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.
This consolidated appeal presents the question of whether parents of school age children and other residents of the Malesus Elementary School attendance zone in Madison County, Tennessee, have a right to intervene as parties in a school desegregation case.
The appellants are designated as Malesus Area Concerned Parents, Arthur Johnson, et al. The district court held that the appellants were not entitled to intervention of right under Fed.R.Civ.P. 24(a), and denied permissive intervention under Rule 24(b). We affirm on authority of Hatton v. County Board of Education, 422 F.2d 457 (6th Cir. 1970).
We conclude that the district court did not err in holding that the appellants could not intervene as a matter of right, and that the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying the application for permissive intervention. Skillken v. City of Toledo, 528 F.2d 867 (6th Cir. 1975), vacated and remanded on other grounds, 429 U.S. 1068, 97 S.Ct. 800, 50 L.Ed.2d 786 (1977), 558 F.2d 350 (6th Cir. 1977), relied upon by appellants, is distinguishable on its facts.
Affirmed. The costs of this appeal are taxed against appellants.
Judge Peck would hold that this court is without jurisdiction to consider the issue which forms the basis of this per curiam opinion for lack of a timely notice of appeal directed to the critical order of the district court.
. See Monroe v. Board of Commissioners, 391 U.S. 450, 88 S.Ct. 1700, 20 L.Ed.2d 733 (1968); Monroe v. County Board of Education, 505 F.2d 109 (6th Cir. 1974); Monroe v. County Board of Education, 439 F.2d 804 (6th Cir. 1971); Monroe v. Board of Commissioners, 427 F.2d 1005 (6th Cir. 1970); Monroe v. Board of Commissioners, 380 F.2d 955 (6th Cir. 1967). See also, Monroe v. Board of Education, 269 F.Supp. 758 (W.D.Tenn.1965); Monroe v. Board of Commissioners, 229 F.Supp. 580 (W.D.Tenn.1964); Monroe v. Board of Commissioners, 221 F.Supp. 968 (W.D.Tenn.1963).
. Appellants have filed two notices of appeal from orders of the district court denying their motions to intervene. Appellees have moved to dismiss the first appeal on the ground that the notice of appeal was not timely filed. We do not reach this question, since the district court denied intervention for a second time on April 20, 1977, and the second notice of appeal was timely filed on April 22, 1977.

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: B