When the Court issues (1) an opinion pursuant to which a final judgment is entered or (2) a summary order and judgment disposing of the appeal, a party may wish to apply for a rehearing. There are two kinds of rehearing. A petition for a panel rehearing requests that the panel of judges that originally heard the case reconsider its decision. A petition for a rehearing en banc requests that all the active judges on the Court rehear the case. A petition for panel rehearing and/or rehearing en banc must be filed within 14 days after the decision determining the case is filed. FRAP 35(c), 40(a)(1); LR 35.1, 40.1. If a party is simultaneously filing a petition for rehearing and a petition for rehearing en banc, both requests must be made in a single document. When a petition for rehearing exceeds 50 pages, including the copy of the opinion or summary order to which the petition relates, the party filing the petition must submit 3 paper copies to the Court. If the petition for rehearing includes a petition for rehearing en banc, the party filing the petition must submit 15 paper copies to the Court. Submission of the paper copies is in addition to any applicable electronic filing requirements.

In some cases the Court may dispose of an appeal by a final three-judge order for which a FRAP 36 judgment is not entered. In these instances an adversely affected party may file a motion for panel reconsideration and a motion for reconsideration en banc. See LR 40.2. The motion must comply with the requirements for filing a petition for rehearing or rehearing en banc under FRAP 35, FRAP 40, and LRs 35.1 and 40.1. See id.

If the Court substantively amends a decision, the time for filing a petition or motion begins to run from the date the amended decision is entered. This recalculation of the time does not apply if the Court issues a decision making a non-substantive change (e.g., correcting a typographical error). Each petition or motion must include a copy of the opinion or summary order to which the petition or motion relates.

The timely filing of a petition for rehearing or a motion for panel reconsideration will stay the issuance of the mandate until disposition of the petition or motion unless otherwise ordered by the Court. If the petition or motion is denied, the mandate issues 7 days after the entry of the order denying the petition or motion unless the time is shortened or extended by order.

Last modified at 1/31/2014