Opinion ID: 469158
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 11 The government asserts that this court has jurisdiction over this appeal pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3731. 4 The government maintains that its newly acquired right of appeal in section 3731 became effective when the Crime Control Act [Act] was signed into law on October 12, 1984. Accordingly, the government claims that this new right of appeal would apply to the district court's order of February 15, 1985, granting the new trial motion. 12 Shaffer contends, however, that the language amending section 3731 will not take effect until November 1, 1986. Shaffer argues that this amending language is subject to the effective date provision set forth in section 225 of the Act. Section 225 of the Act provides that [t]his chapter shall take effect on the first day of the first calendar month beginning twenty-four months after the date of enactment [i.e. November 1, 1986].... 13 Section 225 was enacted as part of Chapter II of the Act. The amendment to 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3731, upon which the government bases its right to appeal, however, is not found in Chapter II of the Act; the amendment was enacted under Chapter XII of the Act.Pub.L. 98-473, Sec. 1206, 98 Stat. 1837, 2153 (1984). Consequently, Shaffer errs in asserting that the amendment to section 3731 is governed by the November 1, 1986 effective date found in section 225 of the Act. 14 Because neither the statutory language amending section 3731 nor its legislative history specifically prescribes the effective date upon which the statute was to take effect, this issue must be resolved under general principles of statutory construction. In the absence of an express provision in the statute itself, an act takes effect on the date of its enactment. United States v. Clizer, 464 F.2d 121, 123 n. 2 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 409 U.S. 1086, 93 S.Ct. 697, 34 L.Ed.2d 673 (1972) (citing Arnold v. United States, 13 U.S. (9 Cranch) 103, 119 (1815)); see also United States v. Affleck, 765 F.2d 944, 948 (10th Cir.1985) (holding that, absent Congressional intent to the contrary, another section of the Crime Control Act of 1984 became effective upon its enactment on October 12, 1984). 15 Applying these principles to this case, we hold that 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3731, as amended by section 1206 of the Crime Control Act of 1984, gives this court jurisdiction to hear the government's appeal. See also Nilson Van & Storage, 755 F.2d 362, 364-65, (4th Cir.), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 106 S.Ct. 65, 88 L.Ed.2d 53 (1985); United States v. Draper, 762 F.2d 81, 82 (10th Cir.1985) (citing with approval Nilson Van Storage as the basis for its earlier order which allowed the government to invoke the new provision of section 3731 as the basis for appealing a district court order of October 24, 1984 granting a new trial). 5