Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-24-01494/USCOURTS-ca10-24-01494-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 

---

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT

_________________________________

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 

 Plaintiff - Appellee,

v.

NATHAN J. SMITH, 

 Defendant - Appellant.

No. 24-1494

(D.C. No. 1:24-CR-00167-LTB-2)

(D. Colo.)

_________________________________

ORDER

_________________________________

Before MATHESON, ROSSMAN, and FEDERICO, Circuit Judges.

_________________________________

Nathan J. Smith appeals the district court’s order summarily remanding two 

Colorado state court criminal cases back to Colorado state court. The notice of appeal 

was filed after any applicable deadline passed, however. Consequently, we conclude this 

court lacks jurisdiction to consider the appeal and dismiss it. Amazon, Inc. v. Dirt Camp, 

Inc., 273 F.3d 1271, 1274 (10th Cir. 2001) (“[W]e have an independent duty to examine 

our own jurisdiction.”).

In civil cases, “[a] timely notice of appeal is both mandatory and jurisdictional.” 

Allender v. Raytheon Aircraft Co., 439 F.3d 1236, 1239 (10th Cir. 2006) (quotation 

omitted). In federal criminal cases, the time to appeal is not jurisdictional, but may be 

raised by the court if the untimeliness of a notice of appeal affects judicial or 

administrative efficiencies and when the delay in taking the appeal was “inordinate.” 

FILED

United States Court of Appeals

Tenth Circuit

December 17, 2024

Christopher M. Wolpert

Clerk of Court

Appellate Case: 24-1494 Document: 2-1 Date Filed: 12/17/2024 Page: 1
2

United States v. Mitchell, 518 F.3d 740, 750 (10th Cir. 2008). Importantly, although Mr. 

Smith does not have assistance from an attorney in this case, he must comply with 

procedural timeliness requirements the same as any other litigant. Ogden v. San Juan 

County, 32 F.3d 452, 455 (10th Cir. 1994).

The remand order was entered on May 23, 2024 (Dist. Ct. ECF 2). Mr. Smith filed 

his notice of appeal on December 11, 2024 (Dist. Ct. ECF 14), 202 days after the remand 

order was entered. This court has not decided what procedural rule sets the deadline for 

filing a notice of appeal from a district court order remanding a state criminal case to 

state court. We need not resolve this question today, however. Regardless of which rule 

applies to set the deadline to appeal, Mr. Smith’s notice of appeal was filed well beyond 

all of them. Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(1)(A) (in civil case without a federal actor, notice of 

appeal must be filed within 30 days after entry of order or judgment being appealed); 

4(a)(1)(B) (in civil case with a federal party, notice of appeal must be filed within 60 

days after entry of order or judgment being appealed); 4(b)(1)(A) (in federal criminal 

case, notice of appeal must be filed within 14 days after entry of order or judgment being 

appealed). Further, it is not possible at this late date for Mr. Smith to obtain any relief 

from the district court from his late notice of appeal, if it was ever available. Fed. R. App. 

P. 4(a)(5) & (a)(6); 4(b)(4).

In light of the above, “[t]he time limit has run[,] and we are without jurisdiction 

under the facts of this case.” Jenkins v. Burtzloff, 69 F.3d 460, 464 (10th Cir. 1995).

Appellate Case: 24-1494 Document: 2-1 Date Filed: 12/17/2024 Page: 2
3

APPEAL DISMISSED.

Entered for the Court

CHRISTOPHER M. WOLPERT, Clerk

Appellate Case: 24-1494 Document: 2-1 Date Filed: 12/17/2024 Page: 3