Complex Lit Blog

Practice of Seeking Leave to Amend after The Case Is Dismissed Is Discouraged

Humana Inc. v. Biogen, Inc., 2025 WL 227530 (1st Cir. Jan. 17, 2025): *1 Humana, a major health insurance company and Medicare Part C and Part D sponsor, filed suit in the District of Massachusetts on September 24, 2021 against the drug manufacturer Biogen and a specialty pharmacy, Advanced Care Scripts, Inc. (“ACS”), alleging that each defendant engaged in ...

RICO: Release Executed After Alleged RICO Violations Extinguishes RICO Claim — Eighth Circuit Declines to Address Enforceability of A Release “That Is An Integral Part of An Alleged RICO Scheme Or That Immunizes Future RICO Conduct

SBFO Operator No. 3 v. Onex Corp., 101 F.4th 551 (8th Cir. 2024): This appeal involves a catastrophic series of investments in the Missouri-based discount grocery chain Save-A-Lot and its independent licensee program. The Owner-Operators1 of ten licensed grocery stores and their related company, Anchor Mobile Food Markets, ...

Pleading — “Civil pleadings are supposed to mark the boundaries for discovery; discovery is not supposed to substitute for definite pleading” (Good Quote) — Shotgun Pleadings (11th Circuit): Four Categories/Types

Dvoinik v. Rolff, 2024 WL 2974475 (11th Cir. June 13, 2024): PER CURIAM: *1 Plaintiffs-Appellants Elena Dvoinik and Boris Zavadovsky, pro se, appeal the dismissal of their complaint against Defendants-Appellees Elke Rolff and Dale Webner—without prejudice and without leave to amend—as an impermissible shotgun pleading. Plaintiffs argue that t ...

Rule 37(c)(1) Exclusion of Untimely Expert Report: Failure to Argue Harmlessness Essentially Waives Issue

Randolph v. Best, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 32416 (9th Cir. Dec. 19 2024) (unpublished): Rule 37(c)(1) Exclusion of Untimely Expert Report: Failure to Argue Harmlessness Essentially Waives Issue Randolph v. Best, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 32416 (9th Cir. Dec. 19 2024) (unpublished): MEMORANDUM* < ...

Rule 37(b) Sanctions — Exclusion of Supplemental Expert Report for Advancing New Opinions — Third Circuit Exclusion Factors — “Importance of Excluded Evidence:” If, As Proponent Argues, There Is Nothing New, Then Exclusion Doesn’t Harm Proponent; If There Is, It Harms Opponent

Bearbox LLC v. Lancium LLC, 2025 U.S. App. LEXIS 624 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 13, 2025): Lancium allegedly stole Austin Storms' thunder and patented it. This case centers around a conversation over cocktails and dinner at a Bitcoin mining conference, a foll ...

Bearbox LLC v. Lancium LLC, 2025 U.S. App. LEXIS 624 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 13, 2025): Lancium allegedly stole Austin Storms’ thunder and patented it. This case centers around a conversation over cocktails and dinner at a Bitcoin mining conference,…

RICO Pleading: Generic Allegations of Fraud (Failing Even to Set Forth Any False Representation) And Extortion (Failing to Describe Actual Threats) Too Conclusory to State a Claim

ORDER AND JUDGMENT* Samuel Lopez, proceeding pro se,1 appeals the district court's order dismissing his various claims against Compa Industries, Inc., several of Compa's officers and directors, and Stratify, LLC. Because we agree with the district court that Lope ...

ORDER AND JUDGMENT* Samuel Lopez, proceeding pro se,1 appeals the district court’s order dismissing his various claims against Compa Industries, Inc., several of Compa’s officers and directors, and Stratify, LLC. Because we agree with the district court…

RICO Standing: Antitrust’s Indirect Purchaser Rule Applies in RICO Cases, Barring Claims by Indirect Purchasers Two Or More Steps Removed From The Violator In A Distribution Chain (Here, Truck Purchasers/Lessees Suing Manufacturer), Though Court Considers Bar “Unsupported by Sensible Principles”

Fenner v. GM, LLC, 113 F.4th 585 (6th Cir. 2024):

Fenner v. GM, LLC, 113 F.4th 585 (6th Cir. 2024): MOORE, J., delivered the opinion of the court in which BLOOMEKATZ, J., joined in full. KETHLEDGE, J. , delivered a separate opinion concurring in the judgment in…

RICO Pleading: Statutory Directive That RICO Be Liberally Construed Does Not Extend to More Liberal Pleading Requirements

Sladek v. Bank of Am., NA. A N.C. Corp., 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 23673, 2024 WL 4224029 (10th Cir. Sept. ...

