Philip Watkins, Claimant/Appellant, v. De Van Sealants, Inc., and Division of Employment Security, Respondents.

This slip opinion is subject to revision and may not reflect the final opinion adopted by the Court. Opinion Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District Case Style: Philip Watkins, Claimant/Appellant, v. De Van Sealants, Inc., and Division of Employment Security, Respondents. Case Number: ED88045 Handdown Date: 06/27/2006 Appeal From: Labor and Industrial Relations Commission Counsel for Appellant: Party Acting Pro Se Counsel for Respondent: Cynthia A. Quetsch Opinion Summary: Phillip Watkins appeals from the decision of the labor and industrial relations commission regarding unemployment benefits. APPEAL DISMISSED. Division Five holds: This Court lacks jurisdiction to consider the appeal. Watkins' notice of appeal to this Court was untimely, and there is no mechanism for a late notice of appeal. Citation: Opinion Author: Glenn A. Norton, Chief Judge Opinion Vote: APPEAL DISMISSED. Knaup Crane and Shaw, JJ., concur. Opinion: Philip Watkins (Claimant) appeals from the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission's decision affirming the Appeals Tribunal's decision to deny his claim for unemployment benefits. The Division of Employment Security has filed a motion to dismiss the appeal for lack of a timely notice of appeal. Claimant has not filed a response to the motion. Claimant's notice of appeal to this Court is untimely. In unemployment case, the notice of appeal to this Court from the Commission's decision must be filed within twenty days of the decision becoming final. Section 288.210, RSMo 2000.

The Commission's decision becomes final ten days after it is mailed to the parties. Section 288.200.2, RSMo 2000. Here, the decision was mailed to Claimant on April 3, 2006. Therefore, the notice of appeal was due on May 3, 2006. Sections 288.200.2, 288.210. Claimant's notice of appeal was filed on May 8, 2006, and is untimely. The unemployment statutes make no provision for late filing of a notice of appeal. Phillips v. Clean-Tech, 34 S.W.3d 854, 855 (Mo. App. E.D. 2000). As a result, an untimely notice of appeal deprives this Court of jurisdiction to entertain the appeal. Frenchie v. Division of Employment Sec., 156 S.W.3d 437, 438 (Mo. App. E.D. 2005). Therefore, when a claimant has filed a late notice of appeal, this Court's only recourse is to dismiss the appeal, despite the merit of the appeal or the reasons for its untimeliness. The Division's motion to dismiss is granted. Claimant's appeal is dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Separate Opinion: None This slip opinion is subject to revision and may not reflect the final opinion adopted by the Court.