18 U.S.C. § 3731 - Appeal by United States

• Cite as: 18 U.S.C. § 3731

In a criminal case an appeal by the United States shall lie to a court of appeals from a decision, judgment, or order of a district court dismissing an indictment or information or granting a new trial after verdict or judgment, as to any one or more counts, or any part thereof, except that no appeal shall lie where the double jeopardy clause of the United States Constitution prohibits further prosecution.

An appeal by the United States shall lie to a court of appeals from a decision or order of a district court suppressing or excluding evidence or requiring the return of seized property in a criminal proceeding, not made after the defendant has been put in jeopardy and before the verdict or finding on an indictment or information, if the United States attorney certifies to the district court that the appeal is not taken for purpose of delay and that the evidence is a substantial proof of a fact material in the proceeding.

An appeal by the United States shall lie to a court of appeals from a decision or order, entered by a district court of the United States, granting the release of a person charged with or convicted of an offense, or denying a motion for revocation of, or modification of the conditions of, a decision or order granting release.

The appeal in all such cases shall be taken within thirty days after the decision, judgment or order has been rendered and shall be diligently prosecuted.

The provisions of this section shall be liberally construed to effectuate its purposes.

Cite as 18 U.S.C. § 3731

Source: June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 844; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, §58, 63 Stat. 97; Pub. L. 90-351, title VIII, §1301, June 19, 1968, 82 Stat. 237; Pub. L. 91-644, title III, §14(a), Jan. 2, 1971, 84 Stat. 1890; Pub. L. 98-473, title II, §§205, 1206, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 1986, 2153; Pub. L. 99-646, §32, Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3598; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII, §330008(4), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2142; Pub. L. 107-273, div. B, title III, §30043004,, 116 Stat. 1805.

current through 12/7/2021

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

1948 ACT

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §682 ( Mar. 2, 1907ch. 2564 34 Stat. 1246; Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, §291, 36 Stat. 1167; Jan. 31, 1928, ch. 14, §1, 45 Stat. 54; May 9, 1942, ch. 295, §1, 56 Stat. 271).

The word "dismissing" was substituted for "sustaining a motion to dismiss" in two places for conciseness and clarity, there being no difference in effect of a decision of dismissal whether made on motion or by the court sua sponte.