The appeal period runs from entry of judgment, not from the verdict or the oral ruling. In federal civil cases it is 30 days, or 60 days where the United States is a party.
A timely post-trial motion suspends the period until the motion is resolved.
Alternative Names:
Time to Appeal, Appellate Deadline
Why it Matters?
This deadline forfeits more appellate rights than any substantive error, and the recurring mistakes are consistent: calculating from the verdict rather than entry of judgment, assuming a pending motion tolls the period when the motion was untimely or not of a tolling type, and treating the deadline as extendable. Because it is jurisdictional, no equitable argument saves an untimely notice.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
When does the appeal period begin?
Which motions toll the appeal deadline?
