Task: songer_typeiss

What follows is an opinion from a United States Court of Appeals.
Your task is to determine the general category of issues discussed in the opinion of the court. Choose among the following categories. Criminal and prisioner petitions- includes appeals of conviction, petitions for post conviction relief, habeas corpus petitions, and other prisoner petitions which challenge the validity of the conviction or the sentence or the validity of continued confinement. Civil - Government - these will include appeals from administrative agencies (e.g., OSHA,FDA), the decisions of administrative law judges, or the decisions of independent regulatory agencies (e.g., NLRB, FCC,SEC). The focus in administrative law is usually on procedural principles that apply to administrative agencies as they affect private interests, primarily through rulemaking and adjudication. Tort actions against the government, including petitions by prisoners which challenge the conditions of their confinement or which seek damages for torts committed by prion officials or by police fit in this category. In addition, this category will include suits over taxes and claims for benefits from government. Diversity of Citizenship - civil cases involving disputes between citizens of different states (remember that businesses have state citizenship). These cases will always involve the application of state or local law. If the case is centrally concerned with the application or interpretation of federal law then it is not a diversity case. Civil Disputes - Private - includes all civil cases that do not fit in any of the above categories. The opposing litigants will be individuals, businesses or groups.

PER CURIAM.
Defendant-appellant was found guilty by a jury of forging an indorsement on a United States Treasury check in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 495 and was sentenced to a prison term of five years. His defense was that he had a note signed by the payee of the cheek giving him permission to cash it. The payee testified that he had not given any such permission and had not signed such a note. The note of authorization was not introduced in evidence- during the trial.
Ten days after he was sentenced, defendant filed a motion for a new trial on grounds of newly discovered evidence, claiming that his wife had found the handwritten note which gave him permission to cash the check.
At defendant’s request the district court appointed a handwriting expert at the expense of the Government to determine, if possible, whether either defendant or his wife was the author of the note. The theory of the district court was that if neither defendant nor his wife had written the note, presentation of such a note at the trial could have affected the outcome and the defendant would be entitled to a new trial. The handwriting expert rendered an opinion to the effect that the note in question was written by defendant and not by the payee of the check. The district court thereupon denied the motion for a new trial and defendant has appealed.
In this court defendant relies upon Rule 33, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, which authorizes the district court to grant a new trial to a defendant “if required in the interest of justice,” contending that he should be granted a new trial and that the jury should be permitted to determine the authenticity of the note of authorization.
The granting or refusing of a new trial upon grounds of newly discovered evidence rests in the sound discretion of the trial court. A new trial will not be granted unless such evidence probably would bring about a different result. United States v. Lewis, 338 F.2d 137 (C.A. 6), cert. denied, 380 U.S. 978, 85 S.Ct. 1342, 14 L.Ed.2d 272, and cases therein cited.
We hold that the district judge did not abuse his discretion, in concluding that the introduction of the note and the testimony of the handwriting expert probably would not bring about a different result in this case.
The judgment of the district court is affirmed.
Appreciation is expressed to Mr. Kent J. Vana of the bar of Grand Rapids, Michigan, for his services as court-appointed counsel for defendant both in this court and in the district court.

Question: What is the general category of issues discussed in the opinion of the court?
A. criminal and prisoner petitions
B. civil - government
C. diversity of citizenship
D. civil - private
E. other, not applicable
F. not ascertained
Answer:

Answer: A