Legal Definitions - certificate of good faith

A certificate of good faith is a document issued by a United States District Court that confirms that an appeal by a party would not be frivolous. This certificate is issued in cases where a party has been allowed to proceed in forma pauperis, which means that they are unable to pay the costs of the case.

The certificate of good faith is important because it allows the party to appeal without having to pay any costs or security. District judges may issue certificates of good faith even if they are not required to do so.

For example, if a person is unable to pay the costs of a court case, they may be allowed to proceed in forma pauperis. If they win the case and the other party decides to appeal, the court may issue a certificate of good faith to confirm that the appeal is not frivolous. This means that the person who won the case does not have to pay any costs or security for the appeal.

In summary, a certificate of good faith is a document that confirms that an appeal is not frivolous and allows a party to proceed without having to pay any costs or security.