No. 13866
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF LEWISTOWN,
a National Banking Corporation,
Plaintiff and Respondent,
-vs-
PHILIP K. FRY and PATRICIA A. FRY, et al.,
Defendants and Appellants,
CULLIGAN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, a corporation,
Third Party Plaintiff and Respondent,
-vs-
PHILIP K. FRY and PATRICIA A. FRY, et al.,
Third Party Defendants.
Appeal from: District Court of the Tenth Judicial District,
Honorable LeRoy L. McKinn, Judge presiding.
Counsel of Record:
For Appellants:
D. Frank Kampfe, Red Lodge, Montana
Gilbert Burdette argued, Red Lodge, Montana
For Respondents:
Peter L. Rapkoch argued, Lewistown, Montana
Bradley B. Parrish, Lewistown, Montana
Submitted: January 23, 1978
Decided: WR - 6 1978
Filed: MAR - 6 1273
M r . J u s t i c e Gene B. Daly 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 c t i o n of f o r e c l o s u r e of mortgage.
Notice of e n t r y of judgment f o r p l a i n t i f f was f i l e d February
9 , 1977, i n t h e D i s t r i c t Court, Fergus County. O A p r i l 11, 1977,
n
defendants moved t h e t r i a l c o u r t t o v a c a t e and s e t a s i d e a p o r t i o n
of t h e judgment. T h i s i s a motion under Rule 52, M.R.Civ.P.,and
must be made w i t h i n 10 days a f t e r s e r v i c e of n o t i c e of e n t r y of
judgment, a s s t a t e d ,in t h e ~ u l e :
"(b) Amendment. Upon motion of a p a r t y made n o t
l a t e r than 10 days a f t e r e n t r y of judgment t h e c o u r t
may amend i t s f i n d i n g s o r make a d d i t i o n a l f i n d i n g s
and may amend t h e judgment accordingly. * * *"
The motion h e r e was made 46 days beyond t h e a u t h o r i t y of
Rule 52. Since i t was n o t timely made, i t d i d not suspend t h e
running of time w i t h i n which t h e defendants a r e permitted t o f i l e
t h e i r appeal under Rule 5 , M.R.App.Civ.P., which s t a t e s :
"The time w i t h i n which an appeal from a judgment o r
an o r d e r must be taken s h a l l be 30 days from t h e e n t r y
t h e r e o f , except t h a t i n c a s e s where s e r v i c e of n o t i c e
of e n t r y of judgment i s r e q u i r e d by Rule 77(d) of t h e
Montana Rules of C i v i l Procedure t h e time s h a l l be 30
days from t h e s e r v i c e of n o t i c e of e n t r y of judgment
** *.'I
The r u l e i s s u b j e c t t o o t h e r exceptions t h a t do n o t apply
h e r e , such a s when t h e s t a t e of Montana i s a p a r t y . This case
does come under Rule 77(d), M.R.Civ.P., and hence a n o t i c e of
appeal was mandatory w i t h i n 30 days from f i l i n g of n o t i c e of e n t r y
of judgment. A n o t i c e of appeal f i l e d a f t e r t h e 30 day period
f a i l s t o v e s t j u r i s d i c t i o n i n t h i s Court and t h i s appeal must be
dismissed.
Defendant, f o r t h e f i r s t time on t h i s a p p e a l , argues t h a t
h i s A p r i l 11, 1977 motion t o v a c a t e was f i l e d and heard pursuant
t o Rule 60, M.R.Civ.P. There i s no evidence i n t h e record t h a t
defendant ever intended t o proceed under Rule 60. However, had
t h i s been t h e case and t h e motion properly pleaded under t h e
provisions of Rule 60(a) o r ( b ) , t h e time l i m i t a t i o n mandatory under
t h e s e s e c t i o n s i s found i n Rule 6 0 ( c ) , a s amended J u l y 1, 1969.
This s e c t i o n of t h e r u l e provides t h a t t h e time l i m i t a t i o n s i n
Rule 59, M.R.Civ.P., f o r motions t o a l t e r o r amend judgments w i l l
be followed. Rule 59(g), M.R.Civ.P., provides:
"A motion t o a l t e r o r amend t h e judgment s h a l l
be served not l a t e r than 10 days a f t e r t h e s e r v i c e
of t h e n o t i c e of t h e e n t r y of t h e judgment **
*."
This Court lacking j u r i s d i c t i o n t o hear t h i s a p p e a l ,
hereby o r d e r s t h e appeal dismissed.
Justice
W Concur:
e