Idaho Supreme Court, 1934

Wayne v. Marquardt

Wayne v. Marquardt
Idaho Supreme Court · Decided March 5, 1934 · Wernette, Budge, Givens, Morgan, Holden
30 P.2d 369; 54 Idaho 211; 1934 Ida. LEXIS 15 (Pacific Reporter, Second Series)

Counsel

Walter H. Hanson and F.C. Keane, for Appellants. Cite no authorities on points decided. Gray McNaughton and James A. Wayne, for Respondents. The motion for a new trial herein was ineffectual for any purpose for the following reason: 1. It was not filed within ten days after the decision of the court. (I. C. A., sec. 7-604 .) And if notice of motion was not given within prescribed time, the lower court has no jurisdiction to grant new trial, and appeal should be dismissed. ( Hess v. Swanson , 36 Idaho 135 , 209 Pac. 721 ; Brockman v. Hall , 37 Idaho 564 , 218 P. 188 .) The "decision" which starts the ten-day period mentioned in the statute, where the trial is without jury, consists of written findings of fact and conclusions of law filed with the clerk. ( Forsman v. Holbrook , 47 Idaho 241 , 274 P. 111 .)

Wayne v. Marquardt

Opinion of the Court

WERNETTE, J.

This appeal is taken from an order of the district court denying appellants’ motion for new trial. Respondents, in their brief, raise the question of the failure of appellants to file their notice of, or motion for new trial within the ten-day period provided by sec. 7-604, I. C. A., which, in part, reads as follows:

“The party intending to move for a new trial must, within ten days after the verdict of the jury, if the action were tried by a jury, or after notice of the decision of the court or referee, if the action were tried without a jury, file with the clerk and serve upon the adverse party a notice of his motion.”

This action was tried to the district court sitting without a jury. The findings of fact, conclusions of law and decree of the district court were entered and filed January 27, 1933. Appellants did not file a notice of intention to move for a new trial, but did, on February 9, 1933, serve and file a motion for new trial. Thus neither a notice nor the motion was filed within the ten days provided by see. 7-604, I, C. A.

*213 This court is without discretion in the premises. The granting of a new trial by the district court is entirely a matter of statute and if the moving party had not complied with the provisions of the statute, as in this case, the district court was without jurisdiction and properly ruled in denying the motion for new trial. (Hess v. Swanson, 36 Ida. 135, 209 Pac. 721; Brockman v. Hall, 37 Ida. 564, 218 Pac. 188.) The ten-day statutory period started running upon the filing of the findings of fact, conclusions of law and decree of the district court. (Forsman v. Holbrook, 47 Ida. 241, 274 Pac. 111.)

Other assignments and grounds for dismissal, set forth by respondents, need not be considered for the noneompli-anee with the statute, above set forth, is jurisdictional in nature and, consequently, conclusive.

The order denying motion for new trial is affirmed.

Costs to respondents.

Budge, C. J., and Givens, Morgan and Holden, JJ., concur.

Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.