Opinion ID: 121
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Motions for Summary Affirmance

Text: Summary affirmance of a district court's decision in place of full merits briefing and, at the discretion of the court, argument is, and should be treated as, a rare exception to the completion of the appeal process. It is a short-cut and, in light of the liberty and property rights involved, one that is available only if an appeal is truly frivolous. United States v. James, 280 F.3d 206, 209 (2d Cir.2002); see also United States v. Torres, 129 F.3d 710, 717 (2d Cir.1997) (summary affirmance warranted where defendant presents no non-frivolous issues for appeal). The unique importance of criminal appeals makes the decision to characterize one as frivolous particularly perilous. Cf. United States v. Rosa, 123 F.3d 94, 98 (2d Cir. 1997) ([W]e have held that the right to appeal serves important interests of both the criminal defendant and of the public at large, so that waivers of that right must be closely scrutinized and applied narrowly.). An appeal is frivolous when it `lacks an arguable basis either in law or in fact.' A frivolous action advances `inarguable legal conclusions' or `fanciful factual allegations.' Tafari v. Hues, 473 F.3d 440, 442 (2d Cir.2007) (quoting Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 325, 109 S.Ct. 1827, 104 L.Ed.2d 338 (1989)) (internal citations and alterations omitted). [3] More than a finding that the correct resolution of an appeal seems obvious is required. See Utica Mut. Ins. Co. v. Fireman's Fund Ins. Cos., 748 F.2d 118, 119-20 (2d Cir.1984) (concluding that the district court was clearly correct, but refusing to award costs and fees for defending the appeal because the appeal is not frivolous); United States v. Gironda, 283 F.2d 911, 912 (2d Cir.1960) (per curiam) (denying government's motion to dismiss appeal as frivolous even though claim on appeal was for deprivation of right to choice of counsel and it was clear that defendant was thoroughly and effectively represented such that he was not deprived of counsel); see also Bobula v. United States Dep't of Justice, 970 F.2d 854, 862 (Fed.Cir.1992) (appeal not frivolous despite clear deficiencies); United States v. Hodges, 190 Fed.Appx. 221, 222 (4th Cir.) (per curiam) (summary affirmance only appropriate in extraordinary cases) (internal quotation marks omitted), cert. denied, 549 U.S. 1014, 127 S.Ct. 545, 166 L.Ed.2d 403 (2006); Legal Servs. of N. Cal., Inc. v. Arnett, 114 F.3d 135, 141 (9th Cir.1997) (appeal not frivolous despite plaintiffs' knowledge that their position was unsupported by existing precedent). Easy cases are to be distinguished from inarguable or fanciful ones. Cf. United States v. Potamkin Cadillac Corp., 689 F.2d 379, 381 (2d Cir.1982) (per curiam) (concluding that appeal was frivolous where it amount[ed] to little more than a continued abuse of process and [was] totally lacking in merit, framed with no relevant supporting law, conclusory in nature, and utterly unsupported by the evidence (internal quotation marks and citation omitted)); Der-Rong Chour v. I.N.S., 578 F.2d 464, 467 (2d Cir.1978) (granting government's motion for summary affirmance where appeal appears to represent one more step in an outrageous abuse of civil process through persistent pursuit of frivolous and completely meritless claims), cert. denied, 440 U.S. 980, 99 S.Ct. 1786, 60 L.Ed.2d 239 (1979). When granting summary affirmance on grounds that a criminal appeal is frivolous, we have emphasized the need to exercise this authority with care and discrimination to ensure that nonfrivolous claims are fully considered and fairly decided. Pillay v. I.N.S., 45 F.3d 14, 17 (2d Cir.1995) (per curiam). We have caution[ed] the bar that overreaching attempts to dismiss appeals as frivolous, like excessively zealous claims that adversary counsel should be sanctioned, will not be accorded a friendly reception by this court. Id. [W]e must exercise great care in labeling a certain action or argument as frivolous, for doing so often carries grave consequences. Tafari, 473 F.3d at 441.