The court may direct entry of final judgment on one or more claims or parties upon an express determination that there is no just reason for delay. Absent certification, such rulings are not appealable.
The determination must be explicit.
Alternative Names:
54(b) Certification, Partial Final Judgment
Why it Matters?
Certification requires both finality as to the certified claim and an express no-just-reason determination, and appellate courts dismiss appeals where the district court used the label without the required findings. Seeking certification is worthwhile where a dismissed claim would otherwise wait years for the remaining case to conclude, particularly if reversal would require retrying everything together.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What does certification require?
When is certification worth seeking?
