The Appeals Division represents the United States Attorney's Office in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. The Appeals Division handles all appeals to the Third Circuit from the criminal cases prosecuted by the Office. The Appeals Division also handles appeals involving collateral attacks under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 filed by criminal defendants. (Appeals from civil cases are handled by the Office's Civil Division.)

The Appeals Division handles all appellate litigation in these criminal and section 2255 cases, including the preparation of briefs and the presentation of oral argument in the Court of Appeals. In addition to defending the convictions obtained by the Office from attacks by criminal defendants, the Appeals Division also brings affirmative appeals to the Court of Appeals from rulings adverse to the United States, after consultation with the Solicitor General's Office and Criminal Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Furthermore, members of the Appeals Division also give advice and consult on legal matters with the United States Attorney and other members of the Office.

By having all criminal appeals handled by appellate specialists, the Appeals Division is a relatively unique institution among United States Attorney's Offices. The Appeals Division has had a long and successful history. Its members have included two judges of the Third Circuit and an Attorney General of New Jersey.

The current members of the Appeals Division include its Chief, Mark E. Coyne, its Deputy Chief, Caroline A. Sadlowski, and five other Assistant United States Attorneys, who are located in our Newark and Camden offices. Unless otherwise notified, all correspondence in appeals in criminal and section 2255 cases should be sent to:

Mark E. Coyne
Chief, Appeals Division
United States Attorney's Office
970 Broad Street, Suite 700Newark, NJ 07102-2535

The Appeals Division's telephone number is (973) 645-2755, and its fax number is (973) 297-2007.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit hears appeals from the District Courts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the Virgin Islands. It holds arguments frequently in Philadelphia, and twice a year in Newark. Information on the rules governing appeal, how to appeal, when arguments will be held, and whether an appeal has been decided can be obtained from the website of the Third Circuit, at http://www.ca3.uscourts.gov/.

Matters in the United States Supreme Court are handled by the Office of the Solicitor General, whose web site is http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/. All correspondence in Supreme Court matters should be sent to the Solicitor General's Office, with a copy to the Appeals Division at the address above.

Matters in the District Court, including appeals to the District Court from a decision of a United States Magistrate Judge, are handled by the assigned Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal, Special Prosecutions, and Civil Divisions, who should be contacted directly.

In addition to handling the District's criminal appellate litigation, the Chief of the Appeals Division supervises the Law Library. The Law Library is responsible for planning and executing a comprehensive library and information resources program within the District. From the main library in Newark, legal and nonlegal reference and research services are provided to staff throughout the District.