Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

The Law of the Case Doctrine

From Wike v. Vertrue, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 90366 (M.D. Tenn. Aug. 30, 2010):

"'As most commonly defined, [the doctrine of the law of the case] posits that when a court decides upon a rule of law, that decision should continue to govern the same issues in subsequent stages in the same case.'" Christianson v. Colt Indus. Operating Corp., 486 U.S. 800, 815-16, 108 S. Ct. 2166, 100 L. Ed. 2d 811 (1988) (brackets in original) (quoting Arizona v. California, 460 U.S. 605, 618, 103 S. Ct. 1382, 75 L. Ed. 2d 318 (1983)). Further, "[u]nder the doctrine of law of the case, findings made at one point of the litigation become the law of the case for subsequent stages of that same litigation." United States v. Moored, 38 F.3d 1419, 1421 (6th Cir. 1994). "The doctrine also bars challenges to a decision made at a previous stage of the litigation which could have been challenged in a prior appeal, but were not." Rouse v. DaimlerChrysler Corp., 300 F.3d 711, 715 (6th Cir. 2002).

Applying the law of the case doctrine to a court's prior ruling is a discretionary tool meant to promote judicial efficiency. Omimex Energy, Inc. v. Blohm, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 8009, 2010 WL 1431320 at *8 (6th Cir. 2010). "Nevertheless, a court's power to reach a result inconsistent with a prior decision reached in the same case is 'to be exercised very sparingly, and only under extraordinary conditions.'" In re Kenneth Allen Knight Trust, 303 F.3d 671, 678 (6th Cir. 2002)(citation omitted). Extraordinary circumstances which allow for reconsideration of an issue previously decided include where substantially different evidence is presented, there is subsequent contrary and controlling authority, or where the underlying determination is clearly erroneous and would work a manifest injustice. United States v. Rayborn, 495 F.3d 328, 337 (6th Cir. 2007).

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Recent Posts

RICO and Injunctions: (1) State Court Actions Designed to Perpetuate and Monetize a RICO Violation Are Enjoinable under RICO, Even Though They Are Not Themselves Alleged to Be Predicate Acts [Note: Noerr Pennington Applies in RICO Actions] — (2) Although Civil RICO’s Text and Legislative History Fail to Reveal Any Intent to Override the Provisions of the Federal Arbitration Act, Arbitrations Are Enjoinable Under the “Effective Vindication” Doctrine Where They Operate As a Prospective Waiver of a Party’s Right to Pursue Statutory RICO Remedies — (3) Arbitration Findings May Be Given Collateral Estoppel Effect in a Civil RICO Action — (4) Injunction of Non-Corrupt State Court Litigations That Furthers a RICO Violation Are Enjoinable Under the Anti-Injunction Act’s “Expressly Authorized” Exception — (5) “The Irreparable Harm Requirement Is The Single Most Important Prerequisite For The Issuance Of A Preliminary Injunction” (Good Quote) — (6) When Injunction Is Based on “Serious Questions on the Merits” Rather Than “Likelihood of Success,” Court May Rely on Unverified Pleadings and Attached Exhibits to Assess the Merits, Unless the Opponent Has Raised Substantial Questions (Here, the Opponent Failed to Request an Evidentiary Hearing) — (7) Whether Amended Pleading Moots An Appeal Turns on Whether It Materially Changes the Substantive Basis for the Appeal — (8) Meaning of “In That” (“Used To Introduce A Statement That Explains Or Gives More Specific Information” About A Prior Statement)

Archives