---
title: "Appeal as of Right; Appeal Timing; Habeas Corpus and Section 2255 Proceedings"
citation: "Fed. R. App. P. 3, 4, 22"
authority_id: "AUTH-FRAP-3-4-22"
authority_type: "rule"
jurisdiction: "federal_nationwide"
precedential_status: "binding_national_procedural_rules"
official_url: "https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf"
url: "https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/authorities/AUTH-FRAP-3-4-22/"
legal_review: "2026-08-25"
links_checked: "2026-10-15"
links_available: 1
links_checked_count: 1
license: "CC BY 4.0"
---

# Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure 3, 4, and 22

## Propositions supported

- Rule 3(a)(1) requires the notice of appeal to be filed with the district clerk.
- Rule 4(a)(1) supplies the civil appeal-period branches.
- Rule 4(b)(1)(A) supplies the ordinary defendant's criminal appeal period.
- Rule 4(b)(4) and Rule 4(c) govern a possible extension and inmate filing.
- Rule 22(b)(1) tracks the state-process-habeas and § 2255 COA categories.
- Rule 22(b)(3) exempts a government actor's appeal from a COA requirement.

## Material limitations

Actual calendaring requires the parties, entry date, postjudgment motions, inmate-filing facts, and local rules. The 2025 amendments affected Rules 6 and 39, not the rules used here.

## Official source

U.S. Courts rules pamphlet amended through December 1, 2025: <https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf>


## Used in

- [28 U.S.C. § 2241 — Appeal, Certificate of Appealability, and Relief](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/60-post-conviction/2241-appeal-and-relief.md)
- [18 U.S.C. § 3582 — Sentence-Modification Remedy Router](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/70-sentence-modification/section-3582-remedy-router.md)
- [Criminal Appeal Notice, Jurisdiction, Waivers, and Record](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/50-direct-review/notice-jurisdiction-and-record.md)
- [Section 2255 Screening, Hearing, Appeal, and Postjudgment Motions](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/60-post-conviction/2255-procedure-hearing-appeal-and-postjudgment.md)
- [Rules 35 and 36 — Sentence Correction, Assistance, Record Error, and Appeals](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/70-sentence-modification/rules-35-36-and-modification-appeals.md)