In 2016, the average U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit appeal took nearly 16 months to wind from the notice of appeal to a conclusion. Even meritless appeals that require little opinion-writing time can take a year or more to be processed by the court. The delay is made worse by the court’s seven judicial vacancies, with at least one more announced—nearly a quarter of the circuit’s allotment.

That can be a long time if you’re waiting for payment of a judgment, especially with the federal post-judgment interest rate hovering around just 2 percent. It can also be an expensive process if you need to retain high-end appellate counsel, which you’re wise to do if serious money or issues are at stake.