92 P. 289 | Wyo. | 1907
The defendant in error has filed a motion to dismiss the proceedings in error for the reason that plaintiff in error has failed to comply with rule 15 of this court relative to the time of filing briefs.
That rule provides that within sixty days after filing his petition in error, the plaintiff in error shall file with the clerk four copies of his brief, and shall also within that period serve upon or mail to the opposite party, or his attorney of record, one other copy of such brief. By rule 20 it is provided that by consent of parties, or for good cause shown before the expiration of the time allowed, the court or a Justice thereof in vacation may extend the time for filing briefs. And by rule 21 it is provided that when the plaintiff in error or party holding the affirmative has failed to file and serve his brief as required by these rules, the defendant in error or party holding the negative may have the cause dismissed, or may submit it, with or without oral argument.
The petition in error in this case was filed May 31, 1907, and on August 1, 1907, plaintiff in error filed a brief. This brief, under the rule, should have been filed not later than July 30, 1907. The motion to dismiss was filed August 19, 1907. It appears by the affidavit of the attorney for plaintiff iii error, filed in resistance of the motion to dismiss, that he completed his brief on July 28, 1907, and on the following day went to the office of the attorneys for defendant in' error for the purpose of-' serving them with
It is contended 'by counsel for plaintiff in error, that as the brief was served upon counsel for defendant in error in time, the rule was substantially complied with and that the filing is solely for the convenience of the court. But we think the rule clearly requires both the serving and filing within the sixty days. A party might serve his brief and then conclude to proceed no further and thus put his opponent to the expense of preparing and filing his brief to no purpose. Under the rule the defendant in error has forty-five days after the expiration of the sixty days, given to the plaintiff in error, within which to serve and file his brief, and the case does not go upon the trial docket for submission on the merits until after that time. If the convenience of the court was the only purpose of the rule, the court would not be inconvenienced by the delay. The remaining contention of counsel for plaintiff in error, that rule 21 applies only where there is both a failure to serve and file the brief, cannot be sustained by any reasonable construction of these rules. Rule 15 requires both, and a failure to comply with that rule entitles the defendant in error on his motion to a dismissal.
The motion of the defendant in error to dismiss the proceedings in error will be sustained and the proceedings in error dismissed. Dismissed.