Joseph Hage Aaronson

Federal Jurisdiction: Does the Probate Exception — Barring Federal Jurisdiction over Wills, Estate Administration and Disposition of Property in Probate Court — Extend to Federal Question as Well as Diversity Jurisdiction? — Circuit Split

Matter of Boisseau, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11964 (N.D.N.Y. Jan. 30, 2017): I. INTRODUCTION On May 10, 2016, the Hanover HHR Employee Benefit Plan ("Plan") removed this action to the Northern District of New York pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § …

Rule 16(f) Sanctions Require Violation of Unambiguous Order — Order Permitting Discovery by One Party But Silent As to Other Does Not Unambiguously Bar Discovery by Other — Permission Presumptively Unneeded under Rule 26

Act Now to Stop War and End Racism Coalition v. Dist. of Columbia, 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 1193 (D.C. Cir. Jan. 24, 2017): Like many municipalities around the country, the District of Columbia regulates the manner in which members of …

Diversity Jurisdiction — Statutory Damages, Civil Penalties and Attorney’s Fees Totaled to Determine Amount in Controversy — Only Accrued Attorney’s Fees or Likely Future Fees, Too? — Caselaw Split

Hall v. FCA US, LLC, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113376 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 24, 2016): On March 30, 2016, plaintiffs Dennis Hall and Michelle Hall filed this action against defendant FCA US, LLC in the Kern County Superior Court, alleging …

If Arbitration Clause Incorporates Organization’s Rules, It Is the Version in Effect at Signing — FAA’s Presumption in Favor of Arbitration Doesn’t Apply to Whether Agreement to Arbitrate Exists, Does Apply to Interpretation of Scope

Lenox Corp. v. Blackshear, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 177170 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 22, 2016): Plaintiff Lenox Corporation ("Lenox") brings suit against Defendants Thomas Blackshear, Roger W. Rawls, Blackshear Enterprises, Inc., and Keepsakes and Collectables, LLC1 alleging trademark infringement, unfair competition,…

Twitter Admissibility: Any Ambiguity in Tweets Is for Jury — Tweets Admissible to Show Consciousness of Guilt

Commonwealth v. Bradshear, 2016 Pa. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 4759 (Pa. Super. Ct. Dec. 30, 2016): Appellant Rafael Bradshear appeals from the judgment of sentence imposed after he was convicted of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm…

Rule 37 Sanctions: Broad Judicial Discretion, Multifactor Test (2d Cir.) — May Plaintiff Proceed to Trial Anonymously: Discretionary, Multifactor Test — Waiver of Privilege Reviewed for Abuse of Discretion

Doe v. Delta Airlines Inc., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 21270 (2d Cir. Nov. 29, 2016): UPON DUE CONSIDERATION WHEREOF, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that the orders of the District Court be and hereby are AFFIRMED. Plaintiff-Appellant…

Inherent Power Sanctions — $100,000 in Fees for Frivolous Bankruptcy (Ch. 7) Filing — Bad Faith Need Not Be Shown by Clear and Convincing Evidence — Bad Faith Finding Reviewed for Clear Error

In re Little Rest Twelve, Inc. (Zeltser v. Little Rest Twelve, Inc.), 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 21803 (11th Cir. Dec. 8, 2016): Emanuel Zeltser appeals a bankruptcy court's orders sanctioning him for filing a bankruptcy petition in bad faith and…

Adverse Inference against Client Based on His Lawyer’s Invocation of Fifth Amendment — No Claim in NY for Harm to C Based on A’s Deception of B and B’s Action in Reliance, But C Has Claim If B Conveyed the Misstatement & C Relied on It Directly

Amusement Indus., Inc. v. Stern, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163036 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 10, 2016): Plaintiff Amusement Industry, Inc. ("Amusement") moves for summary judgment as against defendant Moses Stern. In a report and recommendation dated August 10, 2016 [DI 862] (the…

Pending Spoliation Motion Waived by Litigating Summary Judgment and Failing to Alert Court That the Spoliation Motion Could Affect SJ Outcome

Helget v. City of Hays, 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 140 (10th Cir. Jan. 4, 2017): Firma Helget worked for the City of Hays, Kansas, as the administrative secretary for the Hays Police Department. In 2012, the City terminated Helget, and…

RICO — Failure to Identify Each Defendant’s Racketeering Activity, Treating All Defendants As a Single Entity, Fails to Satisfy 9(b) — Conclusory Allegations of Non-Fraud Predicates May Render Complaint Unintelligible

