ÿWPC¶ …# VU:a %› 0(¡b ÉwÕ4åù  0J 0TZ 0^® 0h 0rt 0|æ 0†b 0è 1ux 0dí U*Q B){ DC¤ AMç ü4v~0vÓ® B D3ž 0@Ñ AOÆ` 0D& D/j B™˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0 ,†r‰AZ‹"Arial RegularX($¡¡- ù -Ó€ DÒ 3|x #2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€-Cþÿ << Gÿÿ òÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌDecember€18,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò d%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÒ € ÒÒ ° ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€Ç’XXdædÈ7ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÞ ÞÌJENNIE€A.€DEWEES,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01„A„01„9605„CV„00230ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€CircuitÌÙ€€ÙßR€ !A1-j|‘Õ` ç `€€@ÿRßà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€94C„3848ÌSEAN€SWEENEY,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appellee.à àà à)ÌÌÌÌà@ àCOURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÌÌÌÌAPPEALED€FROM€THE€CIRCUIT€COURT€OF€DAVIDSON€COUNTYÌAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌTHE€HONORABLE€WALTER€C.€KURTZ,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌÌTERRY€R.€CLAYTONÌ176€2nd€Avenue€North,€Suite€300ÌNashville,€Tennessee€37201Ìà àAttorney€for€Plaintiff/AppellantÌÌMICHAEL€J.€VETTERÌBREWER,€KRAUSE,€BROOKS€&€MILLSÌSuite€2600,€The€TowerÌ611€Commerce€StreetÌNashville,€Tennessee€37203ÌÌÌÌÌÌà@ àDISMISSED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌTODD,€P.J.,€M.S.ÌLEWIS,€J.ÌÌÌÇÓÓÓ  Óà@ àò òòòÔ€„ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€Nó óóóÔ€XÔÌÌà àà àIn€this€slip€and€fall€case€brought€by€a€tenant€against€her€landlord,€theÏtrial€court€granted€the€landlordððs€motion€for€partial€summary€judgment,€andÏdirected€entry€of€the€judgment€as€a€final€order,€pursuant€to€Rule€54.02,€Tenn.€R.ÏCiv.€P.€€The€tenant€failed€to€file€a€Notice€of€Appeal€within€thirty€days€of€the€entry€ofÏthe€final€order,€as€is€required€by€Rule€4(a),€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.ÌÌà àà àHowever€the€trial€court€granted€the€plaintiffððs€late„filed€motion€forÏNotice€of€Appeal€nunc€pro€tunc,€dating€the€notice€back€to€the€filing€date€of€aÏmotion€for€interlocutory€appeal€that€had€been€submitted€within€the€thirty€dayÏperiod.€€The€parties€presented€arguments€on€the€merits€to€this€court,€as€well€asÏarguments€on€the€question€of€whether€the€case€was€properly€before€us.€€We€findÏthat€it€was€not,€and€we€reverse€the€trial€courtððs€grant€of€the€Notice€of€Appeal€nuncÏpro€tunc.Ì€€Ìà@ àò òI.Ìó óÌà àà àThe€plaintiff€alleged€that€she€fell€seven€times€while€using€the€stairs€inÏher€two„level€rented€apartment,€and€became€permanently€disabled€as€a€result.€ÏShe€claimed€that€the€falls€occurred€because€of€the€landlordððs€failure€to€replace€aÍcarpet€that€had€become€dangerously€worn.€€The€defendant€moved€for€summaryÏjudgment€on€the€second€through€the€seventh€falls,€arguing€that€he€was€entitled€toÏjudgment€as€a€matter€of€law,€because€after€the€first€fall€the€plaintiff€had€to€haveÏknowledge€of€the€dangerous€condition€that€was€superior€to€his,€and€because€sheÏapparently€took€no€steps€to€protect€herself.