Digital Equipment Corp. v. Desktop Direct, Inc.

Section 1291 of the Judicial Code confines appeals as of right to those from “final decisions of the district courts.” 28 U. S. C. § 1291. This case raises the question whether an order vacating a dismissal predicated on the parties’ settlement agreement is final as a collateral order even without a district court’s resolution of the underlying cause of action. See Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp., 337 U. S. 541, 546 (1949). We hold that an order denying effect to a settlement agreement does not come within the narrow ambit of collateral orders.

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Respondent, Desktop Direct, Inc.…