The votes of four of the Supreme Court's nine justices would be needed for the court to hear an expedited appeal.

They establish expedited internal appeals inside the plan for resolving complaints.

The company added that it would seek a stay of the court's order and would ask for an expedited appeal.

The panel granted the association's request to stay the order pending an expedited appeal of the order.

He said he expected that an expedited appeal could be resolved by the spring.

But Congress changed the law in 1978, making expedited appeals discretionary.

"We are going to file an expedited appeal," she said.

Only with that notice of appeal in hand could the government file a motion for expedited appeal.

The Bush administration is seeking an expedited appeal of that ruling before the Supreme Court.

The government is also expected to make a forceful policy argument for the expedited appeal, given the importance of computer industry to the economy.