28 USC § 2111 - Harmless error

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t28/s2111"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "28 USC § 2111 - Harmless error"
title_number: 28
title_name: "JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "2111"
section_name: "Harmless error"
chapter_number: 133
chapter_name: "REVIEW—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS"
part_number: "V"
part_name: "PROCEDURE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 110, 63 Stat. 105.)"
---


# § 2111. Harmless error

On the hearing of any appeal or writ of certiorari in any case, the court shall give judgment after an examination of the record without regard to errors or defects which do not affect the substantial rights of the parties.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 110, 63 Stat. 105.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

### 1949 Act

Incorporates in title 28, U.S.C., as section 2111 thereof, the harmless error provisions of section 269 of the Judicial Code (now repealed), which applied to all courts of the United States and to all cases therein and therefore was superseded only in part by the Federal Procedural Rules, which apply only to the United States district courts.