Title VII · General Provisions

Rule 48. Masters

Version effective 2021

(a) Appointment; Powers. A court of appeals may appoint a special master to hold hearings, if necessary, and to recommend factual findings and disposition in matters ancillary to proceedings in the court. Unless the order referring a matter to a master specifies or limits the master’s powers, those powers include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) regulating all aspects of a hearing;

(2) taking all appropriate action for the efficient performance of the master’s duties under the order;

(3) requiring the production of evidence on all matters embraced in the reference; and

(4) administering oaths and examining witnesses and parties.

(b) Compensation. If the master is not a judge or court employee, the court must determine the master’s compensation and whether the cost is to be charged to any party.

(As amended Apr. 29, 1994, eff. Dec. 1, 1994; Apr. 24, 1998, eff. Dec. 1, 1998.)

Appended Forms

(51) Form 1A. Notice of Appeal to a Court of Appeals From a Judgment of a District Court United States District Court for the __________________________ District of __________________________ Docket Number __________________________ A.B., Plaintiff v. Notice of Appeal C.D., Defendant lll (name all parties taking the appeal) * appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the lll Circuit from the final judg- ment entered on ll (state the date the judgment was entered). (s) __________________________ Attorney for __________________________ Address: __________________________ Note to inmate filers: * See Rule 3(c) for permissible ways of identifying appellants. (As added Apr. 14, 2021, eff. Dec. 1, 2021.) Form 1B. Notice of Appeal to a Court of Appeals From an Appeal- able Order of a District Court United States District Court for the __________________________ District of __________________________ Docket Number __________________________ A.B., Plaintiff v. Notice of Appeal C.D., Defendant lll (name all parties taking the appeal) * appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the lll Circuit from the order __________________________ (describe the order) entered on ll (state the date the order was entered). (s) __________________________ Attorney for __________________________ Address: __________________________ Note to inmate filers: * See Rule 3(c) for permissible ways of identifying appellants. (As added Apr. 14, 2021, eff. Dec. 1, 2021.) Form 2 Form 2. Notice of Appeal to a Court of Appeals From a Decision of the United States Tax Court United States Tax Court Washington, D.C. Docket No. llll A.B., Petitioner v. Commissioner of Notice of Appeal Internal Revenue, Respondent lll (here name all parties taking the appeal) * appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the lll Circuit from the de- cision entered on llll (state the date the decision was en- tered). (s) __________________________ Attorney for __________________________ Address: __________________________ * See Rule 3(c) for permissible ways of identifying appellants. (As amended Apr. 22, 1993, eff. Dec. 1, 1993; Mar. 27, 2003, eff. Dec. 1, 2003; Apr. 14, 2021, eff. Dec. 1, 2021.) Form 3. Petition for Review of Order of an Agency, Board, Commis- sion or Officer United States Court of Appeals for the __________________________ Circuit A.B., Petitioner v. Petition for Review XYZ Commission, Respondent lll (here name all parties bringing the petition) * lll hereby petition the court for review of the Order of the XYZ Commission (describe the order) entered on __________________________ , 20 l . (s) __________________________ , Attorney for Petitioners Address: __________________________ * See Rule 15. (As amended Apr. 22, 1993, eff. Dec. 1, 1993; Mar. 27, 2003, eff. Dec. 1, 2003.) Form 4 Form 4. Affidavit Accompanying Motion for Permission to Appeal In Forma Pauperis Form 4 Form 4 Form 4 Form 4 Form 4 (As amended Apr. 24, 1998, eff. Dec. 1, 1998; Apr. 28, 2010, eff. Dec. 1, 2010; Apr. 16, 2013, eff. Dec. 1, 2013; Apr. 26, 2018, eff. Dec. 1, 2018.) Form 5 Form 5. Notice of Appeal to a Court of Appeals From a Judgment or Order of a District Court or a Bankruptcy Appellate Panel Notice of Appeal to United States Court of Appeals for the __________________________ Circuit __________________________ , the plaintiff [or defendant or other party] ap- peals to the United States Court of Appeals for the __________________________ Circuit from the final judgment [or order or decree] of the district court for the district of __________________________ [or bankruptcy appellate panel of the __________________________ circuit], entered in this case on __________________________ , 20 ll [here describe the judgment, order, or decree] __________________________ The parties to the judgment [or order or decree] appealed from and the names and addresses of their respective attorneys are as follows: Dated __________________________ Signed __________________________ Attorney for Appellant Address: __________________________ __________________________ Note to inmate filers: (As added Apr. 25, 1989, eff. Dec. 1, 1989; amended Mar. 27, 2003, eff. Dec. 1, 2003; Apr. 28, 2016, eff. Dec. 1, 2016.) Form 6 Form 6. Certificate of Compliance With Type-Volume Limit (As added Apr. 29, 2002, eff. Dec. 1, 2002; amended Apr. 28, 2016, eff. Dec. 1, 2016.) Form 7 Form 7. Declaration of Inmate Filing __________________________ [ insert name of court; for example, United States District Court for the District of Minnesota ] A.B., Plaintiff v. Case No. llll C.D., Defendant I am an inmate confined in an institution. Today, llll [ insert date ], I am depositing the llll [ insert title of document; for exam- ple, ‘‘notice of appeal’’ ] in this case in the institution’s internal mail system. First-class postage is being prepaid either by me or by the institution on my behalf. I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct (see 28 U.S.C. § 1746; 18 U.S.C. § 1621). Sign your name here __________________________ Signed on __________________________ [ insert date ] Note to inmate filers: (As added Apr. 28, 2016, eff. Dec. 1, 2016; amended Apr. 26, 2018, eff. Dec. 1, 2018.) (As added Apr. 28, 2016, eff. Dec. 1, 2016.) Æ

added in current removed in current Compared to current version (2025).

