ÿWPCS# …#†VUNÜ %* 0 (04Xl 0l{ 0Dç 0J+ 0Tu 0^É 0h' 0r 0| 0†} 0 1u“ U, 0d4 U,˜ U>Ä U 6B)8DCa AM¤ D3ñ B$U*A 0@k>«,é4/I6xÆ®¥tv~vÓ— AOj!ƹ! 0D" 0DÃ" D/# B6#˜HP LaserJet 4 Plus/4M PlusHPPCL5E,,,,0ÙP GBÆç9·^G×G (ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡c`…ÿ3|xl((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d''''7Border 1dd€-(Cþÿ << Gÿÿ++++'ÿÿdxd d< Œ 9p`(Arial("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò 4Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€%ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€,ÔÔ€,ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€,XÔÌÌò òJanuary€29,€1996ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€,ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó "Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€%ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ôÔThis€case€is€the€outgrowth€of€a€legitimation€proceeding.€€The€partiesÏto€the€present€appeal€had€earlier€filed€a€joint€petition€to€legitimate€RikkiÏJacqueline€Fry€as€their€natural€child.€€By€agreement,€the€child's€custody€wasÏinitially€awarded€to€the€child's€mother,€the€appellee€Jane€Ann€Cermola.€€TheÏparties€in€this€case€never€married.Ì *Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€%ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ôÔThe€Hamblen€County€General€Sessions€Court€apparently€has€domesticÏrelations€jurisdiction.Ì %Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€%ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ôÔThe€appellant€does€not€argue€that€this€case€was€tried€by€the€GeneralÏSessions€Court.Ì ,Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€%ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ôÔThe€motion€was€filed€the€morning€of€February€27,€1995;€the€hearing€wasÏheld€that€afternoon.Ì ¼Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€%ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ôÔAt€the€hearing€on€the€appellee's€motion€to€dismiss€the€appeal,Ïappellee's€counsel€stated€that€the€notice€of€appeal€was€filed€with€Mr.€Beck€onÏApril€10,€1995;€however,€even€this€untimely€filing€is€not€documented€in€theÏrecord€before€us.Ì ›Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÔ€%ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ôÔWe€do€not€reach€the€appellee's€additional€insistence€that€the€notice€ofÏappeal€was€not€timely€served€in€this€case.€€òòCf.€ò òG.€F.€Plunk€Const.€v.ÏBarrett€Propertiesó óóó,€640€S.W.2d€215€(Tenn.€1982).ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA: T Monaco ÒÒ  BA: T Monaco Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€$$X„d&ÓÑ#€$$Xd#ÑÔ€%ÔÝ  ÝÑ P ÑÔ€&ÔÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€5$XXdìdÈ7ÑÑ  Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌÌÌÙ€€ÙßL€).(;+'h|&Â` Å `€€LßÌIN€RE:€€RIKKI€JACQUELINE€FRYà à)€C/A€NO.€03A01„9507„JV„00246Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€HAMBLEN€COUNTYÏJUVENILE€COURTÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌRICKEY€ALLEN€FRY,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àPlaintiff„Appellee.à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€HONORABLE€THOMAS€R.€FRIERSON,€II,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€JUDGE,€By€InterchangeÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌJANE€ANN€CERMOLA,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€APPEAL€DISMISSEDÌà àà àDefendant„Appellant.)€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌDOUGLAS€R.€BEIER€of€EVANS€&€BEIER,€Morristown,€for€AppellantÌÌETHEL€P.