Glenn v. Glenn, 2008 Ca 00041 (3-23-2009)
Glenn v. Glenn, 2008 Ca 00041 (3-23-2009)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 3} On September 7, 2007, appellant was properly served with the order and notice that a full hearing on the petition was scheduled before the court on September 18, 2007.
{¶ 4} On September 18, 2007, the trial court heard the matter. Appellant failed to appear, and the trial court granted appellee's petition for a civil protection order. The court found that appellant had acted inappropriately toward the parties' baby, and appellee was afraid he would hurt the child. The court found that appellant had engaged in rough sex with appellee, placing belts around her neck against her will. The court also found that appellant had withheld needed medicine from appellee.
{¶ 5} On January 7, 2008, appellant filed a motion to vacate the civil protection order arguing that the trial court had failed to schedule the full hearing within the statutory guidelines of R.C.
{¶ 6} On January 28, 2008, after hearing arguments of counsel, the trial court denied appellant's motion to vacate. *Page 3
{¶ 7} It is from this judgment entry that appellant seeks to appeal, setting forth the following assignment of error.
{¶ 8} "THE TRIAL COURT ABUSED ITS DISCRETION IN DENYING APPELLANT'S MOTION TO VACATE THE CIVIL PROTECTION ORDER."
{¶ 9} In this sole assignment of error, appellant argues that the trial court erred in holding the full hearing on appellee's petition for a domestic violence protection order beyond the statutory time period set forth in R.C.
{¶ 10} The decision to grant or deny a Civ. R. 60(B) motion lies within the trial court's discretion, and the decision will be reversed only for an abuse of discretion. Griffey v. Rajan (1987),
{¶ 11} Civ. R. 60(B) sets forth the manner in which relief may be granted stating:
{¶ 12} "(B) Mistakes; inadvertence; excusable neglect; newly discovered evidence; fraud; etc. On Motion and upon such terms that are just, the court may relieve a party or his legal representative from a final judgment, order or proceeding for the following reasons: (1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise or excusable neglect; (2) newly discovered evidence which by due diligence could not have been discovered in time to move for a new trial under Rule 59(B); (3) fraud (whether heretofore denominated *Page 4 intrinsic or extrinsic), misrepresentation or other misconduct of an adverse party; (4) the judgment has been satisfied, released, discharged, or a prior judgment upon which it is based has been reversed or otherwise vacated, or it is no longer equitable that the judgment should have prospective application; or (5) any other reason justifying relief from the judgment. The motion shall be made within a reasonable time, and for reasons (1), (2) and (3) not more than one year after the judgment, order or proceeding was entered or taken."
{¶ 13} While appellant couched his motion as a Civ. R. 60(B) motion for relief from judgment and the motion states that it is made pursuant to Civ. R. 60(B)(1) and (5), it appears that the motion is actually a motion to vacate the September 18, 2007 judgment on the basis that the court did not have jurisdiction to issue the protection order after the statutory time for a hearing on the ex parte order had passed. A Civ. R. 60(B) motion is a collateral attack upon a judgment, while a motion to vacate due to lack of jurisdiction is a direct attack on a judgment.Miley v. STS Systems, Inc.,
{¶ 14} We shall review this matter on the basis that appellant's Civ. R. 60(B) motion was actually a motion to vacate the September 18, 2007 judgment which argued that the court did not have jurisdiction to issue the protection order after the statutory time for a hearing on the ex parte order had passed. We do this because that is what it *Page 5
appears that the appellant intended the motion to be. In addition, if we were to treat the motion as a Civ. R. 60(B) motion for relief from judgment, alleging a non-jurisdictional argument that the trial court should not have issued an order after the statutory ten-day time limit, we would have to deem this to be an untimely appeal because a Civ. R. 60(B) motion can not be used as a substitute for appeal. Doe v.Trumbull County Children Services Bd. (1986),
{¶ 15} R.C.
{¶ 16} "(2)(a) If the court, after an ex parte hearing, issues an order described in division (E)(1)(b) or (c) of this section, the court shall schedule a full hearing for a date that is within seven court days after the ex parte hearing. If any other type of protection order that is authorized under division (E) of this section is issued by the court after an ex parte hearing, the court shall schedule a full hearing for a date that is within ten court days after the ex parte hearing. The court shall give the respondent notice of, and opportunity to be heard at, the full hearing. The court shall hold the full hearing on the date scheduled under this division unless the court grants a continuance of the hearing in accordance with this division. Under any of the following circumstances or for any of the following reasons, the court may grant a continuance of the full hearing to a reasonable time determined by the court: *Page 6
{¶ 17} "Prior to the date scheduled for the full hearing under this division, the respondent has not been served with the petition filed pursuant to this section and notice of the full hearing.
{¶ 18} "The parties consent to the continuance.
{¶ 19} "The continuance is needed to allow a party to obtain counsel.
{¶ 20} "The continuance is needed for other good cause."
{¶ 21} Appellant argues that the language "ten court days" of R.C.
{¶ 22} The language of the statute specifically states that the full hearing must be held within ten court days, not ten calendar days. We interpret the language "court days" to mean the court's business days. Therefore, in the case sub judice, the full hearing on appellee's petition was held in accordance with R.C.
{¶ 23} The assignment of error is overruled. *Page 8
{¶ 24} The Judgment of the Stark County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, is hereby affirmed.
By: Edwards, J. Farmer, J. concurs Hoffman, P.J. dissents. *Page 10
Dissenting Opinion
{¶ 25} While I concur in the majority's conclusion the trial court conducted the hearing timely under R.C.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.