Joseph Hage Aaronson

Inherent Power Sanctions — Civil Contempt Imediately Appealable If No Continuing Lit. — Oral Injunction Enforceable (Circuit Split) — Court Can’t Credit Time Served, But May Decrease (Not Incr.) Fed. Sentence & Order Concurrent/Consec. Sentences

In re United States Bureau of Prisons, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 7560 (5th Cir. Mar. 14, 2019): The U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) appeals a contempt sanction related to its calculation of sentencing credits for federal prisoners. We reverse.…

Class Actions — Must Plaintiffs Show an “Administratively Feasible” Method for Determining Class Membership? — Circuit Split — Impermissibility of “Fail-Safe” and “Self-Identifying” Classes

Usry v. Equityexperts, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39651 (S.D. Ga. Mar. 12, 2019): Before the Court are the following motions: (1) Plaintiffs' unopposed motion to amend the complaint (Doc. 82) pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15,…

Rule 11 Order without Final Fees Award Appealable If Parties Stipulate as to Amount — First Amendment No Defense to Sanctions for Suing (1) without Standing (2) Immune Defendants — Substantial Frivolous Claims Not Outweighed by Sound Claims

Collins v. Daniels, 2019 WL 908645 (10th Cir. Feb. 25, 2019): *1 This is a § 1983 case that challenges the constitutionality of New Mexico’s system of bail. Plaintiffs-Appellants Darlene Collins, the Bail Bond Association of New Mexico (“BBANM”), and …

Magistrate Judge Decisions — May or Must a District Judge Consider New Evidence When Reviewing De Novo Findings & Recommendation? — Circuit Split — Standard of Review of Unobjected to Portions

Seehawer v. McMinnville Water & Light, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27372, 2019 WL 826454 (D. Or. Feb. 21,2019): United States Magistrate Judge John V. Acosta issued Findings and Recommendation in this case on December 10, 2018. ECF 52. Magistrate…

R. 37 Sanctions—Dismissal—R. 26(a) Violated by Disclosure of New Evid. for New Legal Theory at End of Discovery — R. 16(f) Violated Where Sched. Order Required Disclosure in Time to Allow Deps. — Court Needn’t Tick Through All Factors

Gomez v. Haystax Tech., Inc., 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 6618 (4th Cir. Mar. 5, 2019): In this appeal, Appellant Ramona Rae Gomez, a former employee of NetCentrics and Haystax Technology (collectively, "Appellees"), asserts that Appellees discriminated against her in…

U.S. Courts Have Power under Bankruptcy Code to Pursue Foreign Subsequent Transfers of Fraudulent Conveyance — Neither Presumption against Extraterritoriality Nor International Comity Preclude This

In re Irving H. Picard, Trustee for the Liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Inv. Secs. LLC, 2019 WL 903978 (2d Cir. Feb. 25, 2019): *1 These eighty-eight consolidated appeals arise from the ongoing fallout of Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. As…

Email Warning Proprietor of Dangerous Condition ≠ Hearsay If Offered for Notice — Fact Noticed Risk Is Somewhat Different Than Risk at Issue OK — Police Officer’s Alleged History of Excessive Force ≠ Rule 406 Habit or Routine Practice

Sherrod v. Williams, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15699 (S.D. Ohio Jan. 31, 2019): This matter is currently before the Court on several motions in limine. Defendants Officer Sean C. Williams, Sergeant David M. Darkow, Chief Dennis Evers and the…

Inherent Power Sanctions Properly Denied Where Losing Party “Vigorously Litigated” But Not in Bad Faith (Good Quote) — Whether to Hold Evidentiary Hearing on Sanctions Motion, under Rule 43(a), Is Reviewed for Abuse of Discretion

In re Johnson (Gonzalez v. Johnson), 2019 WL 126753 (9th Cir. Jan. 8, 2019) (unpublished): MEMORANDUM** *1 Defendants-Appellants appeal the district court’s affirmance of the bankruptcy court’s denial of their motion for attorneys’ fees. We affirm. 1. Defendants-Appellants contend…

Appellate Jurisdiction: Rule 37 Monetary Sanctions Unappealable under Cunningham & Too Linked to Merits (+ Reviewable Later) to Fall within Collateral Order Doctrine

Siser N. Am., Inc. v. World Paper, Inc., 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 33313 (6th Cir. Nov. 27, 2018): Michael Laurence Feinstein, former attorney for Defendants, appeals the district court's interlocutory order, ordering him to pay $76,925.53 in sanctions.…

Statute of Limitations — When a Prior Lawsuit Does, and Does Not, Trigger Inquiry Notice (2d Circuit) — Similarly Situated Plaintiffs in Near Proximity (Co-Tenants) Pressing Essentially the Same Grievance against One of the Same Defendants Is Enough

421-A Tenants Ass’n, Inc. v. 125 Court Street LLC, 2019 WL 317447 (2d Cir. Jan. 23, 2019) (unpublished): *1 Plaintiffs-Appellants 421-A Tenants Association, Inc., Vinetta Scrivo, and Richard Lebed (“the tenants”) appeal from the district court’s decision dismissing their class…

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Inherent Power Sanctions — Civil Contempt Imediately Appealable If No Continuing Lit. — Oral Injunction Enforceable (Circuit Split) — Court Can’t Credit Time Served, But May Decrease (Not Incr.) Fed. Sentence & Order Concurrent/Consec. Sentences

Class Actions — Must Plaintiffs Show an “Administratively Feasible” Method for Determining Class Membership? — Circuit Split — Impermissibility of “Fail-Safe” and “Self-Identifying” Classes

Rule 11 Order without Final Fees Award Appealable If Parties Stipulate as to Amount — First Amendment No Defense to Sanctions for Suing (1) without Standing (2) Immune Defendants — Substantial Frivolous Claims Not Outweighed by Sound Claims

Magistrate Judge Decisions — May or Must a District Judge Consider New Evidence When Reviewing De Novo Findings & Recommendation? — Circuit Split — Standard of Review of Unobjected to Portions

R. 37 Sanctions—Dismissal—R. 26(a) Violated by Disclosure of New Evid. for New Legal Theory at End of Discovery — R. 16(f) Violated Where Sched. Order Required Disclosure in Time to Allow Deps. — Court Needn’t Tick Through All Factors

U.S. Courts Have Power under Bankruptcy Code to Pursue Foreign Subsequent Transfers of Fraudulent Conveyance — Neither Presumption against Extraterritoriality Nor International Comity Preclude This

Email Warning Proprietor of Dangerous Condition ≠ Hearsay If Offered for Notice — Fact Noticed Risk Is Somewhat Different Than Risk at Issue OK — Police Officer’s Alleged History of Excessive Force ≠ Rule 406 Habit or Routine Practice

Inherent Power Sanctions Properly Denied Where Losing Party “Vigorously Litigated” But Not in Bad Faith (Good Quote) — Whether to Hold Evidentiary Hearing on Sanctions Motion, under Rule 43(a), Is Reviewed for Abuse of Discretion

Appellate Jurisdiction: Rule 37 Monetary Sanctions Unappealable under Cunningham & Too Linked to Merits (+ Reviewable Later) to Fall within Collateral Order Doctrine

Statute of Limitations — When a Prior Lawsuit Does, and Does Not, Trigger Inquiry Notice (2d Circuit) — Similarly Situated Plaintiffs in Near Proximity (Co-Tenants) Pressing Essentially the Same Grievance against One of the Same Defendants Is Enough

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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