United States v. Heijnen

375 F. Supp. 2d 1247, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13947, 2005 WL 1632546
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in United States v. Heijnen. Read the opinion of the Court — 376 F. Supp. 2d 1193
District Court, D. New Mexico·Decided February 23, 2005·No. CR. 03-2072 JB·Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM ORDER AND OPINION

BROWNING, District Judge.

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on (i) Defendant Antonius Maria Heijnen’s oral motion for a stay of proceedings, made February 16, 2005; and (ii) the United States’ oral motion that the Court preclude Heijnen from filing further notices of appeal, made February 16, 2005. Heijnen has filed two notices of appeal in this case. See Notice Of appeal to order denying continuance, filed January'20, 2005 (Doc. 61); Notice of Appeal to Order on Jan. 31, 2005, denying five (5) motions by undersigned to dismiss, as filed Jan 25, 2005, filed February 9, 2004 (Doc. 89). 1 The primary issues are: (i) whether the Court should proceed with this case; and (ii) whether the Court should enter an order precluding the Defendant Antonius Maria Heijnen from initiating additional appeals. Because the Court concludes that the orders from which Heijnen appeals are not appealable *1249 orders, the Court will proceed with the case. The Court declines to stay the case or preclude Heijnen from initiating additional appeals.

LAW ON APPEALS

28 U.S.C. § 1291 gives federal appellate courts jurisdiction to hear “appeals from all final decisions of the district courts.” The final judgment rule requires that an appellant raise all claims of error in a single appeal. See Flanagan v. United States, 465 U.S. 259, 263, 104 S.Ct. 1051, 79 L.Ed.2d 288 (1984). “Federal appellate jurisdiction generally depends on the existence of a decision by the District Court that ‘ends the litigation on the merits and leaves nothing for the court to do but execute the judgment.’ ” Coopers & Lybrand v. Livesay 437 U.S. 463, 467, 98 S.Ct. 2454, 57 L.Ed.2d 351 (1978)(quoting Catlin v. United States, 324 U.S. 229, 233, 65 S.Ct. 631, 89 L.Ed. 911 (1945)). “Adherence to this rule of finality has been particularly stringent in criminal prosecutions because ‘the delays and disruptions attendant upon intermediate appeal,’ which the rule is designed to avoid, ‘are especially inimical to the effective and fair administration of the criminal law.’ ” Abney v. United States, 431 U.S. 651, 657, 97 S.Ct. 2034, 52 L.Ed.2d 651 (1977)(quoting DiBella v. United States, 369 U.S. 121, 126, 82 S.Ct. 654, 7 L.Ed.2d 614 (1962)). “In a criminal case, a decision is not final until both conviction and imposition of sentence.” United States v. Thompson, 814 F.2d 1472, 1474 (10th Cir.1987)(citing Flanagan v. United States, 465 U.S. at 263, 104 S.Ct. 1051). See United States v. Visinaiz, 96 Fed.Appx. 594, 596 (10th Cir.2004); United States v. Snell, 922 F.2d 588, 590 (10th Cir.1990); United States v. Ritter, 587 F.2d 41, 42 (10th Cir.1978).

COLLATERAL ORDER DOCTRINE

The collateral order doctrine provides a narrow exception to the final judgment rule. The collateral order doctrine allows a litigant to seek immediate review of an order if it “(1) conclusively determines the disputed question, (2) resolves an important issue completely separate from the merits of the action, and (3)[is] effectively unreviewable on appeal from a final judgment.” United States v. Visinaiz, 96 Fed.Appx. at 596 (quoting Midland Asphalt Corp. v. United States, 489 U.S. 794, 799, 109 S.Ct. 1494, 103 L.Ed.2d 879 (1989)). The third prong of this test “is satisfied only where the order at issue involves ‘an asserted right the legal and practical value of which would be destroyed if it were not vindicated before trial.’ ” Midland Asphalt Corp. v. United States, 489 U.S. at 799, 109 S.Ct. 1494 (quoting United States v. MacDonald, 435 U.S. 850, 860, 98 S.Ct. 1547, 56 L.Ed.2d 18 (1978)).

JURISDICTION

Generally, “the filing of a timely notice of appeal from an appealable order divests the trial court of jurisdiction and confers jurisdiction on the court of appeals.” United States v. Mavrokordatos, 933 F.2d 843, 846 (10th Cir.1991). That rule, however, “presupposes that there is a valid appeal from an appealable order.” Euziere v. United States, 266 F.2d 88, 91 (10th Cir.1959). See Arthur Andersen & Co. v. Finesilver, 546 F.2d 338, 340 (10th Cir.1976). “An attempt to appeal a non-ap-pealable order remains just that, an attempt. It is a nullity and does not invest the appellate court with jurisdiction, and consequently does not divest the trial court of its jurisdiction.” Euziere v. United States, 266 F.2d at 91. “If the notice of appeal is deficient by reason of untimeliness, lack of essential recitals, reference to a non-appealable order, or otherwise, the district court may ignore it and proceed with the case.” Arthur Andersen & Co. v. Finesilver, 546 F.2d at 340-41. The rele *1250 vant inquiry is whether the order-at issue is appealable. See United States v. Mavrokordatos, 933 F.2d at 846.

ANALYSIS

Under § 1291, the federal appellate court has jurisdiction only to hear appeals from a district court’s final decisions. See 28 U.S.C. § 1291. A final decision in a criminal case is a conviction and sentence. See Flanagan v. United States, 465 U.S. at 263, 104 S.Ct. 1051; United States v. Visinaiz, 96 Fed.Appx. at 596; United States v. Thompson, 814 F.2d at 1474; United States v. Snell, 922 F.2d at 590. Heijnen’s case is in the pre-trial stage. The orders from which Heijnen appeals are not convictions or sentencings. The Court therefore concludes that the orders from which Heijnen appeals are not final decisions under § 1291.

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United States v. Heijnen, 375 F. Supp. 2d 1247, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13947, 2005 WL 1632546 (D.N.M. 2005).

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Related

Catlin v. United States
324 U.S. 229 (Supreme Court, 1945)
DiBella v. United States
369 U.S. 121 (Supreme Court, 1962)
Abney v. United States
431 U.S. 651 (Supreme Court, 1977)
United States v. MacDonald
435 U.S. 850 (Supreme Court, 1978)
Coopers & Lybrand v. Livesay
437 U.S. 463 (Supreme Court, 1978)
Flanagan v. United States
465 U.S. 259 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Midland Asphalt Corp. v. United States
489 U.S. 794 (Supreme Court, 1989)
United States v. Visinaiz
96 F. App'x 594 (Tenth Circuit, 2004)
Robert Leon Euziere v. United States
266 F.2d 88 (Tenth Circuit, 1959)
United States v. Lary Frank Ritter
587 F.2d 41 (Tenth Circuit, 1978)
United States v. Horace Greely Thompson
814 F.2d 1472 (Tenth Circuit, 1987)
United States v. Peter Olympus Mavrokordatos
933 F.2d 843 (Tenth Circuit, 1991)