Opinion ID: 810850
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Bankruptcy Appeals

Text: In the past the only appeal permitted from a bankruptcy-court decision was to the district court, whose decision could be appealed to the court of appeals. -5- Then, in 1978 Congress enacted legislation authorizing the creation of bankruptcy appellate panels, each composed of three bankruptcy-court judges, to hear appeals as an alternative to the district court. See Pub. L. No. 95-598, ch. 6, § 160, 92 Stat. 2549, 2659 (1978) (codified as amended at 28 U.S.C. § 158(b), (c) (2006)). To appeal to either tribunal, a notice of appeal must be filed in the bankruptcy court within 14 days of entry of the bankruptcy court’s judgment on the court’s docket. 1 See 28 U.S.C. § 158(c)(2); Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8001(a), 8002(a). If the notice is filed before the judgment has been entered, the notice will be treated as filed on the day the judgment is entered. See Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8002(a). An appeal is heard by the BAP unless (1) the appellant elects, at the time of filing the appeal, to have it heard by the district court, or (2) any other party elects, within 30 days, to have the appeal heard by the district court. See 28 U.S.C. § 158(c)(1). The election may be made only by the filing of a separate writing. See Fed. R. Bankr. P. 8001(e)(1). If all the parties to the appeal file a written stipulation requesting withdrawal of the election, the district court may transfer the appeal to the BAP or retain the appeal. See id. 8001(e)(2). On receipt of the record from the bankruptcy-court clerk, the clerk of the district court or the BAP enters the appeal in the docket and gives notice to all parties of the date of docketing. See id. 8007(b). An appellant’s failure to take any steps beyond filing a notice of 1 In special circumstances the appeal may be transferred to the court of appeals. See 28 U.S.C. § 158(d)(2). -6- appeal does not affect the validity of the appeal. See id. 8001(a). But the BAP or the district court may dismiss an appeal if the appellant does not prosecute it. See id. Also relevant to this case is the procedure for voluntarily dismissing an appeal. Before the appeal is docketed it may be dismissed by a bankruptcy judge on the filing of a stipulation for dismissal signed by all parties, or on motion and notice by the appellant. See id. 8001(c)(1). After an appeal is docketed, the requirements for voluntary dismissal are more demanding. Fed. R. of Bankr. P. 8001(c)(2) provides: If an appeal has been docketed and the parties to the appeal sign and file with the clerk of the district court or the clerk of the bankruptcy appellate panel an agreement that the appeal be dismissed and pay any court costs or fees that may be due, the clerk of the district court or the clerk of the bankruptcy appellate panel shall enter an order dismissing the appeal. An appeal may also be dismissed on motion of the appellant on terms and conditions fixed by the district court or bankruptcy appellate panel.