BOWLES, PRICE ADMINISTRATOR,
v.
CULHANE

7th Cir. | 1945-10-22
No. 8835
Before EVANS, MAJOR, and KERNER, Circuit Judges.
151 F.2d 504 United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (1945) Positive Treatment
Cited by 4 cases

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Holding

An order denying a motion for a change of venue is not a final decision and therefore not immediately appealable.


Facts & Procedural History

Defendant was sued for violating a price regulation, filed an insufficient affidavit of prejudice, and moved for a change of venue, which was denied. …

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Opinion of the Court
EVANS, Circuit Judge.

EVANS, Circuit Judge.

Defendant was sued by the Office of Price Administration for treble damages for alleged violation of the Maximum Price Regulation No. 193, in the sale of whiskey. Defendant filed an affidavit of prejudice which the Court held to be insufficient. The Government’s motion to quash the defendant’s affidavit of prejudice was granted. This appeal followed the entry of the order refusing to grant a change of venue.

While two questions are presented: (a) The sufficiency of the affidavit alleging prejudice, and (b) the appealability of the order overruling the motion for change of venue based on the alleged prejudice, we will consider only the second dispute. In other words, if the order is not appealable, we must dismiss the appeal for want of jurisdiction. If so, we can not pass upon the merits of the defendant’s motion.

Unquestionably, Circuit Courts of Appeals have limited jurisdiction on appeal. With exceptions not here material, Circuit Courts of Appeals may review final decisions only. 28 U.S.C.A. § 225.

Is an order denying a motion for a change of venue a “final decision” ? Serious as it may be to the defendant to be compelled to proceed, perhaps in vain, to a costly trial should his contention that the affidavit of prejudice divests the District Court of jurisdiction be later upheld, it is not, we think, within our limited statutory jurisdiction to pass on the question at any preliminary stage of the proceeding. Defendant must reach a final decision in the trial before he can secure a review of the alleged error which occurred in refusing him a change of venue. Ex parte American Steel Barrel Co., 230 U.S. 35, 33 S.Ct. 1007, 57 L.Ed. 1379; Skirvin v. Mesta, 10 Cir. 141 F. 2d 668; Baltuff v. United States, 9 Cir., 35 F. 2d 507; McColgan v. Lineker, 9 Cir., 289 F. 253.

The appeal is dismissed for want of jurisdiction on our part to entertain it.


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