Joseph Hage Aaronson

Fugitive Disentitlement Doctrine Narrowly Applied in Civil Cases — “Necessity” Vital — Indignity, Deterrence Inapt — Prejudice, Delay, Frustration, Unenforceability of Judgment Key — Dodging Prosecution Not Enough

Mastro v. Rigby, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 16255 (9th Cir. August 22, 2014): I. James Rigby (the "Trustee"), in his capacity as Trustee for the Chapter 7 bankruptcy estate of Linda's husband, Michael Mastro ("Michael"), filed an adversary proceeding…

The Risk of Deposing Unretained Experts (They Can Testify Despite Inadequte Disclosures) — Hybrid Witnesses and Rule 26(a)(2)(C)

Burreson v. BASF Corp., 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 117590 (E.D. Cal. Aug. 22, 2014): The disclosure requirements of Rule 26(a)(2)(B) have, at times, led to tension regarding when disclosure is triggered. In Goodman v. Staples The Office Superstore, LLC, 644…

RICO — Statute of Limitations Accrues When Plaintiff Is Aware of Its Injury, Even If Not the Identity of the Wrongdoer — Must Exercise Diligence to Determine Identity and Commence Suit within 4 Years

Rob’t L. Kroenlein Trust v. Kirchhefer, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 16296 (10th Cir. Aug. 25, 2014): The Robert L. Kroenlein Trust owns and operates J&B Liquors, a business in Torrington, Wyoming. In 2005, a salesman for one of J&B's beer …

Contractual Duty to “Reimburse” Attorneys’ Fees “Incurred” by Victorious Party Doesn’t Require Payment of Fees That New Employer Agreed to Cover for Employee-Defendants — Contract ≠ Rule 37 / Statutes or Rules Generally (Good Quotes)

TruGreen Cos., LLC v. Mower Bros., Inc., 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 12513 (10th Cir. July 2, 2014): Back in 2006 TruGreen managers felt betrayed when a handful of employees left to work for a rival lawn care company. TruGreen sued,…

Inherent Power Sanctions — 2-Pronged Test: Baselessness and Bad Faith — Meritless Motion for Reconsideration Containing Unsupported Attacks on Opponent

Smith v. Westchester Cnty. Dep’t of Corr., 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 16494 (2d Cir. Aug. 26, 2014): UPON DUE CONSIDERATION, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED,$ ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the judgment of the district court be and hereby is AFFIRMED. Appellant…

Removal—§1447(d)’s Appeal Bar Doesn’t Apply If District Court Lacked Authority to Remand under §1447(c)—§1446(b)’s 1-Year Time Limit to Remove Diversity Case Is Procedural & Waivable, Like 30-Day Initial Removal Period

Smith v. Mylan, Inc., 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 14978 (9th Cir. August 4, 2014): A state court action may not be removed to federal court on the basis of diversity jurisdiction more than one year after the action was filed. …

NJ Adopts Broad Common Interest Rule— A Common Purpose Suffices—No Litigation Needed—Counsel May Speak to Another’s Client

O’Boyle v. Borough of Longport, 2014 N.J. LEXIS 787 (N.J. Sup. Ct. July 21, 2014): This appeal allows the Court to address the application of the common interest rule, which extends the confidentiality of attorney-client communications and attorney work product…

Experts: Abuse of Discretion Standard Applies Even If Exclusion Determines Outcome — Not Ipse Dixit If Qualified Expert Applies Reliable Tools — Industry-Promulgated, Result-Oriented Expert Guidelines Rejected — Bias Is for Jury

Adams v. Lab. Corp. of Am., 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 14471 (11th Cir. July 29, 2014): Christina and Christopher Adams ("the Adamses") filed a lawsuit against Laboratory Corporation of America ("LabCorp"), alleging that its cytotechnologists were negligent in failing to …

Requests for Admission (RFAs) — Party Whose Discovery Efforts Lead Adversary to Concede Fact First Denied “Makes the Proof,” Is Entitled to Rule 37(c)(2) Sanctions — Including Fees for 37(c)(2) Fee Application

McCarthy v. Ameritech Publishing, Inc., 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 15519 (6th Cir. Aug. 13, 2014): Kathleen McCarthy filed suit against Ameritech Publishing, Inc. (API) and AT&T, her former employers, to recover damages for [**2] claims related to the August 2008…

Rule 68 Offer of Judgment Exceeding Putative Class Representative’s Individual Claim Does Not Moot Class Action If Offer Is Made after Class Certification Motion Made

Tocco v. Real Time Resolutions, Inc., 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 112492 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 13, 2014): Rule 68 permits a defendant to "serve on an opposing party an offer to allow judgment on specific terms." Fed. R. Civ. P. 68(a). When…

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Fugitive Disentitlement Doctrine Narrowly Applied in Civil Cases — “Necessity” Vital — Indignity, Deterrence Inapt — Prejudice, Delay, Frustration, Unenforceability of Judgment Key — Dodging Prosecution Not Enough

The Risk of Deposing Unretained Experts (They Can Testify Despite Inadequte Disclosures) — Hybrid Witnesses and Rule 26(a)(2)(C)

RICO — Statute of Limitations Accrues When Plaintiff Is Aware of Its Injury, Even If Not the Identity of the Wrongdoer — Must Exercise Diligence to Determine Identity and Commence Suit within 4 Years

Contractual Duty to “Reimburse” Attorneys’ Fees “Incurred” by Victorious Party Doesn’t Require Payment of Fees That New Employer Agreed to Cover for Employee-Defendants — Contract ≠ Rule 37 / Statutes or Rules Generally (Good Quotes)

Inherent Power Sanctions — 2-Pronged Test: Baselessness and Bad Faith — Meritless Motion for Reconsideration Containing Unsupported Attacks on Opponent

Removal—§1447(d)’s Appeal Bar Doesn’t Apply If District Court Lacked Authority to Remand under §1447(c)—§1446(b)’s 1-Year Time Limit to Remove Diversity Case Is Procedural & Waivable, Like 30-Day Initial Removal Period

NJ Adopts Broad Common Interest Rule— A Common Purpose Suffices—No Litigation Needed—Counsel May Speak to Another’s Client

Experts: Abuse of Discretion Standard Applies Even If Exclusion Determines Outcome — Not Ipse Dixit If Qualified Expert Applies Reliable Tools — Industry-Promulgated, Result-Oriented Expert Guidelines Rejected — Bias Is for Jury

Requests for Admission (RFAs) — Party Whose Discovery Efforts Lead Adversary to Concede Fact First Denied “Makes the Proof,” Is Entitled to Rule 37(c)(2) Sanctions — Including Fees for 37(c)(2) Fee Application

Rule 68 Offer of Judgment Exceeding Putative Class Representative’s Individual Claim Does Not Moot Class Action If Offer Is Made after Class Certification Motion Made

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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