Opinion ID: 771326
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Effect of Failure to Object to the Magistrate's Report

Text: 9 Although DeLeon filed no objections to the Report, as already noted, the district court sua sponte issued a certificate of appealability on the issue just described. This case thus presents the question whether a district court adopting a magistrate judge's report may issue a certificate of appealability to a petitioner who has filed no objections to the report. 10 In Thomas v. Arn, 474 U.S. 140, 155 (1985), the Supreme Court held that a federal court of appeals could 11 adopt a rule conditioning appeal, when taken from a district court judgment that adopts a magistrate's recommendation, upon the filing of objections with the district court identifying those issues on which further review is desired. Such a rule, at least when it incorporates clear notice to the litigants and an opportunity to seek an extension of time for filing objections, is a valid exercise of the supervisory power that does not violate either the Federal Magistrates Act or the Constitution. 12 Since then, it has become clear in this circuit that a party generally waives judicial review of an issue when he or she fails to make timely objection to a magistrate judge's report, as long as all parties receive clear notice of the consequences of their failure to object. See Small v. Secretary of Health and Human Servs., 892 F.2d 15, 16 (2d Cir. 1989) (per curiam). This rule, however, is a nonjurisdictional waiver provision, and its violation may be excused in the interests of justice. See Roldan v. Racette, 984 F.2d 85, 89 (2d Cir. 1993). 13 We did just that in United States v. Male Juvenile, 121 F.3d 34 (2d Cir. 1997). There, a juvenile defendant in a criminal case did not object to a magistrate judge's recommendation to deny his motion to suppress his confession. See id. at 37. Nevertheless, the district court undertook a de novo review of the admissibility of the defendant's confession, hearing testimony from multiple witnesses before reaching the same result as the magistrate judge. See id. at 37-38. After the district court found the defendant guilty of the crime charged, he appealed, arguing that the district court had erroneously denied his motion to suppress. See id. at 38. We concluded that the waiver rule promoted judicial economy by prevent[ing] a litigant from sandbagging the district judge by failing to object and then appealing, id. at 39 (internal citations and quotation marks omitted, alteration in original), and that this purpose would not be served in denying appellate review when a district court has chosen to examine the merits of the case de novo, see id. Even if neither party objects to the magistrate's recommendation, the district court is not bound by the recommendation of the magistrate, Grassia v. Scully, 892 F.2d 16, 19 (2d Cir. 1989), and if in the absence of any party's objection a district court undertakes de novo review of a magistrate's report, there is no danger that an appellant will raise issues that were never considered by the district court. Similarly, permitting a party to appeal from a district court's sua sponte review of a magistrate judge's report to which no objections have been filed does not prevent other district courts from relying on such reports instead of undertaking de novo or other review. 14 The instant case presents circumstances analogous to those in United States v. Male Juvenile. When a district court judge sua sponte issues a certificate of appealability, just as when a district court judge sua sponte undertakes de novo review of the underlying issues, there is no danger that an appealing party may sandbag the district court by raising claims in the court of appeals that were never considered below. Permitting appellate review in such a case will not force appellate courts 'to consider claims that were never reviewed by the district court' or force district courts to 'review every issue in every case, no matter how thorough the magistrate's analysis and even if both parties were satisfied with the magistrate's report.' Male Juvenile, 121 F.3d at 39 (quoting Thomas, 474 U.S. at 148). In issuing a certificate of appealability, a district court in effect communicates to a court of appeals that it has reviewed the issue certified and found that the petitioner has made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right. 28 U.S.C. § 2253(c)(2). In that situation, the district court controls the scope of appealable issues, and thus need not unnecessarily review magistrate judge reports to which there were no objections. Under the circumstances, we conclude that the concern for judicial efficiency that underlies the waiver rule would not be advanced by applying it here. We therefore proceed to the merits of the appeal.