Sladek v. Bank of Am., NA. A N.C. Corp., 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 23673, 2024 WL 4224029 (10th Cir. Sept. 18, 2024) (unpublished): ORDER AND JUDGMENT* *1 Pro se Plaintiff Dennis Sladek appeals from the dismissal of his…

Inherent Power and FRAP 38 Sanctions — Inherent Power Sanctions (Here, A Deterrence Payment of $25,000 to the Court — Goodyear Issue Not Addressed) May Be Imposed in Addition to Statutory Attorney’s Fees under 35 U.S.C. § 285 (Exceptional Patent Case) — § 285 Does Not Preclude A Separate Award of Sanctions Or Fees under Another Authority — Recidivism (25 Prior Lawsuits with Same Perceived Venue Deficiency) A Factor — Fact That Rule 11 Sanctions Were Unavailable Due to Dismissal of Lawsuit Opened the Door to Inherent Power Sanctions Under Chambers — FRAP 38 Sanctions Denied Because Issue Previously Unaddressed in Circuit — A Meritless Appeal Is By No Means Necessarily A Frivolous One (Good Quote)

PS Prods. Inc. v. Panther Trading Co. Inc., 122 F.4th 893 (Fed. Cir. Dec. 6, 2024): PS Product ...

PS Prods. Inc. v. Panther Trading Co. Inc., 122 F.4th 893 (Fed. Cir. Dec. 6, 2024): PS Products, Inc. and Mr. Billy Pennington (collectively, PSP) appeal an order of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of…

FRAP 38 Sanctions Imposed Due to the “Striking Legal Emptiness” of Brief/Appeal, “A Legal Nothingburger” — Bad Faith Not Required: An Appeal “May Also Be Frivolous If It Is Filed Out Of Sheer Obstinacy” (Good Quotes)

Clarke v. Pollan, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 32955 (6th Cir. Dec. 30, 2024) ORDER PER CURIAM. In rejecting Diana Clarke's appeal in this case, we noted how Clarke's counsel, Bruce H. Wilson, repeatedly failed to recognize the relevant legal ...

Clarke v. Pollan, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 32955 (6th Cir. Dec. 30, 2024) ORDER PER CURIAM. In rejecting Diana Clarke’s appeal in this case, we noted how Clarke’s counsel, Bruce H. Wilson, repeatedly failed to recognize the relevant legal standards…

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Practice of Seeking Leave to Amend after The Case Is Dismissed Is Discouraged

RICO: Release Executed After Alleged RICO Violations Extinguishes RICO Claim — Eighth Circuit Declines to Address Enforceability of A Release “That Is An Integral Part of An Alleged RICO Scheme Or That Immunizes Future RICO Conduct

Pleading — “Civil pleadings are supposed to mark the boundaries for discovery; discovery is not supposed to substitute for definite pleading” (Good Quote) — Shotgun Pleadings (11th Circuit): Four Categories/Types

Rule 37(c)(1) Exclusion of Untimely Expert Report: Failure to Argue Harmlessness Essentially Waives Issue

Rule 37(b) Sanctions — Exclusion of Supplemental Expert Report for Advancing New Opinions — Third Circuit Exclusion Factors — “Importance of Excluded Evidence:” If, As Proponent Argues, There Is Nothing New, Then Exclusion Doesn’t Harm Proponent; If There Is, It Harms Opponent

RICO Pleading: Generic Allegations of Fraud (Failing Even to Set Forth Any False Representation) And Extortion (Failing to Describe Actual Threats) Too Conclusory to State a Claim

RICO Pleading: Statutory Directive That RICO Be Liberally Construed Does Not Extend to More Liberal Pleading Requirements

FRAP 38 Sanctions Imposed Due to the “Striking Legal Emptiness” of Brief/Appeal, “A Legal Nothingburger” — Bad Faith Not Required: An Appeal “May Also Be Frivolous If It Is Filed Out Of Sheer Obstinacy” (Good Quotes)

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Practice of Seeking Leave to Amend after The Case Is Dismissed Is Discouraged

RICO: Release Executed After Alleged RICO Violations Extinguishes RICO Claim — Eighth Circuit Declines to Address Enforceability of A Release “That Is An Integral Part of An Alleged RICO Scheme Or That Immunizes Future RICO Conduct

Pleading — “Civil pleadings are supposed to mark the boundaries for discovery; discovery is not supposed to substitute for definite pleading” (Good Quote) — Shotgun Pleadings (11th Circuit): Four Categories/Types

Rule 37(c)(1) Exclusion of Untimely Expert Report: Failure to Argue Harmlessness Essentially Waives Issue

Rule 37(b) Sanctions — Exclusion of Supplemental Expert Report for Advancing New Opinions — Third Circuit Exclusion Factors — “Importance of Excluded Evidence:” If, As Proponent Argues, There Is Nothing New, Then Exclusion Doesn’t Harm Proponent; If There Is, It Harms Opponent

RICO Pleading: Generic Allegations of Fraud (Failing Even to Set Forth Any False Representation) And Extortion (Failing to Describe Actual Threats) Too Conclusory to State a Claim

RICO Pleading: Statutory Directive That RICO Be Liberally Construed Does Not Extend to More Liberal Pleading Requirements

FRAP 38 Sanctions Imposed Due to the “Striking Legal Emptiness” of Brief/Appeal, “A Legal Nothingburger” — Bad Faith Not Required: An Appeal “May Also Be Frivolous If It Is Filed Out Of Sheer Obstinacy” (Good Quotes)

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