Criminal Cases—Appeal by Government

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DOJ Justice Manual › Title 2: Appeals › 2-4.000 - Time To Appeal Or Petition For Review Or Certiorari: Criminal and Civil Cases › Justice Manual § 2-4.110

This text was captured on Aug 14, 2026. It is a snapshot, not a live feed, so check the official code before relying on it.

Text

Criminal appeals by the government under 18 U.S.C. § 3731 must be taken within 30 days after entry of the judgment or order appealed from.

See

Fed. FRAP  App.  4(b). If the government seeks reconsideration of the adverse ruling within the 30-day period after the entry of the judgment or order, the 30-day period for filing the notice of appeals runs from the date of the entry of the order denying reconsideration.

See

United States v. Dieter

, 429 U.S. 6 (1976).

If the appeal is from an order suppressing or excluding evidence or requiring the return of seized property in a criminal proceeding, the "United States Attorney" must certify to the district court "that the appeal is not taken for purpose of delay and that the evidence is a substantial proof of a fact material in the proceeding." 18 U.S.C. § 3731 ¶ 2. The certification should be filed with the notice of appeal and it should be signed by the United States Attorney personally, or, if he or she is unavailable, by the attorney designated to act in his or her stead.

[updated July 2018]

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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