Casey v. Grice

Decision Date04 January 1983
Docket NumberNo. 8111SC1404,8111SC1404
Citation60 N.C.App. 273,298 S.E.2d 744
CourtNorth Carolina Court of Appeals
PartiesGilbert T. CASEY v. Ransome GRICE.

Narron, O'Hale, Whittington & Woodruff by James W. Narron, Smithfield, for plaintiff-appellee.

Mast, Tew & Armstrong by George B. Mast and L. Lamar Armstrong, Jr., Smithfield, for defendant-appellant.

MORRIS, Chief Judge. *

Although plaintiff and defendant raised no question of appealability, we believe the order appealed from is interlocutory and non-appealable. G.S. 1-277(a) provides in pertinent part:

An appeal may be taken from every judicial order or determination of a judge of a superior or district court, upon or involving a matter of law or legal inference, whether made in or out of session, which affects a substantial right claimed in any action or proceeding; ...

However, "it has been held that orders denying or allowing discovery are not appealable since they are interlocutory and do not affect a substantial right which would be lost if the ruling were not reviewed before the final judgment." Dworsky v. Insurance Co., 49 N.C.App. 446, 447, 271 S.E.2d 522, 523 (1980).

Where neither party raises the question of appealability and no right to appeal exists, an appellate court should dismiss the appeal on its own motion. Pasour v. Pierce, 46 N.C.App. 636, 265 S.E.2d 652 (1980); Metcalf v. Palmer, 46 N.C.App. 622, 265 S.E.2d 484 (1980).

Because all assignments of error are based on Judge Bowen's order directing defendant to answer interrogatories and submit to oral deposition, we believe defendant's appeal is premature and must, therefore, be dismissed.

Appeal dismissed.

BECTON and JOHNSON, JJ., concur.

* The Court's decision in this case was made prior to Chief Judge Morris's retirement.

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4 cases
  • Hale v. Leisure, 8913SC1283
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • August 21, 1990
    ...and do not affect a substantial right which would be lost if the order was not reviewed before a final judgment. Casey v. Grice, 60 N.C.App. 273, 274, 298 S.E.2d 744, 745 (1983) (citation Moreover, the appellate courts in this state consistently discourage fragmentary and partial appeals. S......
  • Walker v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 8618SC760
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • March 3, 1987
    ...it is not appealable. Alexander v. United States, 201 U.S. 117, 121, 26 S.Ct. 356, 357, 50 L.Ed. 686 (1906); Casey v. Grice, 60 N.C.App. 273, 298 S.E.2d 744 (1983) (defendant's appeal from an order directing discovery was However, when the order is enforced by sanctions pursuant to N.C.R.Ci......
  • Sharpe v. Worland
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • February 2, 1999
    ...is not reviewed before final judgment."); Walker v. Liberty Mut. Ins. Co., 84 N.C.App. 552, 353 S.E.2d 425 (1987); Casey v. Grice, 60 N.C.App. 273, 298 S.E.2d 744 (1983). However, when the order is enforced by sanctions pursuant to N.C.R. Civ. P. 37(b), the order is appealable as a final ju......
  • State v. Blandin
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • January 4, 1983

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