, 2002 (the August Order), and entered it in the court file on August 21, 2002. On October 4, 2002, the trial court reviewed both parties' proposed orders and signed Mil-bank's order (the October Order), 4 noting that "it correctly conform[ed] to the ruling the court made." On October 28, 2002, Eyre filed his notice of appeal from the trial court's grant of summary judgment.

ISSUES AND STANDARDS OF REVIEW

T9 Milbank argues that because Eyre did not timely appeal from the August Order, this court does not have jurisdiction to hear his appeal. "Whether appellate jurisdiction exists is a question of law...." Pledger v. Gillespie, 1999 UT 54,¶ 16, 982 P.2d 572.

110 Eyre argues that the trial court erred in granting Milbank's motion for summary judgment. "Summary judgment is granted only when 'there is no genuine issue as to any material fact' and 'the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.' " *188 Bearden v. Croft, 2001 UT 76,¶ 5, 31 P.8d 537 (quoting Utah R. Civ. P. 56(c)). "Whether the trial court properly granted summary judgment is a question of law which we review for correctness, according no deference to the trial court's decision." Fire Ins. Exch. v. Rosenberg, 930 P.2d 1202, 1204 (Utah Ct.App.1997).

ANALYSIS

I. Jurisdiction

11 Milbank argues that this court should dismiss Eyre's appeal for lack of jurisdiction based on Eyre's failure to timely appeal from the August Order. Milbank asserts that under the Utah Rules of Appellate Procedure, Eyre's time period for filing an appeal expired on September 20, 2002, and that Eyre waited until October 28, 2002 before he filed his appeal.

1 12 An appeal may be taken from all final district court orders and judgments. See Utah R.App. P. 3(a). Unless there is a final order, this court lacks jurisdiction and must dismiss the appeal. See State v. Rawlings, 829 P.2d 150, 158 (Utah Ct.App.1992). Generally, a notice of appeal from a final order or judgment is timely only if filed "within 80 days after the date of entry of judgment or order appealed from." Utah R.App. P. 4(a). However, rule 4(b) of the Utah Rules of Appellate Procedure provides in relevant part:

If a timely motion under the Utah Rules of Civil Procedure is filed in the trial court by any party (1) for judgment under Rule 50(b); (2) under Rule 52(b) to amend or make additional findings of fact, whether or not an alteration of the judgment would be required if the motion is granted; (3) under Rule 59 to alter or amend the judgment; or (4) under Rule 59 for a new trial, the time for appeal for all parties shall run from the entry of the order denying a new trial or granting or denying any such motion.

%13 In this case, it is undisputed that Eyre did not timely file his notice of appeal from the August Order granting Milbank's motion for summary judgment.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2003 UT App 414, 82 P.3d 185, 487 Utah Adv. Rep. 13, 2003 Utah App. LEXIS 123, 2003 WL 22813767, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rosas-v-eyre-utahctapp-2003.