€LAWS,€Morristown,€for€AppelleeÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€NóóÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àSusano,€J.ÇÓÓà àà àThe€Hamblen€County€Juvenile€Court€awarded€the€custody€ofÏRikki€Jacqueline€Fry,€a€minor,€to€her€father,€Ricky€Allen€Fry.€ÏThe€trial€court's€order€modified€an€earlier€custody€decree€of€theÏsame€court.× ƒ/ ××  ×€€The€child's€mother,€Jane€Ann€Cermola,€appeals,Ïchallenging€the€correctness€of€the€trial€court's€order.€€TheÏappellee€contends€that€we€do€not€have€jurisdiction€of€this€appealÏbecause,€so€the€argument€goes,€the€appellant€did€not€file€herÏnotice€of€appeal€in€compliance€with€T.R.A.P.€3(e)€and€4(a).ÌÌà@ àòòFactsóóÌÌà àà àOn€February€27,€1995,€Judge€Thomas€R.€Frierson,€II,ÏJudge€of€the€Hamblen€County€General€Sessions€Court× ƒ0 ××  ×,€entered€anÏorder€in€this€case€transferring€the€custody€of€the€parties'€minorÏchild€to€her€father.€€The€judgment€reflects€that€Judge€FriersonÏwas€sitting€by€interchange€for€the€regular€Juvenile€Court€JudgeÏwho€had€a€conflict€of€some€unspecified€nature.€€All€of€theÍpleadings€and€orders€in€this€case€reflect€that€it€was€in€theÏHamblen€County€Juvenile€Court.€€It€is€clear× ƒ1 ××  ×€that€this€case€was€notÏtransferred€to€the€General€Sessions€Court,€but€rather€was€tried€byÏthe€judge€of€that€court€sitting€by€interchange€in€the€JuvenileÏCourt.ÌÌà àà àThe€Juvenile€Court€and€the€clerk€of€that€court€areÏlocated€in€the€Hamblen€County€Courthouse.€€The€General€SessionsÏCourt€and€the€clerk€of€that€court€are€headquartered€in€the€JusticeÏCenter,€a€building€that€is€separate€from€the€Hamblen€CountyÏCourthouse.€€Apparently,€Judge€Frierson€held€some,€if€not€all,€ofÏthe€hearings€in€this€case€in€his€courtroom€at€the€Justice€Center.ÌÌà àà àOn€February€22,€1995,€following€a€hearing€on€FebruaryÏ10,€1995,€Judge€Frierson€signed€a€memorandum€opinion€changingÏcustody.€€On€February€27,€1995,€the€appellant€filed€a€"Motion€toÏStay€Enforcement€of€Judgment€Pending€Appeal."€€That€motion€wasÏfiled€by€the€appellant's€counsel€with€the€Juvenile€Court€Clerk,ÏWilburn€Beck,€at€the€Hamblen€County€Courthouse.€€Mr.€Beck'sÍsignature€and€the€date,€February€27,€1995,€are€reflected€on€theÏface€of€the€motion.ÌÌà àà àThe€motion€to€stay€the€judgment€was€argued€before€JudgeÏFrierson€on€the€day€it€was€filed× ƒ2 ××  ×.€€As€with€the€earlier€hearing€onÏthe€merits,€Judge€Frierson's€courtroom€in€the€Justice€Center€wasÏthe€site€of€the€motion€hearing.€€When€the€appellant's€counsel€cameÏto€the€Justice€Center€on€February€27,€1995,€to€argue€his€motion,Ïhe€brought€with€him€a€notice€of€appeal.€€See€Appendix€to€thisÏopinion.€€Counsel€handed€the€notice€to€Melanie€Letterman,€a€deputyÏto€the€Clerk€of€the€General€Sessions€Court.€€According€to€herÏtestimony,€she€was€not€"a€juvenile€clerk€in€any€shape,€form€orÏfashion."€€Ms.€Letterman€told€counsel€that€she€could€not€"mark€itÏfiled."€€Instead€she€marked€it€"received,"€dated€it,€and€put€herÏinitials,€"M.L.,"€beside€the€date.€€She€testified€that€sheÌÌÓÓà àà8 à.€.€.€remember[ed]€taking€it€back€to€JudgeÏFrierson's€office.€€I€either€laid€it€on€hisÏdesk,€or€I€put€it€in€the€file.€€I€don'tÏremember.ÌÌÌÌÓÓShe€also€testified€that€she€could€not€mark€it€as€filed€because€"itÏwasn't€.€.€.€our€case."ÌÌà àà àIn€explanation€of€his€conduct,€counsel€for€the€appellantÏtestified€thusly:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 à.€.€.€when€I€filed€the€motion€to€stay€theÏjudgment,€the€court€file€was€still€at€theÏjuvenile€court€office.