Opinion ID: 2799728
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Denials of Review

Text: Next we turn to Appellees’ alternative argument that this appeal is untimely because BP did not appeal the awards to the Sealed Claimants within thirty days of the district court’s denials of BP’s motions for discretionary review. Pursuant to the district court’s May 20 order, denials of discretionary review were not docketed. Rather, notice was given to the parties and decisions were posted on the CSSP website. The district court denied BP’s motion for discretionary review in each case on September 4, 2013. On December 16, 2013, 100 days later, BP filed its notices of appeal with the denials of review attached. Appellees assert that Rule 4’s thirty-day limit should run from the day that the parties received notice of the denials of BP’s motions for discretionary review via the CSSP website. Otherwise, Class Counsel argues, BP can “create federal appellate rights by docketing non-litigation material whenever it pleases.” BP responds that these appeals are timely because they were filed the same day that the district court’s orders were entered into the docket. See Fed. R. App. P. 4 (“[T]he notice of appeal must be 30 days after entry of the . . . order appealed from.” (emphasis added)). BP challenges Appellees’ equitable argument because the delay was caused by the May 20 order, which denied BP’s request to have such decisions entered into the docket, rather than by any bad faith on BP’s part. We agree with BP. Rule 4’s plain language makes clear that the thirty days run from the entry of the order. Rule 4(a)(7) explains that an order is “entered” when “the judgment or order is entered in the civil docket.” Appellees’ 10 Case: 13-31296 Document: 00513036479 Page: 11 Date Filed: 05/08/2015 No. 13-31296 c/w Nos. 13-31299, 13-31302 equitable arguments are also unavailing; it was the district court’s order, and not BP’s conduct, that disadvantaged the parties, because undocketed orders are unappealable. See In re Am. Precision Vibrator Co., 863 F.3d 428, 429 (5th Cir. 1989). 5 Thus, we hold that BP’s appeals are timely, we have jurisdiction, and therefore proceed to the merits of the appeals.