An unpublished opinion of the North Carolina Court of Appeals does not constitute controlling legal authority. Citation is disfavored, but may be permitted in accordance with the provisions of Rule 30(e)(3) of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Proced
ure.
NO. COA03-1657
NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS
Filed: 5 October 2004
DEBRA M. DAVIS,
Plaintiff,
v
.
Wilkes County
No. 01 CVD 1158
JOHN BERNARD DAVIS,
Defendant.
Appeal by defendant from judgment entered 13 July 2001 and
order entered 22 July 2002 by Judge Jeannie R. Houston, orders
entered 11 March 2003 and 20 November 2003 and judgment entered 20
August 2003 by Judge Mitchell L. McLean, and order entered 14 July
2003 by Judge Edgar B. Gregory in Wilkes County District Court.
Heard in the Court of Appeals 15 September 2004.
Vannoy, Colvard, Triplett & Vannoy, P.L.L.C., by H.C. Colvard,
Jr., and Daniel S. Johnson, for plaintiff-appellee.
Theodore M. Molitoris and Michelle D. Reingold, for defendant-
appellant.
TYSON, Judge.
John Bernard Davis (defendant) appeals from: (1) an Order
denying Rule 59 and Rule 60 relief entered 20 November 2003; (2) an
Equitable Distribution Order entered 20 August 2003; (3) Summary
Judgment entered 11 March 2003; and (4) Domestic Violence
Protective Orders entered 13 July 2001, 22 July 2002, and 14 July
2003. We affirm.
I. Background
Debra M. Davis (plaintiff) and defendant married on 14October 1979. One child was born of the marriage, who is now an
adult.
On 11 June 2001, defendant quit both his jobs claiming he
couldn't do this anymore and left the marital residence without
notifying plaintiff of where he was planning to go. Plaintiff
recognized that defendant had stopped taking his medication for his
diagnosed depression and filed a missing persons report with the
police after defendant's departure. Plaintiff believed defendant
also carried a pistol with him.
On 25 June 2001, plaintiff filed a complaint against defendant
seeking a divorce from bed and board, temporary and permanent
domestic violence protective orders, possession of the parties'
former marital residence, and equitable distribution of the
parties' marital property. A temporary protective order was issued
against defendant that day.
On 13 July 2001, judgment was entered granting plaintiff
divorce from bed and board from defendant, sole possession of the
parties' former marital residence, and a permanent protective order
against defendant. The findings of fact stated, plaintiff is
actually and substantially in fear of serious and imminent bodily
injury at the hands of defendant.
On 13 July 2002, plaintiff filed a Motion to Renew Domestic
Violence Protective Order alleging defendant broke the terms of the
first protective order and asserting defendant was mentally
unstable. The court granted the motion and extended the permanent
protective order for an additional year.
Defendant delivered a bouquet of flowers to plaintiff with
copies of deeds executed on 19 July 2001 conveying two tracts of
real property the parties jointly owned. The deeds named defendant
as grantor and plaintiff as grantee. Each deed contained the
following language:
This deed is executed for the purpose of
conveying the Grantor's one-half (½) undivided
interest in the above described premises to
the Grantee, pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 39-
13.3(c). The Grantor waives and quitclaims
any right, title and interest in the above
described premises by reason of his marriage
with the Grantee, and waives any and all
rights he may have to claim an interest in the
above described property, should the Grantee
die before the parties hereto have obtained a
legal divorce.
On 7 February 2003, plaintiff filed a motion for partial
summary judgment seeking full ownership of the two tracts of land
and set the matter for hearing. Defendant did not appear at the 11
March 2003 hearing despite notice being properly served upon him.
Partial summary judgment was granted for plaintiff.
On 1 July 2003, plaintiff filed a motion for a second renewal
of the permanent protective order, alleging the parties were in the
midst of equitable distribution and she still felt threatened. The
motion was granted on 14 July 2003.
The equitable distribution hearing occurred on 2 July 2003 and
3 July 2003. Defendant insisted on representing himself, despite
the court's offer to continue the case until he could obtain
counsel. The court considered all the distributional factors and
determined an equal distribution was equitable. The two tracts of
real property were excluded from the distribution as separateproperty.
Defendant filed a Motion to Set Aside Prior Orders for Errors
of Law dated 26 August 2003 seeking to set aside the protective
orders, partial summary judgment, and equitable distribution.
Defendant also filed a notice of lis pendens against the two tracts
of real property. Plaintiff filed a response on 30 September 2003
and sought to have the notice of lis pendens set aside. The trial
court heard arguments by both parties on 30 September 2003.
Defendant's Motion to Set Aside Prior Orders for Errors of Law and
request to stay execution of the equitable distribution were
denied. The trial court granted plaintiff's motion to set aside
defendant's notice of lis pendens. Defendant appeals.
