This cause is before the Court on a motion to dismiss the petition for certiorari upon grounds hereafter noted in this opinion.
As we understand the record in the cause, Redwing Carriers, Inc., the petitioner in this proceeding, applied to .the Florida Railroad and Public Utilities Commission for an extension of an existing certificate of public convenience and necessity to operate as a common motor carrier. On July 22, 1952, the motion was denied upon the ground that the applicant had failed to prove public convenience and necessity. Thirteen days after the entry of the order of denial, the applicant filed a petition for rehearing in accordance with Rule' 15 of the Commission, but did not seek or procure an order from the Commission staying the operation of the order of denial. The Commission granted the petition for rehearing and on October 9, 1952, a rehearing was had. Thereafter, on December 15, 1952, the Commission entered an order affirming its previous order of denial entered on July 22, 1952.
Within 60 days from the date of the order entered by the Commission on rehearing granted, but more than 60 days after the entry of the original order of denial, Redwing Carriers, Inc., filed its petition for certiorari in this Court to review the orders entered in the cause.
The respondents have moved to dismiss the proceeding on the ground that in the absence of a stay order the petition for rehearing did not have the effect of staying the operation of the order entered by the Commission on July 22, 1952, and hence that this Court is without jurisdiction to entertain the certiorari proceeding instituted more than 60 days after the entry of said order.
To support their position respondents cite Judson Lumber Company v. Patterson,
In opposition to the motion the petitioner relies on O’Steen v. Thomas,
If we were dealing here with an equity cause the cases cited by counsel would be controlling. However, the orders which the petitioner seeks to have reviewed are not in equity but are orders entered by the Florida Railroad and Public Utilities Commission in an administrative proceeding held pursuant to the rules and regulations of that tribunal. Hence the issue in the cause is not so much whether the petition for certiorari was timely filed according to equity rules of procedure, but whether in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission it was necessary for a stay order to be entered in that tribunal in order to toll the operative effect of the 60-day period prescribed by section 350.641(1), Florida Statutes 1951, F.S.A., for seeking review of a ‘ Commission order.
Rule 15 of the Commission, governing procedure in respect to matters before the commission, provides, in part, that “Application for reopening a case after -final submission, or for rehearing after decision made by the Commission * * * must be applied for within fifteen (15) days after the filing with the Secretary of the judgment or order of the Commission, unless further time is allowed by the Commission. The Commission will consider the petition for rehearing without argument.” Neither this rule, nor any other rule of the Commission, prescribes the effect that the filing of a petition for rehearing shall have upon its orders entered on the merits or requires that a stay order shall be obtained to stay the operative effect of such orders.
The prevailing law is that where a statute provides in general terms that an appeal or other proceeding in error shall be instituted within a certain time from the rendition or entry of a final judgment or decree, the time will be computed, where a motion for new trial or petition for rehearing has been seasonably made, from the date of denial of the motion or petition and not from the date of the entry of the judgment or decree. 3 Am.Jur., Appeal and Error, Section 435; 4 C.J.S., Appeal and Error, §§106 and 441. This is the rule that obtains in this jursidiction in respect to' appeals in common law and criminal •actions. ' McClellan v. Wood,
Under the authority conferred by the legislature to regulate common carriage on the highways of the state, the Florida Railroad and Public Utilities Commission has adopted rules and regulations governing practice and procedure in respect to hearings had before -the Commission. Sections 350.12(l, m) and 350.63, Florida Statutes 1951, F.S.A. It is to these rules and regulations that we must look for the determination as to when the appeal period will begin to run with reference to orders entered in such hearings. The rules and regulations of the Commission contain no requirement that a stay order must be procured in order to toll the operative effect of the 60-day period provided by section 350.641(1), Florida Statutes 1951, F.S.A., for instituting ’ certiorari proceedings. In the absence of some such requirement it must be assumed that the general rule obtaining in common law and criminal actions in this state is applicable, and hence that the period within which certiorari proceedings could be instituted in the present case did not begin to run until December 15, 1952, the date upon which the Com
From this conclusion it follows that the motion to dismiss the petition for certiorari should be denied.
It is so ordered.
