Opinion ID: 1289417
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Filing Injunction

Text: None of the notices of appeal mention the entry of the filing injunction; our jurisdiction is limited by the wording of the notice. Kowsh v. Bd. of Elections, 99 F.3d 78, 80 (2d Cir.1996). Rule 3(c) provides that the notice of appeal must . . . designate the judgment, order or part thereof being appealed. Fed. R.App. P. 3(c)(1)(B). We have an independent obligation to ensure the notice of appeal complies with Rule 3(c). Dynegy Midstream Servs. v. Trammochem, 451 F.3d 89, 92 (2d Cir.2006). While we may construe the rules liberally, we do not have the authority to waive the jurisdictional requirements of this rule. Torres v. Oakland Scavenger Co., 487 U.S. 312, 317, 108 S.Ct. 2405, 101 L.Ed.2d 285 (1988). [2] We recognize that some of our opinions have suggested in dicta that we have jurisdiction to review a district court's decision if the appellee fully responds to the appellant's arguments  and thereby suffers no prejudice  even where the intent to appeal from the decision is not clear on the face of, and cannot be inferred from the language of, the notice of appeal. See, e.g., Ametex Fabrics, Inc. v. Just In Materials, Inc., 140 F.3d 101, 106 (2d Cir.1998). But such a rule would be inconsistent with other decisions of this Court which, even though we did not there comment explicitly on the issue, dismissed appeals on grounds of insufficient notice notwithstanding the appellees' complete response to the appellants' arguments. See Shrader v. CSX Transp., Inc., 70 F.3d 255, 256 (2d Cir.1995) (holding that we do not have jurisdiction to review a district court's decision because the intent to appeal could not be inferred from the notice); Brief for Appellees at 23-27, Shrader, No. 95-7037, 1995 WL 17015264 (2d Cir. Mar. 30, 1995) (responding to the appellant's arguments); see also Kowsh, 99 F.3d at 80; Brief for Appellees at 11-12, Kowsh, No. 96-9314, 1996 WL 33665501 (2d Cir. Oct. 25, 1996) (responding to the appellant's arguments). Moreover, our assertion of jurisdiction over an appeal based on the appellee's response on the merits to the appellant's arguments suggests that an appellee may waive the jurisdictional defects in the notice of appeal. That is not so. See Torres, 487 U.S. at 317, 108 S.Ct. 2405 (noting that the requirements of Rules 3 and 4 may not be waived because they are jurisdictional in nature). In the case at bar, the City's brief responds to New/Best's arguments as to the August 5 filing injunction. Our jurisdiction, however, depends on whether the intent to appeal from that decision is clear on the face of, or can be inferred from, the notices of appeal. Because none of the notices of appeal mention the August 5 filing injunction and the intent to appeal from it cannot be inferred from the notices, we must dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction insofar as the appellants seek review of that filing injunction.