Associates Financial Services Co. of Oklahoma, Inc. v. Crawford County Memorial Hosp. Inc., 88-164
| Decision Date | 31 October 1988 |
| Docket Number | No. 88-164,88-164 |
| Parties | ASSOCIATES FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY OF OKLAHOMA, INC., v. CRAWFORD COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL INC., Curtis Langston, Jr. and Patsy Langston, Appellees. |
| Court | Arkansas Supreme Court |
Phillips J. Taylor, Fort Smith, for appellant.
Parker Law Firm, Fort Smith, for appellees.
This is an appeal from the denial of a motion for default judgment, which we dismiss for want of an appealable order.
Associates Financial Services Company, appellant, filed a writ of garnishment against County Memorial Hospital, a corporate garnishee. The hospital sent a letter to the circuit clerk, with a copy to Associates' attorney, setting forth certain facts about the employment and wages of the defendant. The letter was signed by the personnel director of the hospital and was the hospital's only response to the writ of garnishment.
Associates objected to the letter, primarily because it was not filed by an attorney. It argued that the letter was not a properly filed answer because a corporation cannot practice law except through licensed attorneys, citing All City Glass and Mirror v. McGraw Hill Information Systems Co., 295 Ark. 520, 750 S.W.2d 395 (1988). Associates asked that the letter be struck and that the circuit court grant a default judgment in the amount alleged in the writ of garnishment. The circuit judge held that the hospital had substantially complied and so denied the motion for default judgment. From the denial of that order the appellant brings this appeal.
Even though the parties did not raise the issue of the appealability of this order, it is our duty to determine whether or not we have jurisdiction. Kilgor v. Viner, 293 Ark. 187, 736 S.W.2d 1 (1987); Hyatt v. City of Bentonville, 275 Ark. 210, 628 S.W.2d 326 (1982). For an order of a trial court to be appealable, it must be an order which in effect determines the action and prevents a judgment from which an appeal might be taken or discontinues the action. ARAP Rule 2(a)(2). The denial of a motion for a default judgment is not a final order. DeClerk v. Tribble, 269 Ark. 572, 599 S.W.2d 152 (1980).
The appeal is dismissed.
To continue reading
Request your trial
-
Pledger v. Bosnick, 90-39
...from is not final would deprive this court of jurisdiction to hear the appeal. Associates Fin. Serv. Co. of Okla., Inc. v. Crawford County Memorial Hosp., Inc., 297 Ark. 14, 759 S.W.2d 210 (1988). The existence of a final order is a jurisdictional requirement for bringing an appeal, which t......
-
Ozarks Unlimited Resources Co-op., Inc. v. Daniels
...of an order's appealability we, nevertheless, must determine whether we have jurisdiction. See Associates Fin. Servs. Co. v. Crawford County Mem. Hosp., 297 Ark. 14, 759 S.W.2d 210 (1988). O.U.R.'s brief on appeal suggests that it renewed the immunity defense via motions for directed verdic......
-
Hood on Behalf of Hood v. Arkansas School Bd. Ins. Co-op.
...motion for default judgment because that was not a final, appealable order. Associates Financial Services Company of Oklahoma v. Crawford County Memorial Hospital, 297 Ark. 14, 759 S.W.2d 210 (1988). However, once a final order was entered, an appeal could be Heber Springs Lawn & Garden, In......
-
UHS of Arkansas, Inc. v. Charter Hosp. of Little Rock, Inc.
... ... Services Agency, et al., Appellees ... No. 88-77 ... population of 5,000 or more, and are in a county" having a population of 50,000 or more ... \xC2" ... ...