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Sims v. Farmers Grp. Inc.

2022-11-03

Summary

Holding. The appeal is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction because the district court has not entered a final judgment adjudicating all rights and liabilities of all parties.

Liza Sims, acting individually and as executor of an estate, appealed an order awarding attorney fees that resulted from a partial grant of a special motion to dismiss in a case against Farmers Group and related defendants. The Nevada Supreme Court determined that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the appeal because the district court had not issued a final judgment resolving all claims and parties in the case. Specifically, claims for bad faith and breach of an insurance contract remained pending, and the status of claims against two individual defendants was unresolved.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Appellate jurisdiction over attorney fee awards
  • Finality requirement under Nevada Rules of Appellate Procedure
  • Prematurity of appeal before final judgment

Procedural posture

The appeal was brought from a district court order awarding attorney fees following partial grant of a special motion to dismiss, but the underlying case contained unresolved claims and parties.

Authorities cited

No cited authorities resolved to law.co cases yet.

Opinion

majority opinion

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA

LIZA SIMS, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS No. 85183

EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF

EDNA GLEASON, r

Appellants, a taar

vs.

FARMERS GROUP, INC., D/B/A f,,i0V 01 20D

FARMERS INSURANCE EXCHANGE,

D/B/A FARMERS EXCHANGES, A

DELAWARE CORPORATION; GORDON

REES SCULLY MANSUKHANI LLP, A

LAW PARTNERSHIP; STEVEN

INOTJYE, AN INDIVIDUAL; AND

ROBERT E. SCHUMACHER, AN

INDIVIDUAL,

Res • ondents.

ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL

This is an appeal from an order awarding attorney fees after

the partial grant of a special motion to dismiss. Ninth Judicial District

Court, Douglas County; Nathan Tod Young, Judge.

This court's preliminary review indicated that the notice of

appeal appears to be premature under NRAP 4(a) because the district court

has not entered a final written judgment adjudicating all the rights and

liabilities of all the parties, and the district court did not certify its order as

final pursuant to NRCP 54(b). See Lee v. GNLV Corp., 116 Nev. 424, 996

P.2d 416 (2000); KDI Sylvan Pools v. Workman, 107 Nev. 340, 810 P.2d 1217

(1991); Rae v. All American Life & Cas. Co., 95 Nev. 920, 605 P.2d 196

(1979). This court has jurisdiction over a final judgment. NRAP 3A(b)(1),

NRAP 4(a)(6). A final judgment is one that finally resolves all claims and

issues against all parties to an action and leaves nothing to the district SUPREME COURT court's consideration except postjudgment issues. Lee, 116 Nev. at 426, 996

OF

NEVADA

ith 14-17A .-L.*.r,

22-P.2d at 417. There can be only one final judgment in a case. Alper v. Posin.

77 Nev. 328, 363 P.2d 502 (1961), overruled on other grounds by Lee, 116

Nev. at 426, 996 P.2d at 417. And without a final judgment, orders

regarding attorney fees are likewise not ripe for appeal. Accordingly, this

court entered an order directing appellant to demonstrate why the appeal

should not be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

Appellant has responded and concedes that no order has finally

resolved all claims by and between all parties. Specifically, appellant does

not dispute that the claims for bad faith and breach of the insurance

contract remain pending, and does not explain the status of the claims

against Steven Inyoue and Robert E. Schumacher.

This court lacks jurisdiction, and therefore,

ORDERS this appeal DISMISSED.

J.

Hardesty

04(14at- 0 , J.

Stiglich

J.

Herndon

cc: Hon. Nathan Tod Young, District Judge

David Wasick, Settlement Judge

Jane Luciano

Law Offices of William D. McCann

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani 11,1,13/Las Vegas

SUPREME COURT

Douglas County Clerk

OF

NEVADA

4( I c1-17A