Opinion ID: 786874
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Timeliness of Cross-Appeal

Text: 15 Before addressing the question of whether PVUSD waived the prevailing party issue, we must examine the timeliness of PVUSD's notice of appeal. The original order, determining that the Shapiros were the prevailing parties, was filed on August 7, 2002. The Shapiros filed their motion for partial reconsideration on August 12, 2002. The order granting the motion for reconsideration and the resultant amended judgment increasing the amount of attorney's fees were filed on September 3, 2002. The Shapiros filed their notice of appeal on September 5, 2002, stating that they were appealing the August 7, 2002, order. PVUSD filed its notice of appeal on October 2, 2002, stating that it was appealing from the amended judgment entered on September 3, 2002. 16 Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 4(a)(3) allows a party to file a cross-appeal either within 14 days after the date when the first notice was filed, or within the time otherwise prescribed by this Rule 4(a), whichever period ends later. Fed. R.App. P. 4(a)(3). PVUSD did not file its notice of appeal within 14 days after the Shapiros filed their notice of appeal. Rule 4 further provides, however, that if a party timely files in the district court, inter alia, a motion to alter or amend the judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59, or for relief under Rule 60, if filed within ten days, the time to file an appeal runs for all parties from the entry of the order disposing of the last such remaining motion. Fed. R.App. P. 4(a)(4)(A); see also McCarthy v. Mayo, 827 F.2d 1310, 1313 n. 1 (9th Cir.1987) (stating that a timely Rule 59(e) motion tolls the time period for filing a notice of appeal and that the thirty-day time period for filing the notice of appeal begins when the district court denies the Rule 59(e) motion). 17 The Shapiros' August 12, 2002, motion for partial reconsideration, which was timely, does not state under which rule the motion was brought. Nonetheless, a timely filed motion for reconsideration under a local rule is construed as a motion to alter or amend a judgment under Rule 59(e). Schroeder v. McDonald, 55 F.3d 454, 459 (9th Cir.1995); see also Am. Ironworks & Erectors Inc. v. N. Am. Constr. Corp., 248 F.3d 892, 898-99 (9th Cir.2001) (stating that a motion for reconsideration is treated as a Rule 59(e) motion if filed within ten days of entry of judgment, but as a Rule 60(b) motion if filed more than ten days after judgment). We therefore construe the Shapiros' motion as having been filed under Rule 59(e). The time for filing a notice of appeal, accordingly, was tolled until the district court's order granting the motion, rendering PVUSD's notice of appeal timely. See Fed. R.App. P. 4(a)(3), 4(a)(4)(A)(iv); cf. United States v. Nutri-cology, Inc., 982 F.2d 394, 397 (9th Cir.1992) (stating that[a] motion, however labelled, served within ten days of the entry of an order that could have been brought under Rule 59(e) tolls the time for filing a notice of appeal (citation omitted)).