Opinion ID: 3025085
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Merits of the Dispute

Text: In granting the plan trustees' motion for summary judgment on the statute of limitations issue, the district court did not reach the underlying merits of the dispute. Despite the fact that the district court did not decide the underlying issues in the first instance, both parties ask us to resolve the merits of this action. The parties explain that the question of whether Cavegn should receive retroactive benefits calls for a legal conclusion, and that we typically review legal conclusions de novo. As de novo review is not deferential to the district court, the parties contend that it is irrelevant as to which court examines the issues in the first instance. The parties fundamentally confuse and misconstrue the distinct roles of the federal courts. -6- We are a court of appeals. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 41 and 43. As a court of appeals, we review the final decisions of district courts. See 28 U.S.C. § 1291. Except for jurisdictional questions, we do not usually address issues that have not been considered by a district court regardless of the standard of review we use to decide the case. The fact that an issue eventually will be reviewed de novo does not alter our jurisdiction or allow us to assume a role reserved for the district court. De novo review may be nondeferential to the district court, but it is still a form of review. A standard of review does not equate with a grant of original jurisdiction. In fact, every act that we undertake as a court involves the process of review. Such is our jurisdictional function. See id. The district courts decide federal questions in the first instance, see 28 U.S.C. § 1331, and we review their decisions. See 28 U.S.C. § 1291. Hence, we will remand this case to allow the district court its rightful opportunity to address the merits of Cavegn's ERISA claim. III.