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Jumping Through Hoops to Get Federal Appeals Records
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Jumping Through Hoops to Get Federal Appeals Records
Trying to get records from federal appeals courts can be a real pain. There’s all these hoops you gotta jump through just to get the documents you need. It’s like they don’t want people to see what’s going on behind the scenes or something.
First thing is you gotta know which court to go to. The appeals courts are organized by regions across the country. There’s 12 regional circuits plus the Federal Circuit that handles specialized cases[1]. To figure out which court your case is in, you need to look at a map and match the state. It can get confusing with all the different circuits and districts so you really gotta pay attention to the details.
Ordering Transcripts
Once you know the court, the next obstacle is actually getting the records. Let’s say you need a transcript from a trial. Well you can’t just call up the court reporter and ask for it. Noooo, that would be too easy!
Instead, you have to file an official request within 14 days after filing your appeal notice. And you better attach a copy to your docketing statement too or they’ll get mad[2].
Oh but it doesn’t end there. The court can decide you don’t really need the full transcript. Then you gotta fight with them over what parts you want and don’t want. And if you miss any deadlines, they might just toss your whole appeal out! Crazy right?
Other Records and Fees
Transcripts ain’t the only records that are hard to get. Depending what you’re looking for, there can be all kinds of hoops. Like if you need filings from a case, you might have to dig through boxes of “rough dockets” and hand-written notes before finding what you want[3].
And don’t even get me started on the fees. Before you get anything, they’ll hit you with a fat bill for printing costs, processing fees, etc. We’re talking at least 50 cents a page, $30 for a CD. And it keeps going up every year! For a big case you might end up paying hundreds or even thousands in fees.
So unless you got money to burn, you gotta pick and choose what documents are really worth it. Oh and don’t forget to factor in your own time jumping through all these hoops. For a regular joe, it’s practically a part-time job!
Going to Court
Let’s say you already got all the records and now wanna take your appeal to federal court. I hope you’re ready for even more hoops!
First the amount of your case has to meet a minimum threshold that changes every year. For 2023 it’s $1,850 at stake[4]. Even if you meet the threshold, you only got 60 days to file or they’ll toss your case again.
Oh and the court can take forever to actually give you a decision. We’re talking months or even years of waiting! All the while, you gotta keep chasing your lawyer to work on it and racking up more legal fees.
Is Justice Really Blind?
When you add up all the hoops and roadblocks, it really makes you wonder — is justice really blind in America? Sure feels like the courts only want certain cases and certain people getting appeals. What happened to equal protection under the law?
Seems the only folks who don’t have to jump through hoops are the big corporations and government agencies that sue people left and right. When Uncle Sam appeals something, you know they got whole teams of lawyers smoothing the way.
But for the average Joe like you or me? The appeals system is frustrating as hell. Instead of protecting people’s rights, it wears you down with paperwork and fees until you just give up. And that’s exactly what they want!
So next time you think about filing an appeal, get ready for anger and agony. The federal courts don’t make it easy, that’s for dang sure. Just more proof the little guy can never get justice in America!
Citations:
[1] https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/court-role-and-structure
[3] https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/267.html
[4] https://www.cms.gov/medicare/appeals-grievances/fee-for-service/fifth-level-appeal