Court Opinion

ID: 9478396
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 06:48:09.441339+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:46:24.737027
License: Public Domain

ARCHER, Circuit Judge,
concurring in result.
Mr. Lariscey appeals the order of the United States Claims Court refusing to appoint an attorney to represent him before that court and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The majority decides that the denial of a request for court-appointed counsel in a civil action is immediately appealable. I respectfully disagree.
Initially I note that when a procedural issue relates to the Federal Circuit’s jurisdiction, the court will apply its own precedent and not regional circuit precedent. Sun-Tek Indus., Inc. v. Kennedy Sky Lites, Inc., 856 F.2d 173,175-76, 8 USPQ2d 1154, 1156 (Fed.Cir.1988); Woodard v. Sage Prods., Inc., 818 F.2d 841, 844, 2 USPQ2d 1649, 1651 (Fed.Cir.1987) (in banc). Precedent from other courts of appeal, such as the cases cited by the majority, is not binding. Moreover, the cited cases represent only the minority view of the regional circuits.
I would hold that the denial of a request for court-appointed counsel in a civil action is not immediately appealable. It is neither a final judgment, as required by 28 U.S.C. § 1295(a)(3) (1982), nor a certified question, as permitted in 28 U.S.C. § 1292(d)(2) (1982). Thus, the only possible jurisdictional basis for the appeal is the “collateral order” exception to the final judgment rule. See Cohen v. Beneficial Indus. Loan Corp., 337 U.S. 541, 546-47, 69 S.Ct. 1221, 1225-26, 93 L.Ed. 1528 (1949). Although the particular circumstances relative to this question have not been passed on by this court, eight of the regional circuits have held that the denial of a request for court-appointed counsel pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d) (1982) is not immediately reviewable. Appleby v. Meachum, 696 F.2d 145, 146-47 (1st Cir.1983); Welch v. Smith, 810 *1272F.2d 40 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 108 S.Ct. 246, 98 L.Ed.2d 203 (1987); Miller v. Pleasure, 425 F.2d 1205, 1205-06 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 880, 91 S.Ct. 123, 27 L.Ed.2d 117 (1970); Smith-Bey v. Petsock, 741 F.2d 22, 26 (3d Cir.1984); Miller v. Simmons, 814 F.2d 962, 967 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S.-, 108 S.Ct. 246, 98 L.Ed.2d 203 (1987); Henry v. City of Detroit Manpower Dep’t, 763 F.2d 757, 764 (6th Cir.) (en banc), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1036, 106 S.Ct. 604, 88 L.Ed.2d 582 (1985); Randle v. Victor Welding Supply Co., 664 F.2d 1064, 1066-67 (7th Cir.1981); Wilborn v. Escalderon, 789 F.2d 1328, 1330 (9th Cir.1986); Cotner v. Mason, 657 F.2d 1390, 1392 (10th Cir.1981).
The majority opinion correctly notes that to fit the collateral order exception “[t]he order must conclusively determine the disputed question, resolve an important issue completely separate from the merits of the action, and be effectively unreviewable on appeal from a final judgment.” Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Risjord, 449 U.S. 368, 375, 101 S.Ct. 669, 674, 66 L.Ed.2d 571 (1981) (quoting Coopers & Lybrand v. Livesay, 437 U.S. 463, 468, 98 S.Ct. 2454, 2458, 57 L.Ed.2d 351 (1978)).
The last of the three requirements is not met here. In Firestone the Court explained that a decision is only effectively unreviewable on appeal “where denial of immediate review would render impossible any review whatsoever.” Firestone, 449 U.S. at 376, 101 S.Ct. at 675 (quoting United States v. Ryan, 402 U.S. 530, 533, 91 S.Ct. 1580, 1582, 29 L.Ed.2d 85 (1971)). The “exception is a ‘narrow’ one whose reach is limited to trial court orders affecting rights that will be ‘irretrievably lost’ in the absence of an immediate appeal.” Jeannette Sheet Glass Corp. v. United States, 803 F.2d 1576, 1581 (Fed.Cir.1986) (quoting Richardson-Merrell, Inc. v. Koller, 472 U.S. 424, 430-31, 105 S.Ct. 2757, 2760-61, 86 L.Ed.2d 340 (1985)). While the majority’s statement that “[i]f Mr. Lariscey is indeed entitled to counsel, he needs such counsel now” has superficial appeal, I am persuaded that “a pro se litigant who has the ability to perfect an immediate appeal upon denial of appointment of counsel ... would be equally able to raise denial of appointment of counsel should he be unsuccessful on the merits and take a final appeal in the matter.” Miller, 814 F.2d at 967. Accordingly, an order denying appointment of counsel is in my view not reviewable by interlocutory appeal, but remains available for review on appeal from the final judgment. The majority ignores Supreme Court precedent and precedent of this court by failing to explain how denying immediate review would “render impossible any review whatsoever,” Firestone, 499 U.S. at 376, 101 S.Ct. at 675, or by pointing to any rights which would be “irretrievably lost,” Richardson-Merrell, Inc., 472 U.S. at 431, 105 S.Ct. at 2761, by denying immediate review.
Even if appeal is proper, I would affirm the order of the Claims Court because it is without authority to appoint counsel. To the extent Mr. Lariscey’s appeal can be construed to be a request of this court to appoint counsel for him in a proceeding before the Claims Court or the Patent Office, I concur with the majority but on different grounds.
In “Proceedings in forma pauperis" under 28 U.S.C. § 1915 (1982), subparagraph (d) provides that “[t]he court may request an attorney to represent any such [indigent] person.” The court referred to is “[a]ny court of the United States.” See 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a). The Claims Court, however, is an Article I court, 28 U.S.C. § 171(a) (1982), and not a court of the United States. 28 U.S.C. § 451 (1982); Essex Electro Eng’rs, Inc. v. United States, 757 F.2d 247, 251 n. 1 (Fed.Cir.1985); 28 U.S.C. § 172(a) (1982). It is therefore not covered by section 1915(d) and cannot under that section appoint counsel for indigents.
Further, I do not believe the Federal Circuit has authority to appoint counsel for proceedings in the Claims Court under section 1915. The express words of subpara-graph 1915(a) are that “[a]ny court of the United States may authorize the commencement, prosecution or defense of any suit, action or proceeding, civil or criminal, or appeal therein." (Emphasis added.) The word “therein” seems clearly to mean “in that court” and not in some other court. Subparagraph (d) of section 1915 providing *1273that the “court may request an attorney to represent any such [indigent] person” must be construed to refer to the “suit * * * therein.” While this court has authority to appoint counsel for its own proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d), we cannot under that provision appoint counsel for proceedings before the Claims Court as the majority opinion intimates might be possible in “the appropriate circumstance.”
Consistent with this view, the appellate courts do not appoint counsel for proceedings in the trial court; rather they direct the trial court to do so. See, e.g., Johnson v. Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458, 58 S.Ct. 1019, 82 L.Ed. 1461 (1938) (remanding the case to the district court to appoint counsel); Smith v. Ferrell, 429 F.2d 10 (3rd Cir.1970) (vacating and remanding with instructions to appoint counsel); Shields v. Jackson, 570 F.2d 284 (8th Cir.1978) (reversing the trial court’s judgment and remanding the case with directions for the appointment of counsel); Manning v. Lockhart, 623 F.2d 536 (8th Cir.1980) (reversing the dismissal of the case and remanding with instructions that counsel be appointed); White v. Walsh, 649 F.2d 560 (8th Cir.1981) (same). It would, of course, be inappropriate for this court to direct the Claims Court to appoint counsel for, as noted, the Claims Court does not have statutory authority to do so.