Opinion ID: 770823
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 44 As noted above, we have jurisdiction to hear an interlocutory appeal from a denial of qualified immunity when the question involves a matter of law. See Mitchell , 472 U.S. at 528. However, where the district court denies immunity on the basis that material facts are in dispute, we generally lack jurisdiction to consider an interlocutory appeal. See Collins v. Jordan, 110 F.3d 1363, 1370 (9th Cir. 1997). More precisely, if the appellant argues that, contrary to the district court's opinion, an examination of the record reveals that a factual dispute does not exist, or that there is not sufficient evidence in the record to create such a factual dispute, we must dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. Id. Nevertheless, a denial of summary judgment on qualified immunity grounds is not always unappealable simply because a district judge has stated that there are material issues of fact in dispute. See Behrens v. Pelletier, 516 U.S. 299, 313 (1996). An appellate court still has jurisdiction to consider defendants' assertion that the dispute of fact is not material. See Collins, 110 F.3d at 1370. This is different from a claim that the court's findings are not supported by the record, as a claim of materiality is solely one of law, and therefore is reviewable on an interlocutory basis. The claim of lack of materiality is solely one of law, and therefore is reviewable on an interlocutory basis. Id.