liberty mutual ins wetzel argued january decided march respondents filed complaint alleging petitioner employee insurance benefits maternity leave regulations discriminated women employees violation title vii civil rights act seeking injunctive relief damages costs attorneys fees ruling respondents favor motion partial summary judgment issue petitioner liability act district upon denying petitioner motion reconsideration issued amended order stating injunctive relief withheld petitioner filed appeal asked stay injunction directing pursuant fed rule civ proc final judgment entered respondents reason delay appeals holding jurisdiction petitioner appeal affirmed merits held district order appealable final decision pp even assuming order declaratory judgment issue liability nevertheless left unresolved finally dispose respondents prayers relief order become appealable final decision pursuant merely made recital required rule since rule applies actions one less claims finally decided found otherwise ready appeal apply action one complaint advanced single legal theory applied one set facts pp order apart reference rule constitutes grant partial summary judgment limited issue petitioner liability terms interlocutory damages relief remain resolved considered final within meaning order appealable pursuant provisions interlocutory appeals pp even order insofar failed include requested injunctive relief considered interlocutory order refusing injunction within meaning thus allowed respondents obtain review appeals denial injunction sought petitioner avail grant jurisdiction pp even order considered order district certified immediate appeal pursuant involving controlling question law substantial ground difference opinion appear petitioner applied appeals permission appeal within days required moreover assurance requirements met appeals exercised discretion entertain interlocutory appeal rehnquist delivered opinion members joined except blackmun took part consideration decision case kalvin grove argued cause petitioner briefs lawrence cohen jeffrey goldman robert penney howard specter argued cause filed brief respondents briefs amici curiae urging reversal filed gordon dean booth alaska airlines et al edward silver larry lavinsky sara portnoy kenneth kimble american life insurance assn et al william martin paul blume american mutual insurance alliance et al thompson powers american telephone telegraph simon rifkind frazer hilder edmond dilworth general motors richard godown national association manufacturers lloyd sutter et al john wayman scott zimmerman westinghouse electric briefs amici curiae urging affirmance filed solicitor general bork assistant attorney general pottinger brian landsberg walter barnett abner sibal joseph eddins beatrice rosenberg et al francis bellotti attorney general barbara rouse terry jean seligmann assistant attorneys general commonwealth massachusetts et al william brown attorney general andrew ruzicho earl manz assistant attorneys general state ohio henry spitz paul hartman new york state division human rights ruth bader ginsburg melvin wulf david rubin american civil liberties union et al albert woll laurence gold stephen schlossberg john fillion american federation labor congress industrial organizations et al diane serafin blank nancy stanley blank goodman kelly rone stanley wendy williams rhonda copelon sylvia roberts marilyn hall patel judith lonnquist gladys kessler peter hart weiner center constitutional rights et al mary jonathan lubell howard ostrin charles koons communication workers america justice rehnquist delivered opinion respondents filed complaint district western district pennsylvania asserted petitioner employee insurance benefits maternity leave regulations discriminated women violation title vii civil rights act stat amended equal employment opportunity act et seq ed supp iv district ruled favor respondents issue petitioner liability act petitioner appealed appeals third circuit held jurisdiction petitioner appeal proceeded affirm merits judgment district granted certiorari heard argument merits though neither party questioned jurisdiction appeals entertain appeal obligated motion question thereto exists mansfield coldwater lake michigan swan conclude district order appealable appeals vacate judgment appeals instructions dismiss petitioner appeal order district respondents complaint alleging jurisdiction facts deemed pertinent claim prayed judgment petitioner embodying following relief requiring defendant establish hiring payment opportunity promotional plans programs enjoining continuance defendant illegal acts practices alleged herein requiring defendant pay plaintiffs members class damages sustained plaintiffs members class reason defendant illegal acts practices including adjusted backpay interest additional equal amount liquidated damages exemplary damages requiring defendant pay plaintiffs members class costs suit reasonable attorneys fee interest relief deems appropriate app order stated enjoin continuance practices found violation title vii plaintiffs invited submit form injunction order defendant filed notice appeal asked stay injunctive order circumstances withhold issuance injunctive order amend order previously issued provisions fed civ follows day february directed final judgment entered favor plaintiffs defendant policy requiring female employees return work