ÌÌà àà àThe€motion€was€heard€on€December€1,€1995.€€The€trial€court€grantedÏthe€motion,€and€the€defendantððs€attorney€promptly€prepared€an€order€for€the€trialÏjudgeððs€signature.€€Through€inadvertence,€the€order€was€not€delivered€to€the€courtÏuntil€January€2,€1996.€€It€was€signed€by€the€judge€on€January€4,€and€filed€in€theÏclerkððs€office€on€January€5.€€The€order€declared€that€ð ð.€.€.€this€Partial€SummaryÏJudgment€is€a€final€and€appealable€order€pursuant€to€Tennessee€Rules€of€CivilÏProcedure€54.02,€the€Court€finding€there€is€no€just€reason€for€delay€in€this€matter.ðð€€ÏThe€order€also€contained€a€Certificate€of€Service€on€counsel€for€the€plaintiff.ÌÌà àà àThe€defendantððs€attorney€became€concerned€that€in€light€of€hisÏfailure€to€deliver€the€draft€of€the€order€to€the€court€in€December,€a€copy€of€thatÏorder€may€also€not€have€been€sent€to€the€plaintiffððs€attorney.€€He€thereforeÏacquired€a€copy€of€the€signed€order€and€sent€it€by€registered€mail.€€The€plaintiffððsÏattorney€received€the€order€on€January€11,€1996.ÌÌà àà àOn€January€26,€1996,€the€plaintiff€filed€a€Motion€for€InterlocutoryÏAppeal€in€the€trial€court.€€The€defendant€responded€to€the€motion€on€February€5Ïwith€a€request€that€it€be€denied€because€the€court€had€made€its€partial€summaryÏjudgment€final€and€appealable,€and€there€was€thus€no€basis€for€an€interlocutoryÏappeal.€€He€also€pointed€out€that€the€thirty€day€period€for€filing€a€Notice€of€AppealÏhad€expired.ÌÌà àà àAlerted€by€the€defendantððs€response€to€the€fact€that€he€had€filed€anÏinappropriate€motion,€the€plaintiffððs€attorney€filed€a€Notice€of€Appeal€on€FebruaryÏ7,€together€with€a€motion€that€the€Notice€of€Appeal€be€filed€nunc€pro€tunc€in€orderÏfor€it€to€be€considered€timely€filed.€€The€trial€court€granted€the€motion,€and€orderedÏthat€the€plaintiffððs€Motion€for€Interlocutory€Appeal€serve€as€her€Notice€of€AppealÏnunc€pro€tunc€as€of€January€26,€1996.€ÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òII.Ìó óÌà àà àThe€time€limit€within€which€an€appeal€as€of€right€must€be€filed€isÏfound€in€Rule€4,€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€which€reads€in€part:€€ÌÒ 0 ÒÒ „ ÒÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒÓÓò òAppeal€as€of€Right:€Time€for€Filing€Notice€ofÏAppeal.€„„€€(a)€ó óGenerally.€„„€In€an€appeal€as€of€right€toÏthe€Supreme€Court,€Court€of€Appeals€and€Court€ofÏCriminal€Appeals,€the€notice€of€appeal€required€by€Rule€3Ïshall€be€filed€with€and€received€by€the€clerk€of€the€trialÏcourt€within€30€days€after€the€date€of€entry€of€the€judgmentÏappealed€from;€however€in€all€criminal€cases€the€ð ðnotice€ofÏappealðð€document€is€not€jurisdictional€and€the€filing€ofÏsuch€document€may€be€waived€in€the€interest€of€justice.ÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÌÓÓÌà àà àThe€time€limit€was€jurisdictional€for€all€cases€prior€to€1983,€when€theÏrule€was€amended€to€preserve€the€constitutional€rights€of€criminal€defendants.€€ItÏremains€jurisdictional€and€mandatory€in€all€civil€cases.