Justices Break on Appeal Deadlines Boost Pro Se Litigants (1)

The US Supreme Court made it easier for litigants to appeal after missing a formal deadline to do so, a benefit particularly for those representing themselves.

In an 8-1 opinion on Thursday by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court said litigants don’t need to file a second notice of appeal once their case has been reopened.

“When a district court grants reopening to a litigant who has already filed a notice making his intent to appeal clear, no second notice of appeal is required,” Sotomayor said.

The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit was the only appellate court that ...