Alea London Ltd. v. Skeeter's 19th Hole, 2007-G-2803 (11-9-2007) ( 2007 )

MEMORANDUM OPINION {¶ 1} On September 27, 2007, appellant, Alea London Limited, filed a notice of appeal from the September 13, 2007 judgment entry of the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas.

{¶ 2} This case stems from a declaratory judgment action in the trial court brought by appellant. In the September 13, 2007 entry, the trial court overruled a motion for summary judgment filed by appellant.

{¶ 3} Section 3(B)(2), Article IV of the Ohio Constitution limits the jurisdiction of an appellate court to the review of final judgments of lower courts. In order for a judgment to be final and appealable, the requirements of R.C. 2505.02 and Civ.R. 54(B), if applicable, must be satisfied. See Alden v. Kovar, 11th Dist. Nos. 2006-T-0050 and 2006-T-0051, 2006 WL 1816263, at ¶ 5, citing to Chef Italiano Corp. v.Kent State Univ. (1989), 44 Ohio St. 3d 86, 88. Moreover, "[a]n order denying a motion for summary judgment is not a final appealable order."State ex rel. Overmeyer v. Walinski (1966), 8 Ohio St. 2d 23, 23. However, the denial of a motion for summary judgment is always reviewable on an appeal from a subsequent final judgment.Alden, supra, citing to Sagenich v. Erie Ins. Group (Dec. 12, 2003), 11th Dist. No. 2003-T-0144, 2003 WL 22952586, at ¶ 3.

{¶ 4} Generally, a trial court does not fulfill its function in a declaratory judgment action when it disposes of the issues by journalizing an entry merely sustaining or overruling a motion for summary judgment without setting forth any construction of the document under consideration. Nickschinski v. Sentry Ins. Co. (1993),

88 Ohio App. 3d 185, 189. Here, appellant has attempted to appeal the denial of a motion for summary judgment. Therefore, we do not have a final order under R.C.2505.02(B).

{¶ 5} Based upon the foregoing analysis, this appeal is dismissed due to lack of a final appealable order.

{¶ 6} Appeal dismissed.

COLLEEN MARY OTOOLE, J., TIMOTHY P. CANNON, J., concur.