€€See€òòJefferson€v.€PneumoÏServices€Corp.,óó€699€S.W.2d€181€(Tenn.€App.€1985).ÌÌà àà àWhile€the€Rules€of€Appellate€Procedure€give€the€appellate€courtsÏconsiderable€latitude€in€its€construction€and€use€of€those€rules€ð ðto€secure€the€just,Ïspeedy,€and€inexpensive€determination€of€every€proceeding€on€its€merits,ðð€RuleÏ(1)€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.,€such€latitude€does€not€extend€to€the€jurisdictional€time€limitsÏimposed€by€Rule€4(a).€€Rule€2€reads:ÌÒ 0 ÒÒ „ ÒÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒÓÓò òSuspension€of€Rules.€„„€ó óFor€good€cause,€including€theÏinterest€of€expediting€decision€upon€any€matter,€theÏSupreme€Court,€Court€of€Appeals,€or€Court€of€CriminalÏAppeals€may€suspend€the€requirements€or€provisions€ofÏany€of€these€rules,€in€a€particular€case€on€motion€of€aÏparty,€or€on€its€motion€and€may€order€proceedings€inÏaccordance€with€its€discretion,€except€that€this€rule€shallÏnot€permit€the€extension€of€time€for€filing€a€notice€of€appealÏprescribed€in€Rule€4,€an€application€for€permission€toÍappeal€prescribed€in€Rule€11,€or€a€petition€for€reviewÏprescribed€in€Rule€12.ÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ ÒÓÓÌÌà àà àThose€exact€limitations€are€also€found€in€Rule€21(b),€Tenn.€R.€App.ÏP.,€which€is€captioned€ð ðExtension€of€Time,ðð€and€which€permits€the€appellate€courtsÏfor€good€cause€to€enlarge€the€time€prescribed€by€its€rules€for€doing€any€act,€ð ðbutÏthe€Court€may€not€enlarge€the€time€for€filing€a€Notice€of€Appeal€prescribed€in€RuleÏ4,€an€application€for€permission€to€appeal€prescribed€in€Rule€11,€or€a€petition€forÏreview€prescribed€in€Rule€12.ððÌÌà@ àò òIII.Ìó óÌà àà àWe€accept€the€appelleeððs€argument€that€entering€a€Notice€of€AppealÏnunc€pro€tunc€is€not€an€appropriate€way€for€the€trial€court€to€avoid€the€timeÏlimitations€imposed€by€the€Rules€of€Appellate€Procedure,€where€the€appellant€hadÏample€time€to€file€within€those€limitations.€€The€purpose€of€rendering€an€orderÏð ðnunc€pro€tuncðð€is€to€make€the€record€speak€the€truth€by€giving€the€orderÏretroactive€effect€to€compensate€for€the€fact€that€an€order€previously€granted€wasÏnot€entered€of€record€at€the€earlier€time.òò€€Hatcher€v.€Stateóó,€24€Tenn.€App.€213,€142ÏS.W.2d€326€(1940).€€See€also€òòCantrell€v.€Humana€of€Tennesseeóó,€617€S.W.2d€901Ï(Tenn.€App.€1981).€ÌÌà àà àIn€òòGillespie€v.€Martinóó,€172€Tenn€28,€109€S.W.2d€93€(1937),€this€courtÏsaid:€ÌÒ 0 ÒÒ „ ÒÒ 0 ÒÒ  ÒÓÓð ðThe€general€rule€is€that€to€justify€a€òònunc€pro€tuncóó€orderÏthere€must€exist€some€memorandum€or€notation€foundÏamong€the€papers€or€books€of€the€presiding€judge,€and€aÏòònunc€pro€tuncóó€order€will€not€be€valid€unless€there€is€someÏsuch€memorandum€showing€what€judgment€or€order€wasÏactually€made€and€these€jurisdictional€facts€recited.ÌÌÒ € ÒÒ  ÒÒ € ÒÒ „ Ò172€Tenn€at€32,€109€S.W.2d€at€94.ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àà àA€prerequisite€for€a€nunc€pro€tunc€order€then,€is€some€previousÏaction€by€the€court€that€is€not€adequately€reflected€in€its€record.