jurisdictional-statement

name	jurisdictional-statement
title	Jurisdictional Statement
description	Drafts jurisdictional statements for U.S. appellate courts establishing authority to hear an appeal, procedural compliance, and timeliness. Covers 28 U.S.C. §§ 1291/1292, FRAP Rule 4, state appellate rules, finality analysis, interlocutory exceptions, tolling, and cross-appeals. Use when preparing appellate filings, jurisdictional briefs, or responding to jurisdictional challenges.
author	CaseMark
author_url	https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/jurisdictional-statement
license	Apache-2.0
version	0.1.0
execution_mode	open
jurisdiction	us
practice	litigation
language	en

Jurisdictional Statement

Drafts a jurisdictional statement establishing appellate authority and procedural compliance to prevent dismissal for want of jurisdiction.

Prerequisites

Gather before drafting:

• Final judgment or appealable order with docket entry number
• Filed notice of appeal with date stamp
• Full docket sheet (trial and appellate courts)
• Post-trial motions (if any) — FRCP 50/52/59 or state equivalents, with filing and disposition dates
• Applicable court rules — FRAP, local circuit rules, or state appellate rules
• All parties with appellate designations

Quick Start

1. Identify the jurisdictional basis (§ 1291 final decision, § 1292 interlocutory, collateral order, etc.)
2. Build a timeliness timeline from judgment entry through notice of appeal
3. Verify deadline arithmetic: entry date + period = due date; filing date ≤ due date
4. Check for special issues (cross-appeals, multiple parties, standing)
5. Format caption and citations per the specific court's rules

Drafting Workflow

1. Caption

Format per the appellate court's local rules. Include: full court name, all parties with appellate designations, both trial and appellate case numbers, and document title per court rules.

2. Basis for Jurisdiction

Identify the applicable grant of appellate jurisdiction:

Basis	Authority	Scope
Final decision	28 U.S.C. § 1291	All claims, all parties disposed
Interlocutory — injunctions	28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(1)	Granting/refusing/modifying injunctions
Interlocutory — certified	28 U.S.C. § 1292(b)	Controlling question of law, certified by district court
Collateral order	Cohen v. Beneficial Indus. Loan Corp., 337 U.S. 541 (1949)	Conclusive, important question, effectively unreviewable
Partial final judgment	FRCP 54(b)	Express determination of no just reason for delay
Mandamus	28 U.S.C. § 1651	All Writs Act, extraordinary circumstances

For state appeals, cite the specific state statute, constitutional provision, or court rule.

Then explain why the order falls within the cited grant. For final judgments, address finality. For interlocutory appeals, demonstrate the applicable exception with authority.