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99 Geo. L.J. 1717 (2010-2011)
An Appeal for Immediate Appealability: Applying the Collateral Order Doctrine to Orders Denying Appointed Counsel in Civil Rights Cases

handle is hein.journals/glj99 and id is 1729 raw text is: An Appeal for Immediate Appealability: Applying the Collateral Order Doctrine to Orders Denying Appointed Counsel in Civil Rights Cases BRAD D. FELDMAN* TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .......................................... 1717 I. BACKGROUND ........................................ 1719 A. THE FINAL DECISION RULE ........................... 1719 B. THE COLLATERAL ORDER DOCTRINE AND ITS EVOLUTION THROUGH MOHAWK .................................... 1721 II. THE CIRCUIT SPLIT: APPLYING COHEN ...................... 1726 A. CIRCUITS DISALLOWING IMMEDIATE APPEALS ............... 1727 B. CIRCUITS ALLOWING IMMEDIATE APPEALS ................. 1731 C. THE NINTH CIRCUIT: SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE .. ............ 1736 m. THE WAY FORWARD: SEPARATING CIVIL RIGHTS FROM CIVIL CASES .... ............................................ 1739 CONCLUSION ............................................ 1744 INTRODUCTION Lee 0. Wilson Jr. began his case as a pro se litigant. He alleged that the Virginia Department of Corrections misread his sentencing order, causing him to spend an extra five months in prison.' He sought habeas corpus relief in state court2 as well as monetary damages pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 19833 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.4 After Wilson's sen- * Georgetown Law, J.D. 2011; Harvard College, A.B. 2007. 0 2011, Brad D. Feldman. I wish to thank Professor Susan Low Bloch for her comments and suggestions on earlier drafts of this Note and for all of her encouragement throughout the process. I would also like to thank the staff and editors of The Georgetown Law Journal. Finally, I am grateful beyond words to Charles and Zella Rubin, who have given me the gift of education, and to my parents, Arthur and Deborah Feldman, who never cease to give me their love and support. 1. Wilson v. Johnson, No. 1:08cv794 (LMIB/TRJ), 2009 WL 2243708, at *2 (E.D. Va. July 22, 2009). 2. See id. (quoting Wilson v. Commonwealth, R. No. CLO7-6390 (Va. Cir. Ct. Dec. 26, 2007)). 3. 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (2006). 4. See Wilson, 2009 WL 2243708, at *2. 1717