US v. Kalb — criminal — affirmance (for defendant) — Scirica

By statute, the government is allowed to file an interlocutory appeal from an order suppressing evidence; “The appeal in all such cases shall be taken within 30 days after the decision, judgment or order has been rendered and shall be diligently prosecuted.” 18 USC § 3731. In this case, the district court ordered suppression and, more than 30 days later, the government filed a motion to reconsider, which the defendant argued was untimely but the district court denied on the merits. Today, the Third Circuit held that § 3731’s deadline is jurisdictional, and that a motion for reconsideration filed after the deadline does not support jurisdiction to review the suppression order; the court also affirmed the denial of the consideration motion because it relied on arguments the government could have made earlier. Thus, today’s opinion is a rare bird, an affirmance in a criminal appeal that comes out in favor of the defense.

Joining Scirica were Jordan and Hardiman. Arguing counsel were Robert Zauzmer of the EDPA US Attorney’s office for the government and Brett Sweitzer of the EDPA federal defender’s office for the defendant, both stellar. The argument audio is here.