€€When€we€came€over€thatÏafternoon€[February€27,€1995]€for€the€hearing,Ïthe€file€was€no€longer€there,€so€I€brought€theÏnotice€of€appeal€and€the€appellate€[sic]€bondÏover€here€[the€Justice€Center]€to€this€CourtÏto€file€at€the€hearing.ÌÌà@ à*€€€€*€€€€*ÌÌà àà8 àWhen€I€came€to€the€court€for€the€afternoonÏhearing,€this€Court€already€had€the€file.€€TheÏfile€had€been€checked€out€of€the€HamblenÏCounty€Courthouse€from€the€juvenile€court€andÏbrought€over€to€the€justice€center.ÌÌÌÌÓÓThe€appellant's€counsel€wanted€the€notice€of€appeal€in€the€courtÏfile€when€he€argued€the€motion,€apparently€to€substantiate€hisÏintention€to€appeal€Judge€Frierson's€change€of€custody€order.ÌÌà àà àThe€appellee€filed€a€motion€below€seeking€to€dismiss€theÏappeal€based€upon€an€untimely€filing€of€the€notice€of€appeal.€€OnÏJune€16,€1995,€Judge€Frierson,€again€in€his€courtroom€at€theÍJustice€Center,€held€a€hearing€on€the€appellee's€motion.€€TheÏtestimony€recited€earlier€in€this€opinion€was€received€at€thatÏhearing.€€Following€the€hearing,€Judge€Frierson€signed€an€orderÏdenying€the€motion,€finding€that€he€lacked€"jurisdiction€toÏdismiss€an€appeal€on€the€issue€of€failure€to€timely€perfect€[the]Ïappeal."€€As€previously€indicated,€the€appellee€has€continued€toÏpursue€this€issue€on€appeal.ÌÌà@ àòòAnalysisóóÌÌà àà àA€resolution€of€the€appellee's€issue€causes€us€to€focusÏon€the€Rules€of€Appellate€Procedure,€specifically€T.R.A.P.€4(a):ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àIn€an€appeal€as€of€right€to€the€.€.€.€Court€ofÏAppeals€.€.€.,€the€notice€of€appeal€requiredÏby€Rule€3€òòshall€be€filed€with€and€received€byÏthe€clerk€of€the€trial€court€within€30€daysÏafter€the€date€of€entry€of€the€judgmentÏappealed€fromóó;€.€.€.ÌÌÌÌÓÓ(Emphasis€added).€€As€pertinent€here,€the€relevant€provision€ofÏT.R.A.P.€3€is€subsection€(e):ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àAn€appeal€as€of€right€to€the€.€.€.€Court€ofÏAppeals€.€.€.€òòshall€be€taken€by€timely€filingÍa€notice€of€appeal€with€the€clerk€of€the€trialÏcourt€as€provided€in€rule€4óó€.€.€.ÌÌÌ(Emphasis€added).ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àà àJudge€Koch€of€this€court€has€succinctly€pointed€out€theÏsignificance€of€the€notice€of€appeal€requirement:ÌÌÓÓà àà8 àThis€time€limit€is€mandatory€andÏjurisdictional€in€civil€cases.€€(footnote€andÏcitation€omitted).€€The€Tennessee€Rules€ofÏAppellate€Procedure€specifically€provide€thatÏthis€Court€can€neither€waive€[Tenn.€R.€App.€P.Ï2]€nor€extend€[Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€21(b)]€thisÏtime€period.€€Thus,€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€3(e)Ïmakes€it€clear€that€failure€to€file€a€timelyÏnotice€of€appeal€is€the€only€proceduralÏomission€that€will€affect€the€validity€of€anÏappeal.€€(footnote€omitted).€€These€proceduralÏrestrictions€are€sufficiently€definite€thatÏthe€liberal€construction€provisions€of€Tenn.ÏR.€App.€P.€1€should€not€be€used€to€circumventÏthe€plain€intent€of€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€4(a).€Ï(citation€omitted).ÌÌÌÌÓÓò òòòJefferson€v.€Pneumo€Services€Corpóóó ó.,€699€S.W.2d€181,€184€(Tenn.ÏApp.€1985).€€We€must€determine€if€a€notice€of€appeal€was€timelyÏfiled€in€this€case€pursuant€to€these€rules€and€principles;€becauseÏif€it€was€not,€we€lack€jurisdiction€of€this€appeal.ÌÌà àà àThe€appellant€argues€that€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€5.06€providesÏthat€"the€judge€may€permit€the€papers€to€be€filed€with€the€judge";Ïthat€there€are€numerous€papers€in€the€court€file€that€are€notÏmarked€"filed";€and€that€the€Supreme€Court€cases€of€ò òòòRush€v.€Rushóóó ó,Ï97€Tenn.