What is the purpose of 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) interlocutory appeals?

• A. To permit immediate appellate review of certain non-final district court orders that involve questions of law.
• B. To automatically stay all proceedings until final judgment.
• C. To certify questions to the Supreme Court for advisory opinions.
• D. To allow appeals only after a final judgment on merits.

Answer: (A)

Interlocutory review under this statute is about letting courts of appeals hear a skip-ahead appeal of certain non-final district court orders when the ruling involves a controlling legal question that jurists disagree about, and immediate review would speed up the case. The district court must certify that the order presents a controlling question of law, there is substantial ground for difference of opinion on that question, and that an immediate appeal would materially advance the termination of the litigation. This is a limited, discretionary tool, not a general path to appeal, and it does not grant an automatic stay of proceedings, nor does it involve sending issues to the Supreme Court for advisory opinions, nor does it require waiting for a final judgment.