Aguilera Constr. v. 84 Lumber Co., Unpublished Decision (5-7-2003)
Aguilera Constr. v. 84 Lumber Co., Unpublished Decision (5-7-2003)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} Defendant-appellant 84 Lumber Company appeals from the entry of the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court overruling its motion to dismiss plaintiff-appellee Aguilera Construction Inc.'s complaint for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.
{¶ 3} On January 9, 2002, Aguilera Construction filed suit against 84 Lumber Company to recover a sum of money for labor and materials it had provided at the Oak Village Condominiums on Bridgetown Road. Shortly thereafter, 84 Lumber moved to dismiss the complaint. It alleged that because the parties had entered into a written labor-and-material agreement that contained a valid arbitration clause, the trial court did not have subject-matter jurisdiction over Aguilera Construction's claims. In July 2002, the trial court overruled 84 Lumber's motion without any opinion or explanation. 84 Lumber now raises one assignment of error, arguing that the trial court erred in overruling its motion to dismiss because the parties' contract required the arbitration of all disputes. Aguilera Construction responds that the parties' written contract did not pertain to the labor and materials it had provided on Bridgetown Road.
{¶ 4} Although neither party has raised the issue, we must initially determine whether we have jurisdiction to review the order from which 84 Lumber appeals.1 Section
{¶ 5} R.C.
{¶ 6} "(1) An order that affects a substantial right in an action that in effect determines the action and prevents a judgment;
{¶ 7} "(2) An order that affects a substantial right made in a special proceeding or upon a summary application in an action after judgment;
{¶ 8} "(3) An order that vacates or sets aside a judgment or grants a new trial;
{¶ 9} "(4) An order that grants or denies a provisional remedy and to which both of the following apply:
{¶ 10} "(a) The order in effect determines the action with respect to the provisional remedy and prevents a judgment in the action in favor of the appealing party with respect to the provisional remedy.
{¶ 11} "(b) The appealing party would not be afforded a meaningful or effective remedy by an appeal following final judgment as to all proceedings, issues, claims, and parties in the action.
{¶ 12} "(5) An order that determines that an action may or may not be maintained as a class action."
{¶ 13} Ohio appellate courts have generally held that a trial court's denial of a motion to dismiss a civil case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction is not a final appealable order under R.C.
{¶ 14} In this case, the trial court's entry overruling 84 Lumber's motion to dismiss did not fit within any of the categories under R.C.
{¶ 15} Although R.C.
{¶ 16} 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.
Sundermann, P.J., Doan and Painter, JJ.
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