Justices Define Appeal Routes for Consolidated Cases

• Ruling resolves circuit court split over how and when appeals may be filed in consolidated cases

• Cases joined in a single federal court retain their “independent character” for appeal purposes

Parties in federal cases consolidated in a single district need not await resolution of all cases by the district court before appealing the dismissal of their case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled March 27.

The unanimous decision resolved a circuit court split over how, and when, appeals may be taken when a final judgment in one of two cases consolidated in a single court triggers an “appeal clock” ...