€279€(1896),€and€ò òòòMontgomery€v.€Buckóóó ó,€25€Tenn.€416Ï(1846),€stand€for€the€proposition€that€papers€are€considered€filedÏwhen€handed€to€the€appropriate€person€even€if€not€marked€"filed."ÌÌà àà àRule€5.06€is€a€part€of€the€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure.€€ItÏpertains€to€"[t]he€filing€of€pleadings€and€other€papers€with€theÏcourt€òòas€required€by€these€rulesóó€.€.€."€€(Emphasis€added).€€TheÏwords,€"these€rules,"€refer€to€the€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure.€€RuleÏ5.06€is€not€applicable€to€the€requirements€of€the€Rules€ofÏAppellate€Procedure.€€òòSeeóó€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€1,€Scope€of€Rules.€€WeÏhave€found€no€provision€in€the€Rules€of€Appellate€ProcedureÏsimilar€to€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€5.06.ÌÌà àà àThe€appellant€focuses€on,€and€attempts€to€minimize,€theÏfact€that€the€notice€of€appeal€is€not€marked€"filed."€€This€missesÏthe€point.€€The€deficiency€in€this€case€is€not€the€failure€of€theÏnotice€of€appeal€to€reflect€the€word€"filed."€€The€problem€here€isÏthat€the€notice€of€appeal€was€not€"filed€with€and€received€by"€theÍClerk€of€the€Hamblen€County€Juvenile€Court€as€required€by€T.R.A.P.Ï4(a).€€If€the€notice€of€appeal€had€been€timely€placed€in€theÏpossession€of€the€Clerk€of€the€Hamblen€County€Juvenile€Court,€theÏfailure€to€mark€it€"filed"€might€not€be€fatal.€€òòCfóó.€€òòò òCity€ofÏGatlinburg€v.€Corky€Belló óóó,€No.€03A01„9412„CV„00431,€1995€WLÏ114186€(Tenn.€App.€E.S.€March€17,€1995).€€However,€that€is€notÏwhat€happened€here.€€As€far€as€we€can€tell€from€the€record€beforeÏus,€the€notice€of€appeal€was€not€received€by€the€Hamblen€CountyÏJuvenile€Court€within€30€days€of€the€entry€of€the€judgmentÏappealed€from× ƒ3 ××  ×.ÌÌà àà àThe€handing€of€a€notice€of€appeal€to€the€clerk€of€theÏcourt€whose€judge€heard€a€case€by€interchange€does€not€satisfyÏT.R.A.P.€4(a).€€The€rule€requires€that€it€be€received€by€the€clerkÏof€the€court€whose€judgment€is€being€appealed€from„„inÌthis€case,€the€Hamblen€County€Juvenile€Court.€€òòCfóó.€ò òòòCity€of€RedÏBoling€Springs€v.€Whitley,ó óóó€777€S.W.2d€706€(Tenn.€App.€1989)Ï(holding€that€a€requirement€that€an€appeal€bond€be€filed€in€theÏcourt€from€which€the€appeal€was€taken€was€not€satisfied€by€timelyÍfiling€the€bond€in€the€court€to€which€the€appeal€was€beingÏpursued.)ÌÌà àà àIn€this€case,€the€appellant€did€not€seek€to€set€asideÏthe€order€of€February€27,€1995,€under€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€60.02Ïpredicated€on€an€argument€that€she€was€guilty€of€"excusableÏneglect"€in€not€timely€filing€her€notice€of€appeal.€€òòSee€óóAdvisoryÏCommission€Comment€to€T.R.A.P.€4;€ò òòòJeffersonóóó ó,€699€S.W.2d€at€184.€ÏHowever,€even€if€such€relief€had€been€sought,€it€is€unlikely€thatÏit€would€have€been€granted.€€òòCfóó.€òòò òJeffersonó óóó,€at€185€("The€mereÏunilateral€inadvertence€or€mistake€of€counsel€is€generally€notÏconsidered€to€be€'excusable€neglect.'").€€òòSee€also€ò òG.€F.€PlunkÏConst.€v.€Barrett€Propertiesó óóó,€640€S.W.2d€215€(Tenn.€1982).ÌÌà àà àWe€hold€that€the€notice€of€appeal€was€not€timely€filedÏin€this€case× ƒ4 ××  ×.€€It€results€that€we€do€not€have€jurisdiction€of€thisÏappeal.ÌÌà àà àThis€appeal€is€dismissed€at€the€appellant's€cost.€€ThisÏcase€is€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€the€collection€of€costsÏassessed€there,€pursuant€to€applicable€law.ÌÌÓÓÌà àà àà àà àà àà à_________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.ÌÌÌÌ_____________________________ÌDon€T.€McMurray,€J.