A. A court may correct, open, modify or vacate a judgment, decree, or appealable order on its own initiative not later than thirty (30) days after the judgment, decree, or appealable order prepared in conformance with Section 696.3 of this title has been filed with the court clerk. Notice of the court's action shall be given as directed by the court to all affected parties.

B. On motion of a party made not later than thirty (30) days after a judgment, decree, or appealable order prepared in conformance with Section 696.3 of this title has been filed with the court clerk, the court may correct, open, modify, or vacate the judgment, decree, or appealable order. If the moving party did not prepare the judgment, decree, or appealable order, and Section 696.2 of this title required a copy of the judgment, decree, or appealable order to be mailed to the moving party, and the court records do not reflect the mailing of a copy of the judgment, decree, or appealable order to the moving party within three (3) days, exclusive of weekends and holidays, after the filing of the judgment, decree, or appealable order, the motion to correct, open, modify, or vacate the judgment, decree, or appealable order may be filed no later than thirty (30) days after the earliest date on which the court records show that a copy of the judgment, decree, or appealable order was mailed to the moving party. The moving party shall give notice to all affected parties. A motion to correct, open, modify, or vacate a judgment or decree filed after the announcement of the decision on all issues in the case but before the filing of the judgment or decree shall be deemed filed immediately after the filing of the judgment or decree.

C. If more than thirty (30) days have passed since the filing of a judgment, decree, or appealable order, proceedings to vacate or modify the judgment, decree, or appealable order shall be by petition in conformance with Section 1033 of this title unless approved by all parties who have entered an appearance in the lawsuit.

D. The party that prevails in an action to vacate any judgment, decree or appealable order shall only be considered the prevailing party for the purpose of the award of costs, to include a reasonable attorney fee, if such party prevails on the merits in the underlying action.

Added by Laws 1969, c. 304, § 1, emerg. eff. April 28, 1969. Amended by Laws 1990, c. 251, § 15, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Laws 1991, c. 251, § 19, eff. June 1, 1991; Laws 1993, c. 351, § 25, eff. Oct. 1, 1993; Laws 1994, c. 343, § 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Laws 1997, c. 102, § 9, eff. May 1, 1997; Laws 1999, c. 293, § 10, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2013, c. 18, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013.