II. Issues
The issues on appeal are whether: (1) defendant's assignments
of error are properly before us for review; and (2) the trial court
abused its discretion by denying defendant's Motion to Set Aside
Prior Orders for Errors of Law.
III. Assignments of Error I and II
Defendant's Assignments of Error I and II are asserted to the
trial court's decisions concerning three domestic violence
protective orders and the partial summary judgment. These
assignments of error are not properly before this Court.
Rule 3(c) of the N.C. Rules of Appellate Procedure (Rule
3(c)) requires parties to file and serve notices of appeal within
thirty (30) days after entry of judgment. N.C.R. App. P. 3(c)
(2004). The three permanent protective orders were entered against
defendant on 13 July 2001, 22 July 2002, and 14 July 2003. The
trial court granted plaintiff partial summary judgment on 11 March
2003. Defendant's Notice of Appeal dated 20 November 2003 is well
beyond the thirty day time limit prescribed by the North Carolina
Rules of Appellate Procedure. The notice of appeal is
jurisdictional and cannot be extended. Henlajon, Inc. v. Branch
Highways, Inc., 149 N.C. App. 329, 560 S.E.2d 598 (2002).
We dismiss defendant's Assignments of Error I and II for
failure to abide by Rule 3(c). N.C.R. App. P. 3(c).
IV. Motion to Set Aside Prior Orders for Errors of Law
Defendant argues the trial court abused its discretion by
denying his Motion to Set Aside Prior Orders for Errors of Law
based on Rule 59 and Rule 60 of the North Carolina Rules of Civil
Procedure (individually, Rule 59 and Rule 60; collectively,
Rules 59 and 60). We disagree.
Our standard of review for a trial court's decision concerning
motions pursuant to Rules 59 and 60 is abuse of discretion. Ollo
v. Mills, 136 N.C. App. 618, 624, 525 S.E.2d 213, 217 (2000)
(regarding Rule 59); Sink v. Easter, 288 N.C. 183, 198, 217 S.E.2d
532, 541 (1975) (regarding Rule 60). To overturn a ruling for
abuse of discretion, defendant must show the decision is manifestly
unsupported by reason or is one so arbitrary that it could not have
been the result of a reasoned decision. Briley v. Farabow, 348
N.C. 537, 547, 501 S.E.2d 649, 656 (1998) (citing White v. White,
312 N.C. 770, 777, 324 S.E.2d 829, 833 (1985); see also State v.Wilson, 313 N.C. 516, 538, 330 S.E.2d 450, 465 (1985)).
Here, the trial court addressed each issue in its findings and
ruled against defendant based on competent evidence. First, the
trial court correctly noted motions for new trials under Rule 59(b)
of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure must be served
within ten (10) days after entry of judgment. Hennessee v.
Cogburn, 39 N.C. App. 627, 629, 251 S.E.2d 623, 624, cert. denied,
297 N.C. 300, 254 S.E.2d 919 (1979); N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule
59(b) (2003). Only the Equitable Distribution Order of 20 August
2003 falls within the allotted ten days. The three permanent
restraining orders and partial summary judgment occurred several
months and years before defendant filed his Rule 59 motion for a
new trial.
Second, the trial court denied defendant relief from the
Equitable Distribution Order under Rules 59 and 60. The findings
show defendant received proper notice of the equitable distribution
hearing and chose to represent himself. When the court offered to
continue the case until he obtained legal representation, defendant
declined. Defendant offers no evidence and we see no reason why
the trial court's findings of distribution factors and subsequent
equal distribution should be disturbed.
Third, the trial court, in its discretion under Rule 60,
declined to grant defendant relief from the three permanent
restraining orders and the partial summary judgment. It noted Rule
60 is not intended to correct judgments made under errors of law.
Hagwood v. Odom, 88 N.C. App. 513, 519, 364 S.E.2d 190, 193 (1988) (citing Waters v. Qualified Personnel, Inc., 32 N.C. App. 548, 551,
233 S.E.2d 76, 78, rev'd on other grounds, 294 N.C. 200, 240 S.E.2d
238 (1978)). Defendant should have filed a timely notice of appeal
or a timely motion for relief under Rule 59.
V. Conclusion
In his notice of appeal, defendant purported to appeal three
domestic violence protective orders, a summary judgment, an
equitable distribution order, and an order denying him relief under
Rules 59 and 60. However, defendant failed to timely perfect his
appeal of the three domestic violence protective orders and summary
judgment under Rule 3(c). N.C.R. App. P. 3(c). Defendant has
failed to show how the trial court abused its discretion in denying
his Motion to Set Aside Prior Orders for Errors of Law. Relief
under Rules 59 and 60 rests within the sound discretion of the
trial court. Its ruling was based on both correct procedural
grounds and competent evidence. The orders and judgments of the
trial court are affirmed.
Affirmed.
Judges HUDSON and BRYANT concur.
Report per Rule 30(e).
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