Transatlantic, LLC v. Humana, Inc., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 20264 (11th Cir. Nov. 10, 2016): PER CURIAM: Transatlantic, LLC, appeals the dismissal of its third amended complaint against Humana, Inc., Humana Insurance Company, Humana Health Insurance Company of Florida, Inc.,…

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Federal Jurisdiction: Does the Probate Exception — Barring Federal Jurisdiction over Wills, Estate Administration and Disposition of Property in Probate Court — Extend to Federal Question as Well as Diversity Jurisdiction? — Circuit Split

Rule 16(f) Sanctions Require Violation of Unambiguous Order — Order Permitting Discovery by One Party But Silent As to Other Does Not Unambiguously Bar Discovery by Other — Permission Presumptively Unneeded under Rule 26

Diversity Jurisdiction — Statutory Damages, Civil Penalties and Attorney’s Fees Totaled to Determine Amount in Controversy — Only Accrued Attorney’s Fees or Likely Future Fees, Too? — Caselaw Split

If Arbitration Clause Incorporates Organization’s Rules, It Is the Version in Effect at Signing — FAA’s Presumption in Favor of Arbitration Doesn’t Apply to Whether Agreement to Arbitrate Exists, Does Apply to Interpretation of Scope

Twitter Admissibility: Any Ambiguity in Tweets Is for Jury — Tweets Admissible to Show Consciousness of Guilt

Rule 37 Sanctions: Broad Judicial Discretion, Multifactor Test (2d Cir.) — May Plaintiff Proceed to Trial Anonymously: Discretionary, Multifactor Test — Waiver of Privilege Reviewed for Abuse of Discretion

Inherent Power Sanctions — $100,000 in Fees for Frivolous Bankruptcy (Ch. 7) Filing — Bad Faith Need Not Be Shown by Clear and Convincing Evidence — Bad Faith Finding Reviewed for Clear Error

Adverse Inference against Client Based on His Lawyer’s Invocation of Fifth Amendment — No Claim in NY for Harm to C Based on A’s Deception of B and B’s Action in Reliance, But C Has Claim If B Conveyed the Misstatement & C Relied on It Directly

Pending Spoliation Motion Waived by Litigating Summary Judgment and Failing to Alert Court That the Spoliation Motion Could Affect SJ Outcome

RICO — Failure to Identify Each Defendant’s Racketeering Activity, Treating All Defendants As a Single Entity, Fails to Satisfy 9(b) — Conclusory Allegations of Non-Fraud Predicates May Render Complaint Unintelligible

Recent Articles

§ 1927 Sanctions — Must A Lawyer Who Unreasonably and Vexatiously Multiplies Federal Court Proceedings Be Acting “As An Attorney” When Committing the Misconduct To Be Subject to Sanction under § 1927?

Rule 37 Sanctions — Unfamiliarity With Litigation Process Does Not Excuse Intentional Disregard of Court Order — Also Affirming Rule 26(g) Sanctions on Clients and Counsel for False Representations That All Responsive Documents Had Been Produced

Supreme Court: Notice of Appeal Filed After The Original Deadline But Before Reopening by The District Court Is Timely — It Relates Forward to The Date of The Order Making The Appeal Possible — Second Notice of Appeal After Reopening Unnecessary

Rule 37 Default Judgment: Second Circuit’s Four-Factor Test for Imposing Defaults and Three-Factor Test for Lifting Them

RICO: Cover-Up Within Limitations Period of Untimely RICO Violation “Was Merely A Continuation” Of The Original Injury And Could Not Be Used “As A ‘Bootstrap’ To Salvage [The] Time-Barred Claims–Declining to Apply Pinkerton Doctrine to Civil RICO Claims

Inherent Power — Circumstantial Evidence — Fact That Bad Faith May Be Shown by Establishing That Conduct Was So Egregious It Was Necessarily Committed in Bad Faith Does Not Mean That Bad Faith Must Be The Sole Explanation for The Bad Conduct

RICO Causation: Testing Labs’ Misstatements As to Alcohol Tests’ Efficacy Not Communicated to Plaintiffs’ Employers Did Not Cause Plaintiffs’ Professional Harm

Rule 37(d) Sanctions — For Failure to Serve Answers, Objections, Or Written Response to Discovery Requests — Are Not Limited to Intentional Misconduct; Even Innocent Mistakes May Be Covered

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