€€It€may€not€beÏgranted€to€relieve€an€attorney€from€the€consequences€of€his€own€failure€to€complyÏwith€the€rules,€but€only€to€correct€mistakes€or€omissions€arising€from€the€actions€ofÏthe€court€itself.€For€a€good€general€discussion€of€orders€nunc€pro€tunc,€see€8ÏTenn.€Juris.,€Courts€ðð€6€(1992).€ÌÌà àà àThe€appellant€argues€that€it€would€be€appropriate€to€treat€his€MotionÏfor€Interlocutory€Appeal€as€an€informal€Notice€of€Appeal,€pointing€out€that€the€rulesÏalso€say€that€ð ð[a]n€appeal€shall€not€be€dismissed€for€informality€of€form€or€title€ofÏthe€notice€of€appeal.ðð€€Rule€3(g),€Tenn€R.€App.€P.€€We€note,€however,€that€theÏappellant€did€not€file€an€informal€Notice€of€Appeal€but€an€actual€correctly€drawnÏmotion€that€would€have€been€valid€under€other€circumstances.€€We€believe€thatÍwhile€quite€broad,€the€principle€of€informality€does€not€stretch€quite€as€far€as€theÏappellant€would€wish€it€to.€€€Ì€à@ àò òIVó ó.ÌÌà àà àIt€is€true€that€the€rules€do€contemplate€a€mechanism€whereby€theÏtime€limit€may€be€defeated€by€the€trial€court€under€the€exceptional€circumstancesÏwhere€it€is€authorized€to€grant€relief€from€its€own€judgments€or€orders€under€RuleÏ60€of€the€Tennessee€Rules€of€Civil€Procedure.€€Such€relief€is€available€fromÏð ð[c]lerical€mistakes€in€judgments,€orders€or€other€parts€of€the€record,€and€errorsÏtherin€arising€from€oversight€or€omissions€.€.€.€.ðð€€Rule€60.01,€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.€€TheÏcourt€may€also€relieve€a€party€from€a€final€judgment€for€the€reasons€of€ð ðmistake,Ïinadvertence,€surprise€or€excusable€neglect€.€.€.€.ðð€€Rule€60.02,€Tenn.€R.€Civ.€P.ÌÌà àà àHowever,€the€appellant€did€not€file€a€motion€for€Rule€60€relief,€andÏthe€trial€court€did€not€act€on€its€own€initiative€to€grant€such€a€motion.€€The€appellantÏimplies€that€if€we€find€the€trial€courtððs€order€granting€the€notice€of€appeal€nunc€proÏtunc€to€be€deficient,€we€should€treat€it€as€an€order€under€Rule€60.€€However,€aÏmistaken€reading€of€the€rules€on€the€part€of€an€attorney€is€not€the€kind€of€mistakeÏor€inadvertence€for€which€Rule€60€should€be€invoked.€€See€òòKilby€v.€Sivleyóó,€745ÏS.W.2d€284€(Tenn.€App.€1987).€€Nor€does€the€one€week€delay€before€receiving€aÏcopy€of€the€final€order€or€any€of€the€other€irregularities€alleged€by€the€appellantÏsupport€a€finding€of€surprise€or€excusable€neglect,€since€the€appellant€was€notÍprejudiced€by€them,€and€there€was€an€ample€amount€of€time€in€which€to€file€theÏsimple€Notice€of€Appeal€that€is€required€by€the€rules.€€ÌÌà@ àò òV.Ìó óÌà àà àAs€a€result€of€the€expiration€of€the€time€for€filing€a€Notice€of€Appeal,Ïthe€trial€courtððs€partial€summary€judgment€has€become€final€and€is€no€longerÏsubject€to€review€by€this€court.€€Remand€this€cause€to€the€Circuit€Court€ofÏDavidson€County€for€further€proceedings€consistent€with€this€opinion.€€Tax€theÏcosts€on€appeal€to€the€appellant.€ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à_____________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€PRESIDING€JUDGEÌMIDDLE€SECTIONÌÌÌÌ_______________________________ÌSAMUEL€L.€LEWIS,€JUDGEÌÌÇÑ  ÑÔ% € Ô