Opinion ID: 770420
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The cross appeal--timeliness

Text: 41 Rule 4(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Rules of the Appellate Procedure provides that the time for filing a notice of appeal in a civil case (subject to certain exceptions, none of which are at issue in this case) is thirty days after the date the judgment or order appealed from is entered. For appellants, it is well-established that a timely notice of appeal is a jurisdictional prerequisite for appellate review. See United States v. Means, 133 F.3d 444, 448 (6th Cir. 1998). There is a sharp split of authority, however, regarding whether a timely notice of cross-appeal is a jurisdictional prerequisite to review. 42 A number of circuits have held that notices of cross-appeals are not required, and that the failure by a cross-appellant to file any notice of appeal can be excused, particularly when the original appellant has been placed on notice that the opposing party wishes to alter the judgment of the district court rather than simply defend it. See, e.g., Mendocino Envtl. Ctr. v. Mendocino County, 192 F.3d 1283, 1297-98 (9th Cir. 1999); Coe v. County of Cook, 162 F.3d 491, 497-98 (7th Cir. 1998) (Posner, C.J.), cert. denied, 526 U.S. 1040 (1999); Spann v. Colonial Village, Inc., 899 F.2d 24, 33 (D.C. Cir. 1990) (R. Ginsburg, J.). At least one other circuit has held that the requirement of a timely notice of cross-appeal is not jurisdictional. See, e.g., Texport Oil Co. v. M/V Amolyntos, 11 F.3d 361, 366 (2d Cir. 1993) (exercising discretion to entertain a cross-appeal that was filed one day late). Still others have held to the contrary. See Johnson v. Teamsters Local 559, 102 F.3d 21, 29 (1st Cir. 1996) (concluding that the time limit is mandatory and jurisdictional); Cyrak v. Lemon, 919 F.2d 320, 323- 24 (5th Cir.1990) (applying the timeliness requirement strictly and dismissing a cross-appeal for lack of appellate jurisdiction). 43 Authority in this circuit is scant, but what cases there are have generally treated the requirement as jurisdictional to the same extent as the time limit for an appellant. See In re Interstate Agency, Inc., 760 F.2d 121, 122-23 & n.1 (6th Cir. 1985) (concluding that this court lacked appellate jurisdiction over a cross-appeal because it was filed one day late) (No extra 'grace' period applies to this filing of a cross appeal.). 44 In any event, the county defendants' notice of cross-appeal in the present case was timely filed. Rule 4(a)(3) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure provides that once a notice of appeal is filed by any party, any other party may file a notice of appeal within 14 days after the date when the first notice was filed, or within the time otherwise prescribed by [Rule 4], whichever period ends later. The county defendants filed their notice of appeal well within fourteen days after Mary Nave's estate filed its notice of appeal. Thus, the notice of cross-appeal was timely filed.