In the beloved story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, recited these necessary elements for final judgments on five rare golden tickets are the key to gaining access to numerous occasions.5 ’s elusive Chocolate Factory. Just like the required golden tickets, you must have a valid appealable The current version of Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure judgment in order to appeal your case. Without one, your article 1918 regarding the form of final judgments does not appeal will be dismissed faster than Willy Wonka could specify these requirements, but the proposed Law Institute roll Violet Beauregarde out of his factory after she turned changes to article 1918 for the year 2020 are intended into a blueberry. This article will examine the proper to codify Louisiana jurisprudence providing that a final format for final judgments in light of the growing number judgment must contain decretal language identifying the of appeals that are dismissed due to judgments lacking relief that is awarded and the parties in whose favor and necessary “decretal language.” against whom the relief is awarded.

The Golden Ticket: How to Draft a Final Judgment Bad eggs: Non-appealable judgments

While Charlie’s odds of finding a golden ticket were The required form for a final judgment is absolutely slim, the chances of having your appeal heard are even critical for an appeal. Similar to the children who were less probable without a valid appealable judgment. This removed from the tour of Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, is because a valid final judgment is necessary to trigger many appeals are likewise turned away by appellate an appellate court’s appellate jurisdiction. As stated by courts because of judgments lacking the necessary decretal the Fourth Circuit, “Before considering the merits of language. The jurisprudence in this area has developed any appeal, appellate courts have the duty to determine, considerably in recent years, providing useful examples sua sponte, whether subject matter jurisdiction exists, for those attempting to draft judgments. even when the parties do not raise the issue.”1 Louisiana appellate courts cannot determine the merits of an appeal A final judgment must be precise, definite and certain.6 unless appellate court jurisdiction is properly invoked by To be considered a final appealable judgment, the specific a valid final judgment.2 For a judgment to be a valid final relief should be determinable from the judgment without judgment, it must contain specific decretal language. reference to any extrinsic source.7 For example, a judgment that merely sustains an exception without dismissing all Although you will not find the word “decretal” in or part of the plaintiff’s petition is probably insufficient Webster’s Dictionary, it is not a term that is left to pure because such a judgment leaves unanswered the question imagination. “Decretal language” has been defined as whether the plaintiff’s petition has been dismissed entirely.8 the portion of a court’s judgment or order that officially states (or “decrees”) what the court is ordering.3 In a Similarly, a judgment granting summary judgment must judgment or order, decretal language usually begins with say more than “summary judgment is granted.” In the formula, “It is hereby ordered, adjudged, and decreed Thompson v. Cenac Towing Co., L.L.C.,9 the First Circuit that…”4 found a judgment like this deficient and dismissed the appeal for lack of an appealable judgment. The judgment In order for the language of a judgment to be considered appealed in Thompson stated “decretal,” it must do three simple things: (1) name the party in whose favor the ruling is ordered, (2) name the IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED party against whom the ruling is ordered and (3) state the that Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is relief that is granted or denied. Appellate courts have GRANTED in Defendant’s favor against Plaintiff

14 The Baton Rouge Lawyer November/December 2019 and that Plaintiff’s claims under the Jones Act and “failure to name the particular defendant cast in for unseaworthiness are dismissed with prejudice at judgment results in the invalidity of the judgment.” Plaintiff’s cost.10 As we have stated, “The failure to name the defendant against whom the judgment is rendered in a case Although the parties contended that the judgment was with multiple defendants makes the judgment fatally final and disposed of all the claims in this case, the court defective, because one cannot discern from its face disagreed. The Court found the judgment was ambiguous against whom it may be enforced.” as to the relief granted stating, “It is not possible to determine, from that judgment alone, if the judgment Another important requirement for a valid appealable dismisses the plaintiff’s claims in their entirety or if a La. judgment is that it contain decretal language C.C.P. art. 1915(B) designation is needed.”11 “express[ing] the degree of fault of each defendant as a percentage.” A judgment also lacks the necessary A judgment will also be deemed deficient if the amount decretal language when it “does not set forth any awarded is not stated or determinable from the judgment determination as to whether the defendants are itself, so that a third person can determine from the jointly or solidarily liable such that it is unknown judgment itself the amount owed without reference to what amount each defendant is obligated to pay.”16 other documents. In Zanders v. Davis,12 the First Circuit dismissed an appeal for this reason. The judgment in Oompa Loompa: What happens when a non-appealable Zanders awarded Zanders “only” the sum of $12,055, judgment is appealed? “attorney fees in the amount of 25% of the principal and interest,” and all court costs.”13 The judgment was Traditionally, if a judgment is deemed deficient on appeal, deemed deficient because the appellate court will simply dismiss the appeal with leave to file a new appeal once the trial court renders a [T]he exact amount of attorney fees cannot be valid appealable judgment.17 In an effort to minimize determined from the June 14, 2018 judgment itself— costs and unfavorable delays resulting from dismissals, the judgment merely indicates that the attorney fees are appellate courts may exercise their discretion to convert 25% of the principal and interest. More specifically, the appeal to an application for supervisory writs when with respect to the “interest,” the judgment does confronted with a judgment on appeal that is not final not identity whether such interest is legal and appealable.18 In these cases, the appellate interest or some other interest, i.e. court will issue an order directing the trial contractual interest pursuant to the court to amend its judgment to include note, and whether that interest is the appropriate and necessary decretal from judicial demand, the date language within a specified period the note was due, the date of of time, directing the trial court’s judgment, or some other date. clerk of court to supplement the Furthermore, the judgment appellate record with the amended does not identify the amount of judgment.19 the principal—i.e., it does not identify the sum of $12,055.00 Regardless of whether an appellate as the principal amount. Absent court dismisses an appeal or invokes such necessary information, the its supervisory jurisdiction because of June 14, 2018 judgment on appeal a deficient judgment, both situations lacks precise and certain decretal result in delayed litigation and increased language, is defective, and cannot be court costs. You can avoid both scenarios considered a final judgment for purposes of by using the following checklist when drafting appeal.14 final judgments:

