Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. State of Wis., No. 91-2698
| Court | United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (7th Circuit) |
| Writing for the Court | Before EASTERBROOK and RIPPLE, Circuit Judges, and WOOD, Jr.; EASTERBROOK |
| Citation | 957 F.2d 515 |
| Decision Date | 23 March 1992 |
| Docket Number | No. 91-2698 |
| Parties | LAC DU FLAMBEAU BAND OF LAKE SUPERIOR CHIPPEWA INDIANS and the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. STATE OF WISCONSIN, et al., Defendants-Appellants. |
Page 515
the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, Plaintiffs-Appellees,
v.
STATE OF WISCONSIN, et al., Defendants-Appellants.
Seventh Circuit.
Decided March 23, 1992.
Bruce R. Greene, Greene, Meyer & McElroy, Boulder, Colo. (argued), Milton Rosenberg, Madison, Wis., for plaintiffs-appellees.
Warren D. Weinstein, Asst. Atty. Gen. (argued), James E. Doyle, Atty. Gen., Office of Atty. Gen., Wisconsin Dept. of Justice, Madison, Wis., Jonathan T. McCoy, Office of Atty. Gen., Olympia, Wash., for defendants-appellants.
Cathy Christian, Office of Atty. Gen., Government Law Section, Sacramento, Cal., for amicus curiae State of Alaska, Ariz., and Cal.
Richard M. Sheridan, Richard Blumenthal, Office of Atty. Gen., Hartford, Conn., for amicus curiae State of Conn.
Jonathan A. Glogau, Dept. of Legal Affairs, Tallahassee, Fla., for amicus curiae State of Fla.
Marc Racicot, Atty. Gen., Helena, Mont., for amicus curiae State of Mich., Minn., Miss., and Mont.
Nicholas J. Spaeth, Office of Atty. Gen., Bismark, N.D., for amicus curiae State of Neb., Nev., and N.D.
Frank J. Kelley, Atty. Gen., Office of Atty. Gen., Lansing, Mich., James H. Evans, Carol J. Smith, Office of Atty. Gen., Civil Div., Montgomery, Ala., for amicus curiae State of Or., S.D., Wash., Wyo., and Ala.
Page 516
Before EASTERBROOK and RIPPLE, Circuit Judges, and WOOD, Jr., Senior Circuit Judge.
EASTERBROOK, Circuit Judge.
Rule 4(a)(4) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure is "the graveyard of an inordinate number of appeals." Alerte v. McGinnis, 898 F.2d 69, 70 (7th Cir.1990). An appeal filed before the district judge disposes of a motion to alter or amend the judgment drops off the face of the planet. Griggs v. Provident Consumer Discount Co., 459 U.S. 56, 103 S.Ct. 400, 74 L.Ed.2d 225 (1982). Unless the losing party files another after the district judge's action on the motion, it forfeits the opportunity for appellate review.
Sometimes it is hard to tell whether a given motion proposes to alter or amend the judgment, so that appeal is forbidden, or instead seeks a technical or collateral change, so that appeal is essential lest the time expire. United States v. Ibarra, --- U.S. ----, 112 S.Ct. 4, 116 L.Ed.2d 1 (1991); Osterneck v. Ernst & Whinney, 489 U.S. 169, 109 S.Ct. 987, 103 L.Ed.2d 146 (1989); Buchanan v. Stanships, Inc., 485 U.S. 265, 108 S.Ct. 1130, 99 L.Ed.2d 289 (1988); Charles v. Daley, 799 F.2d 343 (7th Cir.1986). Sometimes the proper characterization of the motion is simple, but counsel overlooks the effect of Rule 4(a)(4), or misunderstands the point that it is the docketing of the district judge's action, not the decision itself, that reactivates the right to appeal. So serious is the situation that the Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules has proposed to excise the offending part of Rule 4(a)(4), replacing it with a rule that an appeal filed before the disposition of a motion to amend the judgment shall be held in abeyance and spring into force when the judge acts. 137 F.R.D. 417, 437-46 (1991). Even if the Supreme Court promulgates the recommended language at its first opportunity, the change cannot occur before December 1, 1993. Until then Rule 4(a)(4) will continue to claim victims. The State of Wisconsin is the latest.
Two federally recognized bands of Chippewa Indians with reservations in Wisconsin filed this suit, seeking among other things a declaration...
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Dalton v. Pataki, 94493.
...1276-1280; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v State of Wisconsin, 770 F Supp 480, 487-488 [1991], appeal dismissed 957 F2d 515 [1992], cert denied 506 US 829 [1992]; see also Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce v Pataki, supra at 843 n 10 [Read, J., dissenting]; cf. Ru......
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Pueblo of Santa Ana v. Kelly, Civ. 96-0002 MV/WWD.
...See Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Wisconsin, 770 F.Supp. 480, 481 (W.D.Wis.1991), appeal dismissed 957 F.2d 515 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, Wisconsin v. Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, 506 U.S. 829, 113 S.Ct. 91, 121 L.Ed.2d 53 (1992); S.Rep......
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Stephenson v. Deutsche Bank Ag, s. Civ.024845(RJL/AJB), CIV023682(RJL/AJB), CIV023711(RHK/AJB).
...therefor." Because "motion[s] giving no reasons ha[ve] no effect," Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Wisconsin, 957 F.2d 515, 516 (7th Cir.1992), the Court will deny Evangelista's 8. For purposes of this motion, the Court will accept the allegations in the Amended Co......
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In re Maurice, Bankruptcy No. 93 B 23478.
...59. United States v. Deutsch, 981 F.2d 299, 301 (7th Cir.1992); Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Wisconsin, 957 F.2d 515, 517 (7th Cir.1992), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 113 S.Ct. 91, 121 L.Ed.2d 53 (1992); Charles v. Daley, 799 F.2d 343, 347 (7th Cir.1986). Motions......
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Dalton v. Pataki, 94493.
...1276-1280; Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v State of Wisconsin, 770 F Supp 480, 487-488 [1991], appeal dismissed 957 F2d 515 [1992], cert denied 506 US 829 [1992]; see also Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce v Pataki, supra at 843 n 10 [Read, J., dissenting]; cf. Ru......
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Pueblo of Santa Ana v. Kelly, Civ. 96-0002 MV/WWD.
...See Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Wisconsin, 770 F.Supp. 480, 481 (W.D.Wis.1991), appeal dismissed 957 F.2d 515 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, Wisconsin v. Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, 506 U.S. 829, 113 S.Ct. 91, 121 L.Ed.2d 53 (1992); S.Rep......
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Stephenson v. Deutsche Bank Ag, s. Civ.024845(RJL/AJB), CIV023682(RJL/AJB), CIV023711(RHK/AJB).
...therefor." Because "motion[s] giving no reasons ha[ve] no effect," Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Wisconsin, 957 F.2d 515, 516 (7th Cir.1992), the Court will deny Evangelista's 8. For purposes of this motion, the Court will accept the allegations in the Amended Co......
-
In re Maurice, Bankruptcy No. 93 B 23478.
...59. United States v. Deutsch, 981 F.2d 299, 301 (7th Cir.1992); Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians v. Wisconsin, 957 F.2d 515, 517 (7th Cir.1992), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 113 S.Ct. 91, 121 L.Ed.2d 53 (1992); Charles v. Daley, 799 F.2d 343, 347 (7th Cir.1986). Motions......