(a) Appointment; Powers. A court of appeals may appoint a special master to hold hearings, if necessary, and to recommend factual findings and disposition in matters ancillary to proceedings in the court. Unless the order referring a matter to a master specifies or limits the master’s powers, those powers include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) regulating all aspects of a hearing; (2) taking all appropriate action for the efficient performance of the master’s duties under the order; (3) requiring the production of evidence on all matters embraced in the reference; and (4) administering oaths and examining witnesses and parties. (b) Compensation. If the master is not a judge or court employee, the court must determine the master’s compensation and whether the cost is to be charged to any party. (As amended Apr. 29, 1994, eff. Dec. 1, 1994; Apr. 24, 1998, eff. Dec. 1, 1998.) Appended Forms (51) Form 1A. Notice of Appeal to a Court of Appeals From a Judgment of a District Court United States District Court for the __________________________ District of __________________________ Docket Number __________________________ A.B., Plaintiff v. Notice of Appeal C.D., Defendant lll (name all parties taking the appeal) appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the lll Circuit from the final judg- ment entered on ll (state the date the judgment was entered). (s) __________________________ Attorney for __________________________ Address: __________________________ Note to inmate filers: See Rule 3(c) for permissible ways of identifying appellants. (As added Apr. 14, 2021, eff. Dec. 1, 2021.) Form 1B. Notice of Appeal to a Court of Appeals From an Appeal- able Order of a District Court United States District Court for the __________________________ District of __________________________ Docket Number __________________________ A.B., Plaintiff v. Notice of Appeal C.D., Defendant lll (name all parties taking the appeal) appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the lll Circuit from the order __________________________ (describe the order) entered on ll (state the date the order was entered). (s) __________________________ Attorney for __________________________ Address: __________________________ Note to inmate filers: See Rule 3(c) for permissible ways of identifying appellants. (As added Apr. 14, 2021, eff. Dec. 1, 2021.) Form 2 Form 2. Notice of Appeal to a Court of Appeals From a Decision of the United States Tax Court United States Tax Court Washington, D.C. Docket No. llll A.B., Petitioner v. Commissioner of Notice of Appeal Internal Revenue, Respondent lll (here name all parties taking the appeal) appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the lll Circuit from the de- cision entered on llll (state the date the decision was en- tered). (s) __________________________ Attorney for __________________________ Address: __________________________ See Rule 3(c) for permissible ways of identifying appellants. (As amended Apr. 22, 1993, eff. Dec. 1, 1993; Mar. 27, 2003, eff. Dec. 1, 2003; Apr. 14, 2021, eff. Dec. 1, 2021.) Form 3. Petition for Review of Order of an Agency, Board, Commis- sion or Officer United States Court of Appeals for the __________________________ Circuit A.B., Petitioner v. Petition for Review XYZ Commission, Respondent lll (here name all parties bringing the petition) lll hereby petition the court for review of the Order of the XYZ Commission (describe the order) entered on __________________________ , 20 l . (s) __________________________ , Attorney for Petitioners Address: __________________________ See Rule 15. (As amended Apr. 22, 1993, eff. Dec. 1, 1993; Mar. 27, 2003, eff. Dec. 1, 2003.) Form 4 Form 4. Affidavit Accompanying Motion for Permission to Appeal In Forma Pauperis Form 4 Form 4 Form 4 Form 4 Form 4 (As amended Apr. 24, 1998, eff. Dec. 1, 1998; Apr. 28, 2010, eff. Dec. 1, 2010; Apr. 16, 2013, eff. Dec. 1, 2013; Apr. 26, 2018, eff. Dec. 1, 2018.) Form 5 Form 5. Notice of Appeal to a Court of Appeals From a Judgment or Order of a District Court or a Bankruptcy Appellate Panel Notice of Appeal to United States Court of Appeals for the __________________________ Circuit __________________________ , the plaintiff [or defendant or other party] ap- peals to the United States Court of Appeals for the __________________________ Circuit from the final judgment [or order or decree] of the district court for the district of __________________________ [or bankruptcy appellate panel of the __________________________ circuit], entered in this case on __________________________ , 20 ll [here describe the judgment, order, or decree] __________________________ The parties to the judgment [or order or decree] appealed from and the names and addresses of their respective attorneys are as follows: Dated __________________________ Signed __________________________ Attorney for Appellant Address: __________________________ __________________________ Note to inmate filers: (As added Apr. 25, 1989, eff. Dec. 1, 1989; amended Mar. 27, 2003, eff. Dec. 1, 2003; Apr. 28, 2016, eff. Dec. 1, 2016.) Form 6 Form 6. Certificate of Compliance With Type-Volume Limit (As added Apr. 29, 2002, eff. Dec. 1, 2002; amended Apr. 28, 2016, eff. Dec. 1, 2016.) Form 7 Form 7. Declaration of Inmate Filing __________________________ [ insert name of court; for example, United States District Court for the District of Minnesota ] A.B., Plaintiff v. Case No. llll C.D., Defendant I am an inmate confined in an institution. Today, llll [ insert date ], I am depositing the llll [ insert title of document; for exam- ple, ‘‘notice of appeal’’ ] in this case in the institution’s internal mail system. First-class postage is being prepaid either by me or by the institution on my behalf. I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct (see 28 U.S.C. § 1746; 18 U.S.C. § 1621). Sign your name here __________________________ Signed on __________________________ [ insert date ] Note to inmate filers: (As added Apr. 28, 2016, eff. Dec. 1, 2016; amended Apr. 26, 2018, eff. Dec. 1, 2018.) (As added Apr. 28, 2016, eff. Dec. 1, 2016; amended Apr. 2, 2024, eff. Dec. 1, 2024.) Æ