Opinion ID: 739742
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sequencing of Briefs

Text: 4 We first address whether the circuit court should rule on the prisoner's application for a certificate of appealability under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) prior to requiring the government to file a brief addressing the appeal's merits. As amended by the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c) provides a prisoner may not appeal a 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motion or final order in a habeas corpus proceeding before a circuit justice or judge issues a certificate of appealability. 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(1)(A), (B). This language seems to indicate certificates of appealability should be issued, if at all, only by a circuit justice or judge. 3 Id. The language of this amended statute seems to conflict with Fed.R.App.P. 22(b), which provides the district court judge who entered the judgment shall either issue a certificate of appealability or state the reasons why such a certificate should not issue; under Rule 22(b), only after the district court has denied the certificate will the circuit court consider whether the certificate should issue. Id. While the specific language of Fed.R.App.P. 22(b) seems to deal only with habeas corpus proceedings, and not 28 U.S.C. § 2255 motions, the caption of the rule indicates its application to § 2255 motions. See Fed.R.App.P. 22(b) (rule captioned Habeas Corpus and Section 2255 Proceedings). Consequently, the statute and rule created confusion as to the district court's role in issuing certificates of appealability. 5 In an attempt to resolve the apparent conflict, this court issued an emergency order direct[ing] the district courts to consider the propriety of issuing certificates of appealability in the first instance. Emergency General Order, In re Procedures Regarding the Prison Litigation Reform Act and the Antiterrorist and Effective Death Penalty Act, No. 96-41 (10th Cir. Oct. 1, 1996). 4 Additionally, the order directs if a certificate of appealability is denied by the district court, petitioner-appellants will be required to brief any request for a certificate of appealability in this court and address the merits of their appeals at the same time. Respondent-appellees shall not file a brief until requested to do so by this court. Id. (citation omitted). 6 We agree with the government that the circuit court should, in most cases, rule on the certificate of appealability prior to requiring the government's merit brief. This conclusion is supported not only by the plain language of the Emergency Order, but also by the legislative intent of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. Congress enacted the certificate of appealability provisions in an attempt to curb repetitive filings and to mitigate the burden on taxpayers resulting from such abuses. See 141 Cong.Rec. H1400-02 (daily ed. Feb. 7, 1995) (statement of Rep. Stenholm). Requiring the government to invest time, money, and energy into briefing the merits of an appeal before the circuit court has even ruled on whether it will exercise jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c), is contrary to the certificate of appealability's intended purpose. As a result, given the plain language of the Emergency Order, coupled with the intent of 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c), we hold the circuit court should rule on whether it will issue a certificate of appealability before requiring the government's merit brief. 7 However, as mandated by the permissive language in the emergency order, this holding leaves ajar the door of discretion vested in the circuit court; the circuit court may still request the government's merit brief before ruling on a certificate of appealability, especially in those cases the court finds particularly difficult or complex such that a merit brief from the government would significantly aid its decision. Furthermore, as directed in Fed.R.App.P. 22(b), when the district court denies a certificate of appealability, it should provide an aid to the circuit court in evaluating a petitioner's request for a certificate by stating the reasons why such a certificate should not issue. Nevertheless, barring any unique or difficult cases, the circuit court should rule on a certificate of appealability before requiring the government's brief addressing the appeal's merits. 8