What makes an appeal from a district court order final?

What makes an appeal from a district court order final?

• A. A judgment that ends the action as to all parties and resolves the issues left for trial.
• B. An order denying a post-judgment motion.
• C. A discovery order unrelated to the merits.
• D. A temporary restraining order issued before trial.

Answer: (A)

A district court order is final for purposes of appeal when it ends the action as to all parties and resolves the merits, leaving nothing more for the court to do. That is exactly what the described option does: it envisions a judgment that brings the entire action to a close and settles the issues left for trial. Under the final judgment rule, an appeal lies from such a final decision because it fully and finally resolves the dispute. In contrast, the other scenarios are not final: a post-judgment motion denial is not the end of the case by itself, a discovery order that doesn’t decide the merits is merely procedural, and a temporary restraining order is an interim measure before trial.

A district court order is final for purposes of appeal when it ends the action as to all parties and resolves the merits, leaving nothing more for the court to do. That is exactly what the described option does: it envisions a judgment that brings the entire action to a close and settles the issues left for trial. Under the final judgment rule, an appeal lies from such a final decision because it fully and finally resolves the dispute. In contrast, the other scenarios are not final: a post-judgment motion denial is not the end of the case by itself, a discovery order that doesn’t decide the merits is merely procedural, and a temporary restraining order is an interim measure before trial.