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\f5\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f176\fs18\insrsid1322459 \tab Archbishop Apuron, vs. G.F.G. Corp., 1997 Guam 2, (Decision & Order)
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\tqc\tx3960\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 \f5\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\b\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 {\*\bkmkstart QuickMark}
{\*\bkmkend QuickMark}IN THE SUPREME COURT OF GUAM
\par TERRITORY OF GUAM
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx0\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx2160\tx2592\tx3024\tx3456\tx3888\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 {\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
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\par ANTHONY SABLAN APURON,
\par OFM, CAP. D.D., INCUMBENT,
\par }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Plaintiff-Appellee,
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tqc\tx3960\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 {\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722 
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tqc\tx3960\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 {\b\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 G.F.G. CORP.,
\par }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Defendant-Appellant.
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx0\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx2160\tx2592\tx3024\tx3456\tx3888\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 {\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
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\par Superior Court Case No. CV1083-96
\par }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Filed:}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 January 22, 1997
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1997 Guam 2
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\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tqc\tx3960\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 {\b\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 ____________________
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\par [1]\tab This matter comes before the Court as a motion to dismiss the present appeal on the claimed basis that the Notice of Appeal was not timely filed.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
The factual and legal arguments are sufficiently clear that this procedural motion is appropriately resolved without a hearing.
\par 
\par [2]\tab The Plaintiff-Appellee correctly observes, as an abstract principle of law, that the filing of the notice of appeal is a jurisdictional prerequisite and that its being filed beyond the authorized period prevents the Court's jurisdict
ion from obtaining and necessitates dismissal.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\i\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 See Culinary and Serv. Employees Union, AFL-CIO Local 555 v. Hawaii Employee Benefit Admin., Inc.,}{
\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722  688F.2d 1228, 1232 (9th Cir. 1982).}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 He also correctly identifies the interval allowed for filing the appeal, a
fter the notice of entry of the judgement appealed from, to be thirty (30) days.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Rule 4(a) of the Rules of Appellate Procedure for the Supreme Court of Guam (hereinafter, "RAP").

\par 
\par [3]\tab But the real issue before this Court is not the passage of time between the entry of the Judgment and the date that the Notice of Appeal was filed.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
It is whether the Judgment was ever entered in a manner that started the time in which to file such a Notice.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 The Appellee takes the position that on 9 October 1996 the parties wer
e noticed of the Entry of the Judgment on the Superior Court Clerk's docket.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
The Appellant responds noting that the document which was given notice of that day was itself captioned "Findings of Fact, conclusions of Law and Judgment" and that the failure to
 enter the Judgment as a distinct and separate filing violates Rule 58 of the Guam Rules of Civil Procedure.
\par 
\par [4]\tab As the Appellant correctly notes, that Rule states in pertinent part:}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 "Every judgment shall be set forth on a separate document.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{
\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 A judgment is effective only when so set forth."}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
Significantly, the heading on the purported Judgment reflects its preparation by Appellee's counsel, and it contains no indication that it was approved as to form by the Appellant's legal representative.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{
\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Therefore, the "Judgment" appears facially defective and there is no apparent justification for finding that the Appellant ratified the deficient document or otherwise consented to accept it as a valid Judgment.
\par 
\par [5]\tab Furthermore, the Notice of the "Judgment's" entry on the Clerk's Docket was insufficient to activate the application of RAP 4.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
Pursuant to Rule 4(a), it is the entry of the Judgment that starts the clock and "a judgment . . . is entered within the meaning of this subdivision when it is entered in 
the civil . . . docket and notice is given to the parties of this entry by the Clerk of the Superior Court."(emphasis added).}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
In fact, the Notice which was provided the parties' counsel on October 9, 1996 did NOT notice them of the entry of the Judgment.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 T
hat Notice indicates on its face only that "the Findings of Fact and Conclusion of Law filed on October 4, 1996" had been entered.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
Absent Notice of the entry of Judgment the entry is without effect.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\i\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 See Farmer v. Slotnick, }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Nos. CV95-00073A, CV0688-90, 1996
 WL 104527 at *2 (D.Guam App. Div., Mar. 05, 1996) (interpreting the analogous provisions of the Rules of Appellate Procedure for the District Court of Guam).
\par 
\par [6]\tab The conjunction of a deficient Judgment and an insufficient Notice}{\cs15\f0\super\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 \chftn {\footnote \pard\plain \qj \fi720\li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 
\f5\fs24\lang1033\langfe1033\cgrid\langnp1033\langfenp1033 {\cs15\b\f176\fs20\super\insrsid1322459 \chftn }{\b\f176\fs20\insrsid1322459 The d
escription of the Notice as insufficient is in no way intended as criticism of the Superior Court Clerk.  While it may have been an oversight that caused the reference to the Judgment to be left off the Notice, it is equally likely that the Clerk understo
od that the Judgment was to be filed and entered as a separate document and the underlying document did not properly qualify as such.  The Notice simply does not satisfy Rule 4(a) in activating the entry of the Judgment.
\par }}}{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722  thereof certainly make the application of a timing bar inappropriate in this instance.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Judgment has neither been filed nor entered.}{
\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Arguably, the Notice of Appeal was filed prematurely.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
However, Rule 4(a) also provides that a Notice filed between the date of a decision and entry of judgment is treated "as being filed after such entry and on the date thereof".}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
In any case premature filing presents no general bar to the exercise of this Courts jurisdiction.}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\i\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 Stevenson v. Grentec, Inc., }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
652 F.2d 20 (9th Cir. 1981).}{\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 The Motion to Dismiss is accordingly DENIED.
\par 
\par }\pard \qj \fi432\li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx0\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx2160\tx2592\tx3024\tx3456\tx3888\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 {\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 SO ORDERED!}{
\f0\insrsid9838722\charrsid9838722  }{\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 this 22nd day of January, 1997.
\par }\pard \qj \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx0\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx2160\tx2592\tx3024\tx3456\tx3888\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 {\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\tx0\tx432\tx864\tx1296\tx1728\tx2160\tx2592\tx3024\tx3456\tx3888\tx4320\tx4752\tx5184\tx5616\tx6048\tx6480\tx6912\tx7344\tx7776\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid9838722 {\f0\insrsid1322459\charrsid9838722 PETER C. SIGUENZA

\par Chief Justice
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\par }}