Joseph Hage Aaronson

Injunctions Must Be Written So That an Ordinary Person Can Understand Exactly What Is Proscribed — Omissions or Ambiguities Are Resolved in Favor of the Enjoined Party

U.S. ex rel. Yelverton v. Fed. Ins. Co., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14378 (D.C. Cir. Aug. 5, 2016): These consolidated appeals are the latest chapter in a long line of litigation over a bankruptcy settlement agreed to by the trustee …

Spoliation — Three Purposes Underlying Adverse Inference Sanction — Lesser Sanctions OK Where No Intent to Spoliate, Lost Info Was Tangential, and Movant Was Not Diligent in Exploring Alternate Sources

Mazzei v. Money Store, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 12973 (2d Cir. July 15, 2016): UPON DUE CONSIDERATION, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the judgment of the district court be AFFIRMED. Joseph Mazzei appeals from the judgment…

Does § 1927 Extend to Pre-Removal Conduct in State Court? — Case Law Split — Inherent Power Extends to Conduct Occurring before Other Tribunals

Boyer v. BNSF Rwy. Co., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14913 (7th Cir. Aug. 9, 2016) (Note: The original panel opinion is excerpted in our post of June 16, 2016): On Petition for Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc In his petition …

Arbitration: Federal Court Has Jurisdiction under FAA to Review Award If Court Would’ve Had Jurisdiction Over Dispute But For Arb. Agreement (Look-Through Approach)—Arbitrators’ Failure to Follow Rules—Statutory Interpretation Quotes

Doscher v. Sea Port Grp. Secs., LLC, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14767 (2d Cir. Aug. 11, 2016): This case arises from the dismissal of a petition to vacate an arbitral award pursuant to section 10 of the Federal Arbitration Act…

Hearsay: Letter from 3d Party’s Counsel Isn’t Business Record of 3d Party or of Recipient (Good Quotes) — Spoliation: No Adverse Inference Absent Proof Records Existed or Were Lost after Notice; Tangible vs. ESI Standards (6th Cir.)

Applebaum v. Target Corp., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14049 (6th Cir. Aug. 2, 2016): Cycling and gravity have an uneasy relationship, as anyone who rides eventually learns. There are many ways, too many ways, to fall. A slick surface, an…

Class Actions—After Trial, Pre-Judgment, Court May Decertify, Must Defer to Jury Findings Unless Clearly Wrong—No 7th Amendment Problem: Absent Class Members Rights Preserved—Appeals Court Has Discretion to Consider Waived Arguments

Mazzei v. Money Store, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 12994 (2d Cir. July 15, 2016): Plaintiff-appellant Joseph Mazzei initiated a class action against The Money Store et al., alleging, inter alia, overcharge of late fees on mortgages, and prevailed in a…

Rule 37(b) Sanctions — Striking Personal Jurisdiction Defense for Failure to Provide Jurisdictional Discovery in Violation of Court Orders — Seeking Foreign Court Order Barring Discovery = Evidence of Bad Faith

Chevron Corp. v. Donziger, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14552 (2d Cir. Aug. 8, 2016): Defendants-appellants Steven Donziger, Donziger & Associates, PLLC, and the Law Offices of Steven R. Donziger (collectively the "Donziger Firm" or "Firm"), and defendants-appellants Hugo Gerardo Camacho…

Rule 37 Sanctions — $8.8 Million Default Judgment for Defiance of Discovery Orders — 2d Circuit Factors for Entry of Default as Sanction — Waiver vs. Forfeiture of Personal Jurisdiction Defense — Judgment Must Explicitly Be Labeled As Such

Roberts v. Bennaceur, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14365 (2d Cir. Aug. 5, 2016): UPON DUE CONSIDERATION, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the judgment of the District Court is AFFIRMED. This case arises from a former business relationship…

RICO: Equitable/Injunctive Relief Available (Circuit Split) — Imposition of Wrongful Debt (Judgment), Attachment, and Legal Fees Paid by Def. or Earned by Pl’s Counsel = RICO Injury If Caused by Violation — Quantifiability & Injunctive Relief

