State v. Tolliver, Unpublished Decision (12-15-1999)
State v. Tolliver, Unpublished Decision (12-15-1999)
Opinion of the Court
This appeal, considered on the accelerated calendar under App.R. 11.1(E) and Loc.R. 12, is not controlling authority except as provided in S.Ct.R.Rep.Op. 2(G)(1).
Appellant Linda Tolliver entered a guilty plea to two counts of endangering children in violation of R.C.
After a hearing, the trial court entered a document containing only a caption. Although signed by the trial court, the entry failed to contain the substance of its decision. The caption stated that the entry was purported to be an entry overruling motion to modify sentence.
As we explained in State v. Klein,1
Section
A final order is defined in R.C.
While the caption to a blank entry may suggest an intention on the part of the trial court that the entry is to serve as a final order, without an accompanying body providing the substance of the order, the entry is not a proper judgment entry. This is especially true in light of the fact that we have frequently seen judgment entries where the caption and the body of the entry conflict. (Moreover, our review of the transcript in this case did not help in clarifying the specific issue that was before the trial court.)
Thus, while we believe that the facts of this case raise an interesting legal issue of whether the court of common pleas has jurisdiction to, in effect, impose an additional condition of community control that prohibits a juvenile court (the court specifically authorized to decide custody issues) from restoring custody to the mother, we are foreclosed at this point from addressing the issue. Because the trial court's entry as recorded does not constitute a final appealable order, we do not have jurisdiction to entertain this appeal.
Accordingly, we sua sponte dismiss the appeal.
Further, a certified copy of this Judgment Entry shall constitute the mandate, which shall be sent to the trial court under App.R. 27. Costs shall be taxed under App.R. 24.
Painter, P.J., Winkler, and Shannon, JJ.
Raymond E. Shannon, retired, of the First Appellate District, sitting by assignment.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.