Opinion
No. 05-14-00034-CV
03-11-2014
LOUIS DAITCH, Appellant v. BARBARA BENSON, Appellee
DISMISS and Opinion Filed March 11, 2014.
On Appeal from the 101st Judicial District Court
Dallas County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. DC-13-00161
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Before Justices FitzGerald, Fillmore, and Evans
Opinion by Justice Evans
In a letter dated January 13, 2014, the Court questioned its jurisdiction over this appeal as it appeared the notice of appeal was untimely filed. We requested that appellant file a letter brief addressing our jurisdictional concern and gave appellee an opportunity to respond. Appellant filed a jurisdictional brief. Appellee did not file a response.
In the absence of a timely filed post-judgment motion extending the appellate timetable, a notice of appeal is due thirty days after the date the judgment is signed. See TEX. R. APP. P. 26.1. Without a timely filed notice of appeal, this Court lacks jurisdiction. See TEX. R. APP. P. 25.1(b).
The trial court signed the judgment on September 6, 2013. Appellant filed a motion for new trial on October 28, 2013. The motion for new trial was untimely because it was not filed within thirty days of the date the judgment was signed. See TEX. R. CIV. P. 329b(a). In his jurisdictional brief, appellant stated that he did not receive notice of the judgment until September 21, 2013 and that he deposited his motion for new trial in the prison mail on October 16, 2013. Appellant contends his motion for new trial was timely because it was deposited within thirty days of his receipt of the judgment. We disagree. The motion for new trial was due on October 6, 2013, thirty days after the judgment was signed. See TEX. R. CIV. P. 329b(a). In his motion for new trial, appellant cited rule 306 and stated that he did not obtain actual knowledge of the judgment until September 24, 2013. Assuming appellant was invoking rule 306a(4) of the rules of civil procedure to extend the date from which appellate deadlines began to run, that rule is inapplicable because appellant acquired actual knowledge of the judgment within twenty days of the date the judgment was signed. See TEX. R. CIV. P. 306a(4).
Appellant did not file a timely motion for new trial. Accordingly, the notice of appeal was due on October 6, 2013. Appellant filed his notice of appeal on January 2, 2014. Because the notice of appeal was untimely, this Court lacks jurisdiction. Accordingly, we dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction. See TEX. R. APP. P. 42.3(a).
___________________
DAVID EVANS
JUSTICE
140034F.P05
JUDGMENT
LOUIS DAITCH, Appellant
V. BARBARA BENSON, Appellee No. 05-14-00034-CV
On Appeal from the 101st Judicial District
Court, Dallas County, Texas.
Trial Court Cause No. DC-13-00161.
Opinion delivered by Justice Evans.
Justices FitzGerald and Fillmore,
participating.
In accordance with this Court's opinion of this date, the appeal is DISMISSED.
It is ORDERED that appellee, BARBARA BENSON, recover her costs of this appeal from appellant, LOUIS DAITCH.
___________________
DAVID EVANS
JUSTICE