Jurisdiction & Sanctions Post-Judgment, Pending Appeal: District Court May Enter Protective Order over Case Materials, Enter Sanctions, But Magistrate Judge May Only Issue R&R, Not Decide Post-Trial Motion That = Pretrial Motion under §636(b)(1)(A)

Springs v. Ally Fin’l Inc., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 13584 (4th Cir. July 26, 2016): Venus Yvette Springs appeals the district court's order affirming the magistrate judge's order modifying a prior protective order (No. 15-1244) and the court's order denying…

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Injunctions Must Be Written So That an Ordinary Person Can Understand Exactly What Is Proscribed — Omissions or Ambiguities Are Resolved in Favor of the Enjoined Party

Spoliation — Three Purposes Underlying Adverse Inference Sanction — Lesser Sanctions OK Where No Intent to Spoliate, Lost Info Was Tangential, and Movant Was Not Diligent in Exploring Alternate Sources

Does § 1927 Extend to Pre-Removal Conduct in State Court? — Case Law Split — Inherent Power Extends to Conduct Occurring before Other Tribunals

Arbitration: Federal Court Has Jurisdiction under FAA to Review Award If Court Would’ve Had Jurisdiction Over Dispute But For Arb. Agreement (Look-Through Approach)—Arbitrators’ Failure to Follow Rules—Statutory Interpretation Quotes

Hearsay: Letter from 3d Party’s Counsel Isn’t Business Record of 3d Party or of Recipient (Good Quotes) — Spoliation: No Adverse Inference Absent Proof Records Existed or Were Lost after Notice; Tangible vs. ESI Standards (6th Cir.)

Class Actions—After Trial, Pre-Judgment, Court May Decertify, Must Defer to Jury Findings Unless Clearly Wrong—No 7th Amendment Problem: Absent Class Members Rights Preserved—Appeals Court Has Discretion to Consider Waived Arguments

Rule 37(b) Sanctions — Striking Personal Jurisdiction Defense for Failure to Provide Jurisdictional Discovery in Violation of Court Orders — Seeking Foreign Court Order Barring Discovery = Evidence of Bad Faith

Rule 37 Sanctions — $8.8 Million Default Judgment for Defiance of Discovery Orders — 2d Circuit Factors for Entry of Default as Sanction — Waiver vs. Forfeiture of Personal Jurisdiction Defense — Judgment Must Explicitly Be Labeled As Such

RICO: Equitable/Injunctive Relief Available (Circuit Split) — Imposition of Wrongful Debt (Judgment), Attachment, and Legal Fees Paid by Def. or Earned by Pl’s Counsel = RICO Injury If Caused by Violation — Quantifiability & Injunctive Relief

Jurisdiction & Sanctions Post-Judgment, Pending Appeal: District Court May Enter Protective Order over Case Materials, Enter Sanctions, But Magistrate Judge May Only Issue R&R, Not Decide Post-Trial Motion That = Pretrial Motion under §636(b)(1)(A)

Recent Articles

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

Sanctions: (1) Rule 11 Does Not Apply to Litigation Papers Initially Filed in State Court — Only Reaffirmance in Federal Court Post-Removal Is Subject to Sanction — (2) “The Fact That A Legal Theory Is A Long-Shot Does Not Necessarily Mean It Is Sanctionable” (Good Quote)

Supreme Court: Relief under Rule 60(b)(6) Requires Extraordinary Circumstances Even If It Is Invoked to Allow Amendment of The Complaint–Rule 15’s Liberal Approach to Amendment Does Not Change That (Reversing Second Circuit)

FRAP 38 Sanctions — Eleventh Circuit Generally Does Not Impose FRAP 38 Sanctions on Pro Se Litigants, But May Do So If They Have Persisted Despite Judicial Warnings of Frivolousness

Inherent Power Sanctions: No Dismissal with Prejudice If Lesser Sanctions Will Suffice — The Liberal Pleading Standard of Swierkiewicz “Is Still Good Law”

Statements in Briefs As Judicial Admissions

Supreme Court: TRO As Appealable Order — And District Court Inaction As Tantamount to Refusing An Injunction And Thus Appealable

“Slow-Playing Discovery” in Response to Court Order, Prejudicing Opponent, Violates Rule 37(b)(2)(A)

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