The Fourth Circuit’s opinion in Urquhart v. Spencer15 Checklist for Drafting Final Judgments emphasizes the importance of clearly identifying the parties in favor of and against whom judgment is rendered. The 1. Does the judgment specifically identify the court stated, in part: prevailing party/parties? 2. Does the judgment specifically identify the losing In multiple defendant cases such as this one, the party/parties?

15 The Baton Rouge Lawyer November/December 2019 3. Does the judgment specify the relief granted or Appellate Opinion, 70 Brook. L. Rev. 727 (2005)). 4 denied? Jones, 203 So.3d at 387. 5 While Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure article 1918 does not 4. If the judgment is a money judgment, does it specify currently list these requirements explicitly, proposed Law Institute the exact amount of money awarded? changes to article 1918 for 2020 are intended to codify Louisiana 5. If an award is apportioned among multiple jurisprudence providing that a final judgment must contain decretal defendants, does the judgment specify how much each language identifying the relief that is awarded and the parties in whose favor and against whom the relief is awarded. See, e.g., Succession of defendant is responsible for paying? Porche, 16-0538 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2/17/17), 231 So.3d 401; Abshire v. 6. If the judgment dismisses one or several claims, (a) Town of Gueydan, 16-0466 (La. App. 3 Cir. 12/7/16), 208 So.3d 405; does the judgment specify which claims are dismissed, Schiff v. Pollard, 16-0801 (La. App. 4 Cir. 6/28/17), 222 So.3d 867; and (b) does the judgment dismiss the claim(s) with or Contreras v. Vesper, 16-0318 (La. App. 5 Cir. 10/19/16), 02 So.3d 1186. 6 Johnson v. Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, 2005-0337 (La. App. 1 Cir. without prejudice? 3/24/06), 934 So.2d 66, 67. 7 Bd. of Supervisors of La. State Univ. v. Mid City Holdings, L.L.C., Trial court judges frequently instruct the prevailing party to 14-0506 (La. App. 4 Cir. 10/15/14), 151 So.3d 908, 910 (quoting Input/ draft a judgment at the conclusion of a hearing. Although Output Marine, 52 So.3d at 916). 8 See, e.g., Thompson v. Beagle, 17-0207 (La. App. 4 Cir. 8/16/17), 226 routine, drafting judgments should not be done without So.3d 518, 522 (judgment decreed that “the defendant in reconventional care. While your appeal will not get sent to an incinerator demand’s Exception of Prescription [is] granted.”) like the bad eggs in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, you 9 18-1282 (La. App. 1 Cir. 4/12/19), 2019WL1578170 (unpublished). 10 will likely be under fire for having your appeal remanded, Thompson, 2019 WL 1578170, at *2. 11 Id. at *3. or worse, dismissed. 12 18-0963 (La. App. 1 Cir. 12/21/18), 2018WL6718625 (unpublished). 13 Zanders, 2018 WL 6718625, at *1. 14 Id. at *2. 15 15-1354 (La. App. 4 Cir. 12/1/16), 204 So.3d 1074. 16 Urquhart, 204 So.3d at 1077-78 (citations omitted). WRITTEN BY CAROLINE DARWIN 17 See, e.g., Jenkins v. Recovery Tech. Inv’rs, 02-1788 (La. App. 1 Cir. 6/27/03), 858 So. 2d 598, 600. 1 Urquhart v. Spencer, 15-1354 (La. App. 4 Cir. 12/1/16), 204 So.3d 18 See, e.g., Lalla v. Calamar, N.V., 08–0952 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2/11/09), 5 1074, 1077 (quoting Moon v. City of New Orleans, 15-1092 (La. App. So.3d 927, 931; Tsegaye v. City of New Orleans, 15-0676 (La. App. 4 4 Cir. 3/16/16), 190 So.3d 422, 425). Cir. 12/18/15), 183 So.3d 705, 711, writ denied, 16-0119 (La. 3/4/16), 2 Id.; see also, Input/Output Marine Sys., Inc. v. Wilson Greatbatch 188 So.3d 1064. Techs., Inc., 10-1477 (La. App. 5 Cir. 10/29/10), 52 So.3d 909, 915. 19 See, e.g., Moore v. Murphy Oil USA, Inc., 15-0096 (La. App. 1 Cir. 3 Jones v. Stewart, 16-0329 (La. App. 4 Cir. 10/5/16), 203 So.3d 384, 12/23/15), 186 So.3d 135, 142, writ denied, 16-0444 (La. 5/20/16), 191 387 (quoting Jon O. Newman, Decretal Language: Last Words of an So.3d 1066.

16 The Baton Rouge Lawyer January/February 2019