Opinion ID: 462735
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 15 This court has jurisdiction under the collateral order doctrine of Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp., 337 U.S. 541, 69 S.Ct. 1221, 93 L.Ed. 1528 (1949). This doctrine allows immediate appeal of interlocutory orders which conclusively determine the disputed question, resolve an important issue completely separate from the merits of the action, and [are] effectively unreviewable on appeal from a final judgment. Coopers & Lybrand v. Livesay, 437 U.S. 463, 468, 98 S.Ct. 2454, 2458, 57 L.Ed.2d 351 (1978). In Nixon v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 731, 743, 102 S.Ct. 2690, 2697, 73 L.Ed.2d 349 (1982), the Supreme Court held it had jurisdiction from an order denying absolute immunity to a former president of the United States, noting prior decisions that found orders denying absolute immunity to be within the Cohen doctrine. Helstoski v. Meanor, 442 U.S. 500, 99 S.Ct. 2445, 61 L.Ed.2d 30 (1979); Abney v. United States, 431 U.S. 651, 97 S.Ct. 2034, 52 L.Ed.2d 651 (1977). 16 There is a sound reason why orders denying absolute immunity fall within the collateral order doctrine. Absolute immunity is meant to protect not only from liability, but from going to trial at all. Mitchell v. Forsyth, --- U.S. ----, 105 S.Ct. 2806, 2815, 86 L.Ed.2d 411 (1985); 15 Wright, Miller & Cooper, Federal Practice and Procedure Sec. 3911 (supp. 1985). Accordingly, after trial the defendant cannot obtain effective review of an order denying immunity. Thus, the denial of a substantial claim of absolute immunity is an order appealable before final judgment. Mitchell, 105 S.Ct. at 2815. We think it clear that Judge Deveaux's immunity claim is substantial. 17 Nevertheless, Harris contends that not all orders denying claims of absolute immunity are appealable. Harris argues that two circuits have required that the claim of absolute immunity raise a serious and unsettled question. Smith v. McDonald, 737 F.2d 427 (4th Cir.1984), aff'd, --- U.S. ----, 105 S.Ct. 2787, 86 L.Ed.2d 384 (1985); Chavez v. Singer, 698 F.2d 420, 421 (10th Cir.1983). Harris, however, does not cite any case in which a court found it lacked jurisdiction on this ground and indeed it would be unusual for an order denying a substantial claim of immunity to not raise a serious and unsettled question. In any event, Judge Deveaux's appeal does raise such a question. 18 Harris also contends that denials of absolute immunity are appealable only if there are no questions of fact. Williams v. Collins, 28 F.2d 721 (5th Cir.1984); Evans v. Dillahunty, 711 F.2d 828, 830 (8th Cir.1983). Once again, however, Harris cites no cases in which an appellate court declined review on this ground. Absolute immunity does not depend on good faith or reasonableness; thus it would be unlikely to find a case where disputed factual questions precluded review. Harris notes only one factual dispute: Judge Deveaux contends that Jones wanted to press charges, while Harris claims that only Judge Deveaux wished to do so. This dispute, however, is irrelevant to our consideration of Judge Deveaux's claim of absolute immunity. Accordingly we find no material factual dispute.