• United States Code
  • TITLE 28 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
    • PART I - ORGANIZATION OF COURTS
      • CHAPTER 6 - BANKRUPTCY JUDGES

• (a) The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction to hear appeals ^[1]
  • (1) from final judgments, orders, and decrees;
  • (2) from interlocutory orders and decrees issued under section
    1121(d) of title 11 increasing or reducing the time periods
    referred to in section 1121 of such title; and
    (3) with leave of the court, from other interlocutory orders
    and decrees; and, with leave of the court, from interlocutory orders and decrees, of bankruptcy judges entered in cases and proceedings referred to the bankruptcy judges under section 157 of this title. An appeal under this subsection shall be taken only to the district court for the judicial district in which the bankruptcy judge is serving.

• (b)
  • (1) The judicial council of a circuit shall establish a bankruptcy appellate panel service composed of bankruptcy judges of the districts in the circuit who are appointed by the judicial council in accordance with paragraph (3), to hear and determine, with the consent of all the parties, appeals under subsection (a) unless the judicial council finds that -
    • (A) there are insufficient judicial resources available in the
      circuit; or
    • (B) establishment of such service would result in undue delay
      or increased cost to parties in cases under title 11. Not later than 90 days after making the finding, the judicial council shall submit to the Judicial Conference of the United States a report containing the factual basis of such finding.
  • (2)
    • (A) A judicial council may reconsider, at any time, the finding described in paragraph (1).
    • (B) On the request of a majority of the district judges in a circuit for which a bankruptcy appellate panel service is established under paragraph (1), made after the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on the date such service is established, the judicial council of the circuit shall determine whether a circumstance specified in subparagraph (A) or (B) of such paragraph exists.
    • (C) On its own motion, after the expiration of the 3-year period beginning on the date a bankruptcy appellate panel service is established under paragraph (1), the judicial council of the circuit may determine whether a circumstance specified in subparagraph (A) or (B) of such paragraph exists.
    • (D) If the judicial council finds that either of such circumstances exists, the judicial council may provide for the completion of the appeals then pending before such service and the orderly termination of such service.
  • (3) Bankruptcy judges appointed under paragraph (1) shall be appointed and may be reappointed under such paragraph.
  • (4) If authorized by the Judicial Conference of the United States, the judicial councils of 2 or more circuits may establish a joint bankruptcy appellate panel comprised of bankruptcy judges from the districts within the circuits for which such panel is established, to hear and determine, upon the consent of all the parties, appeals under subsection (a) of this section.
  • (5) An appeal to be heard under this subsection shall be heard by a panel of 3 members of the bankruptcy appellate panel service, except that a member of such service may not hear an appeal originating in the district for which such member is appointed or designated under section 152 of this title.
  • (6) Appeals may not be heard under this subsection by a panel of the bankruptcy appellate panel service unless the district judges for the district in which the appeals occur, by majority vote, have authorized such service to hear and determine appeals originating in such district.

• (c)
  • (1) Subject to subsection (b), each appeal under subsection (a) shall be heard by a 3-judge panel of the bankruptcy appellate panel service established under subsection (b)(1) unless -
    • (A) the appellant elects at the time of filing the appeal; or
    • (B) any other party elects, not later than 30 days after
      service of notice of the appeal; to have such appeal heard by the district court.
  • (2) An appeal under subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be taken in the same manner as appeals in civil proceedings generally are taken to the courts of appeals from the district courts and in the time provided by Rule 8002 of the Bankruptcy Rules.

• (d) The courts of appeals shall have jurisdiction of appeals from all final decisions, judgments, orders, and decrees entered under subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

Footnotes