In Re Jerome F. Valenta, Debtor.jerome F. Valenta, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Donald W. Henry, Trustee; Joseph Valenta, Trustee Forvalenta Family Trust, Defendants-appellees, 17 F.3d 398 (9th Cir. 1994)

MEMORANDUM^** 

Jerome F. Valenta, a California state prisoner, appeals pro se the district court's order affirming the bankruptcy court's denial of Valenta's motion for court-appointed counsel. We dismiss this appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

Although neither party has addressed the question, "we are required to raise issues concerning our jurisdiction sua sponte." McGuckin v. Smith, 974 F.2d 1050, 1052 (9th Cir. 1992). This court has jurisdiction over final orders of the district courts reviewing bankruptcy court decisions. 28 U.S.C. § 158(d); Security Pac. Bank Washington v. Steinberg (In re Westwood Shake & Shingle, Inc.), 971 F.2d 387, 389 (9th Cir. 1992). However, " [t]he United States Court [s] of Appeals do not have jurisdiction to hear interlocutory appeals under section 158(d)." Id. "If the underlying bankruptcy court order is interlocutory, so is the district court order affirming or reversing it." Id. "Where the underlying bankruptcy court order involves the appointment or disqualification of counsel, courts have uniformly found that such orders are interlocutory even in the more flexible bankruptcy context." Id.

Here, the bankruptcy court's order denying Valenta's motion for appointment of counsel was interlocutory. See id. Thus, the district court's affirmance of that order was also interlocutory. See id. Moreover, the district court's order is not appealable under the collateral order doctrine set forth in Cohen v. Beneficial Indus. Loan Corp., 337 U.S. 541 (1949). See In re Westwood Shake & Shingle, Inc., 971 F.2d at 391. Therefore, we lack jurisdiction over this appeal.¹ 

DISMISSED.