Opinion ID: 2185
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: Montanez argues that we do not have jurisdiction to entertain the issues raised in this interlocutory appeal. Typically, a denial of summary judgment is not a final appealable order, but the Supreme Court has held that “a district court's denial of a claim of qualified immunity, to the extent that it turns on an issue of law, is an appealable ‘final decision’ within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 1291 notwithstanding the absence of a final judgment.” Mitchell v. Forsyth, 472 U.S. 511, 530 (1985). The Supreme Court has made clear, however, that this qualified immunity exception does not include interlocutory appeals of a district court’s evidence sufficiency determinations at summary judgment, “i.e., which facts a party may, or may not, be able to prove at trial.” Johnson v. Jones, 515 U.S. 304, 313 (1995). Accordingly, “our jurisdiction to review the District Court’s order denying summary judgment depends on whether the defendants’ appeal raises pure questions of law or whether it challenges the District Court’s determination of which facts were sufficiently supported by evidence.” Reilly, 532 F.3d at 224 (quoting Blaylock v. City of Philadelphia, 504 F.3d 405, 409 (3d Cir. 2007)). For instance, an appeals court cannot review whether the district court erred in denying a qualified immunity motion because the judge was mistaken as to the facts that are subject to genuine dispute. See Forbes v. Twp. of Lower Merion, 313 F.3d 144, 147 (3d Cir. 2002). Our review in these circumstances is therefore somewhat analogous to the review of a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, “where we would not evaluate the underlying evidence to support the plaintiff’s claims which the District Court chose to accept.” Walter v. Pike County, Pa., 544 F.3d 182, 190 (3d Cir. 2008) (quoting Atkinson v. Taylor, 316 F.3d 257, 261 n.4 (3d Cir. 10 2003)). Despite this, we may review “whether the set of facts identified by the district court is sufficient to establish a violation of a clearly established constitutional right.” Reilly, 532 F.3d at 224 (citing Forbes, 313 F.3d at 147). Additionally, “[i]f there are minor gaps in the District Court’s factual recitation, ‘we can determine what facts the district court, in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, likely assumed.’” Walter, 544 F.3d at 190 (quoting Rivas v. City of Passaic, 365 F.3d 181, 196 n.10 (3d Cir. 2004)). Montanez argues that we should dismiss this interlocutory appeal for lack of jurisdiction because the appeal does not raise a pure question of law, but rather is a challenge to the District Court's factual determination that the record evidence presented at summary judgment sufficiently raised a genuine dispute. This argument seems to be based on the District Court’s holding that the parties’ differently-computed final release dates for the disputed term of imprisonment presented “a factual question” that prevented the entry of summary judgment. Montanez suggests that we would not be able to review this holding to the extent it indicates that the District Court found sufficient record factual support for his proffered calculation. Thompson disputes this contention, arguing that this appeal does not raise evidence sufficiency issues because an inmate's release date is a mixed question of fact and law. Thompson further points out that, in denying summary judgment, the District Court identified the applicable historical facts, including Montanez’s convictions, incarceration time, and parole history, and they have not been challenged on this appeal. 11 Though we will briefly examine Montanez’s claim that he was held beyond his maximum release date as an aid to our analysis, we do not need to finally determine the claim to resolve this appeal. We can determine whether Thompson is entitled to qualified immunity under the “clearly established” prong of Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194 (2001). As Montanez concedes, we clearly do have appellate jurisdiction over this issue. (Amicus Br. at 16 n.3.) We may therefore properly exercise jurisdiction over this appeal to determine whether the set of facts identified by the District Court was sufficient to establish a violation of a clearly established right. See Reilly, 532 F.3d at 224.