Complex Lit Blog

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., Humana Medical Plan, Inc., and PCA Family Health Plans o ...

Judicial Notice of Internet Evidence on 12(b)(6) Motion — Defendant’s Website — Current and Older Versions as Displayed on Wayback Machine Based on Complaint’s Reference to Website

Galanis v. Starbucks Corp., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142380 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 14, 2016): Memorandum Opinion and Order Steven Galanis alleges that Starbucks deceives its customers by misrepresenting the volume of its cold drinks because much of the volume is taken up by ice. Galanis alleges that this ...

Galanis v. Starbucks Corp., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142380 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 14, 2016): Memorandum Opinion and Order Steven Galanis alleges that Starbucks deceives its customers by misrepresenting the volume of its cold drinks because much of the volume is …

No Rule 11/Inherent Power Sanctions Where Law Unsettled, Lower Courts Agreed — No Attorney’s Fees for Pro Se — Mere Misstatement ≠ Bad Faith — Court Always Has Jurisdiction over Bond — Failing to Object ≠ Invited Error

City of Riviera Beach v. That Certain Unnamed Gray, Two-Story Vessel Approximately Fifty-Seven Feet in Length, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 21310 (11th Cir. Nov. 29, 2016): Fane Lozman, proceeding pro se, appeals the district court's judgment and several orders in a case brought in admiralty against his floating home by the City of Rivier ...

Emails between Prospective Partners Not Business Records Where No One Was Responsible for Keeping Them, It Was Unclear Which Were Required or Who Was Custodian — Use of “Indentured Servitude” on Summation OK

Queen v. Schultz, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 23479 (D.C. Cir. Dec. 9, 2016): This appeal was considered on the record from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and briefed and argued by counsel. The Court has accorded the issues full consideration and has determined that they do not warrant a published opinion.

Texts Sent=Admissions, Received=Context — Facebook Posts Authenticated by Nickname, DOB, Residence, Email Addresses, Photos (Which Also Appear on Owner’s Phone), FB Application and Contents — Corroborative vs. Cumulative Evidence

United States v. Lewisbey, 843 F.3d 653 (7th Cir. Dec. 9, 2016): David Lewisbey was a Chicago-based gunrunner who used a fake Indiana I.D. to buy guns at Indiana gun shows and bring them back to Illinois to sell. He came to the attention of law enforcement when he bragged about his gunrunning exploits on Facebook. Fed ...

Docs [Emails] Created by Adversary & Produced=Admissions, Even If Not Business Records — Sham Affidavit Rule: Inconsistency Going to Credibility Not Necly Sham — Summary Judgment: Conclusory Affidavits Ignored; More Leeway Given to SJ Opponent

Daniels v. Tex. Dept. of Transp., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171017 (E.D. Tex. Dec. 10, 2016): MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Pending before the Court are Defendants Texas Department of Transportation's ("TxDOT") and Executive Director James M. Bass's, in his official capacity, ("Bass&quo ...

Daniels v. Tex. Dept. of Transp., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171017 (E.D. Tex. Dec. 10, 2016): MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Pending before the Court are Defendants Texas Department of Transportation's ("TxDOT") and Executive Director James M. Bass's, in his official…

Sanctions: District Court May Not Award Appellate Fees Absent Statutory Authorization, Except for Interlocutory Appeal If Prevailing Party Later Wins Below — Even If District Court Proceedings Frivolous, Appeal May Not Be — $17 Million FCA Award

In re Natural Gas Royalties Qui Tam Litig., 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 142 (10th Cir. Jan. 4, 2017): This is the second appeal in a qui tam case lasting over 20 years and initially involving more than 300 natural gas industry defendants. The number of defendants has shrunk significantly, and the issues on this appeal present narrow ...

Text Message Authentication: Mere Proximity to Phone, Absent Proof of Ownership or Linkage to Content of Texts or Other Circumstantial Evidence Linking Alleged Owner to Messages, Insufficient to Authenticate

Garnett v. Commonwealth, 2016 Va. App. LEXIS 361 (Va. Ct. App. Dec. 20, 2016): * Pursuant to Code § 17.1-413, this opinion is not designated for publication. Terrell Dewayne Garnett appeals an order convicting him of possession with intent to distribute one-half ounce to five pounds of marijuana. ...

