Marriott v. Anderson, 2017 Va. App. LEXIS 43 (February 21, 2017)
When a party appeals a case from the juvenile and domestic relations court, he or she must file the appeal within ten days or the appeal will be dismissed.The Court of Appeals reversed the circuit court after it had accepted several de novo appeals from the juvenile and domestic relations court, one of which was filed after the ten-day appeal period. On May 14, 2015, the JDR court had entered two separate orders. One resolved the father's arrearages to the mother ("arrearages order"). The other required the mother to pay child support ("child support order"). The mother appealed the arrearages order on May 21, 2015, which was filed timely. However, she appealed the child support order on May 27, 2015, which was filed late. The father moved to dismiss the child support case because of the late appeal. He also moved to dismiss the arrearages case on the basis that it was moot without the child support appeal. The circuit court denied his motions to dismiss. The court of appeals agreed with the father and reversed the circuit court on both matters.