within three months delivery child terminated violation provisions title vii civil rights act defendant policy denying disability income protection plan benefits female employees disabilities related pregnancies childbirth sic violation title vii civil rights act expressly directed judgment entered plaintiffs upon claims plaintiffs complaint reason delay supp counsel respondents questioned oral argument suggested least district order february amounted declaratory judgment issue liability pursuant provisions respondents sought declaratory judgment form relief course different case even accept respondents contention district order declaratory judgment issue liability nonetheless left unresolved respondents requests injunction compensatory exemplary damages attorneys fees finally disposed none respondents prayers relief district appeals apparently took view district made recital required fed rule civ proc final judgment entered issue liability reason delay orders thereby became appealable final decision pursuant agree application rule statute question rule apply single claim action limited expressly multiple claims actions one less multiple claims finally decided found otherwise ready appeal sears roebuck mackey however respondents set forth single claim petitioner employee insurance benefits maternity leave regulations discriminated women employees violation title vii civil rights act prayed several different types relief event sustained allegations complaint see fed rule civ proc complaint advanced single legal theory applied one set facts thus despite fact district undoubtedly made findings required rule applicable findings case make order appealable pursuant see mackey supra turn consider whether district order might appealed petitioner appeals theory order viewed apart discussion rule constitutes grant partial summary judgment limited issue petitioner liability judgments terms interlocutory see fed rule civ proc assessment damages awarding relief remains resolved never considered final within meaning see borges art steel leonidakis international telecoin tye hertz drivurself stations russell barnes foundation thus possible authorization appeal district order pursuant provisions district granted injunctive relief ruled respondents requests relief interlocutory order appealable noted issue injunction might argued order district insofar failed include injunctive relief requested respondents interlocutory order refusing injunction within meaning even allowed respondents obtain review appeals denial injunction sought petitioner avail grant jurisdiction order appealable pursuant although district findings made view satisfying rule might viewed substantial compliance certification requirement section showing record petitioner made application appeals within days therein specified holding jurisdiction pursuant makes clear thought obliged consider merits petitioner appeal assurance requirements complied appeals exercised discretion entertain interlocutory appeal sustain procedure followed condone practice whereby district virtually case might render interlocutory decision question liability defendant defendant thereupon permitted appeal appeals without satisfying requirements congress carefully set forth believe congress enacting present title well aware dangers overly rigid insistence upon final decision appeal every case sections made ample provision appeal orders final alleviate possible hardship twist fabric statute bear agree district order february appealable appeals judgment appeals therefore vacated case remanded instructions dismiss petitioner appeal ordered footnotes judgment upon multiple claims involving multiple parties one claim relief presented action whether claim counterclaim claim multiple parties involved may direct entry final judgment one fewer claims parties upon express determination reason delay upon express direction entry judgment absence determination direction order form decision however designated adjudicates fewer claims rights liabilities fewer parties shall terminate action claims parties order form decision subject revision time entry judgment adjudicating claims rights liabilities parties following mackey rule amended insure orders finally disposing parties appealed pursuant provisions provision implicated case however mackey exposition rule remains fully accurate need attempt definitive resolution meaning constitutes claim relief within meaning rules see moore federal practice ed sufficient recognize complaint asserting one legal right even seeking multiple remedies alleged violation right single claim relief courts appeals shall jurisdiction appeals interlocutory orders district courts district district canal zone district guam district virgin islands judges thereof granting continuing modifying refusing dissolving injunctions refusing dissolve modify injunctions except direct review may district judge making civil action order otherwise appealable section shall opinion order involves controlling question law substantial ground difference opinion immediate appeal order may materially advance ultimate termination litigation shall state writing order appeals may thereupon discretion permit appeal taken order application made within ten days entry order provided however application appeal hereunder shall stay proceedings district unless district judge appeals judge thereof shall order