Spoliation Doesn’t Prevent Summary Judgment in Spoliator’s Favor If Only Adverse Inference Would Not Save Adversary’s Claims — Appeals: Failure to Order Transcript of Recorded Hearing As Required by FRAP 10(b)(1) Forfeits Claim of Error

Rodriguez v. Forthright, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 22463 (3d Cir. Dec. 19, 2016): * This disposition is not an opinion of the full Court and pursuant to I.O.P. 5.7 does not constitute binding precedent. PER CURIAM Felix A. Rodriguez appeals from the District Court's order entering summary judgment against him and in f ...

Court May Take Judicial Notice of Document Filed in Another Case Not for the Truth of the Matters Asserted But Only to Establish Fact of Filing and What Is Asserted — Judicial Estoppel: Factors

United States v. First Am. Title Ins. Co., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175617 (N.D. Ill. Dec. 20, 2016): II. Judicial Estoppel Patel also argues that the doctrine of judicial estoppel bars the SBA from bringing this action. Judicial estoppel "generally prevents a party from prevailing in one phase of a c ...

United States v. First Am. Title Ins. Co., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175617 (N.D. Ill. Dec. 20, 2016): II. Judicial Estoppel Patel also argues that the doctrine of judicial estoppel bars the SBA from bringing this action. Judicial estoppel "generally …

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

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

Judicial Notice of Internet Evidence on 12(b)(6) Motion — Defendant’s Website — Current and Older Versions as Displayed on Wayback Machine Based on Complaint’s Reference to Website

No Rule 11/Inherent Power Sanctions Where Law Unsettled, Lower Courts Agreed — No Attorney’s Fees for Pro Se — Mere Misstatement ≠ Bad Faith — Court Always Has Jurisdiction over Bond — Failing to Object ≠ Invited Error

Emails between Prospective Partners Not Business Records Where No One Was Responsible for Keeping Them, It Was Unclear Which Were Required or Who Was Custodian — Use of “Indentured Servitude” on Summation OK

Texts Sent=Admissions, Received=Context — Facebook Posts Authenticated by Nickname, DOB, Residence, Email Addresses, Photos (Which Also Appear on Owner’s Phone), FB Application and Contents — Corroborative vs. Cumulative Evidence

Docs [Emails] Created by Adversary & Produced=Admissions, Even If Not Business Records — Sham Affidavit Rule: Inconsistency Going to Credibility Not Necly Sham — Summary Judgment: Conclusory Affidavits Ignored; More Leeway Given to SJ Opponent

Sanctions: District Court May Not Award Appellate Fees Absent Statutory Authorization, Except for Interlocutory Appeal If Prevailing Party Later Wins Below — Even If District Court Proceedings Frivolous, Appeal May Not Be — $17 Million FCA Award

Text Message Authentication: Mere Proximity to Phone, Absent Proof of Ownership or Linkage to Content of Texts or Other Circumstantial Evidence Linking Alleged Owner to Messages, Insufficient to Authenticate

Spoliation Doesn’t Prevent Summary Judgment in Spoliator’s Favor If Only Adverse Inference Would Not Save Adversary’s Claims — Appeals: Failure to Order Transcript of Recorded Hearing As Required by FRAP 10(b)(1) Forfeits Claim of Error

Court May Take Judicial Notice of Document Filed in Another Case Not for the Truth of the Matters Asserted But Only to Establish Fact of Filing and What Is Asserted — Judicial Estoppel: Factors

Recent Posts

Rule 37 Discovery Sanctions: Ninth Circuit’s Five-Factor Test for Gauging Appropriateness of Dismissal — The Limited Utility of Rule 12(f) Motions to Strike

Inherent Power Sanction of Dismissal — Preponderance of the Evidence Burden of Proof, Not Clear and Convincing Evidence (7th Circuit)

§ 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

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