Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/404/1/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 08:05:15+00:00

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Justia › US Law › US Case Law › US Supreme Court › Volume 404 › Hicks v. Pleasure House, Inc.
Hicks v. Pleasure House, Inc.
This Court has no jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1253 to entertain a direct appeal from a temporary restraining order issued under 28 U.S.C. § 2284(3) by single district judge after he had certified a request for designation of three-judge court to hear suit for permanent relief.
28 U.S.C. § 2284(3), a single district judge has power to enter such an order in a case to be heard by a three-judge court, but the order can be entered only "to prevent irreparable damage" and can "remain in force only until the hearing and determination by the full court."
The appellants argue that the order in this case contravenes principles set forth last Term in Younger v. Harris, 401 U. S. 37 (1971). They invoke this Court's jurisdiction on direct appeal from "an interlocutory or permanent injunction" in any action "required . . . to be heard and determined by a district court of three judges," under 28 U.S.C. § 1253. Since, however, § 1253 does not authorize a direct appeal to this Court from a § 2284(3) order by a single district judge, we dismiss this appeal for want of jurisdiction.
"plainly contemplates such a direct appeal only in the case of an order or decree entered by a court composed of three judges in accordance with the statutory requirement."
Lavaca, 391 U. S. 352; Schackman v. Arnebergh, 387 U. S. 427; Buchanan v. Rhodes, 385 U. S. 3.
More recently, this Court has held that an appeal may lie to a court of appeals from certain actions of a single district judge in a case required to be heard by three judges. Mengelkoch v. Industrial Welfare Comm'n, supra; Wilson v. City of Port Lavaca, supra; Schackman v. Arnebergh, supra; Idlewild Bon Voyage Liquor Corp. v. Epstein, 370 U. S. 713. A court of appeals is not "powerless . . . to give any guidance when a single judge has erroneously invaded the province of a three-judge court." Idlewild Bon Voyage Liquor Corp. v. Epstein, supra, at 370 U. S. 716. Thus, if a single judge oversteps his limited authority under § 2284(3), a court of appeals may correct his error. In addition, a temporary restraining order issued pursuant to § 2284(3) is reviewable in a court of appeals to the extent that any such order is reviewable under 28 U.S.C. § § 1291 and 1292(a). However, if no such appeal is taken before the three-judge court is convened, [Footnote 2] application must be made to that court for vacation or modification of the temporary restraining order pending a final determination on the merits.
In the instant case, the single judge himself determined that the action was one required to be heard by a three-judge court, and then entered his temporary restraining order; in Stratton, supra, on the other hand, the single judge erroneously determined that a three-judge court was not required, and then entered a similar order. This distinction between the cases, however, makes no difference in principle.
The papers before the Court in the case do not make clear whether or not the three-judge-court has now been convened.

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