Complex Lit Blog

Prejudgment Interest Can’t Be Denied on the Ground That the Verdict Is Generous Enough — That Gives Windfall to Defendant: An Interest-Free Loan — Difficulty in Calculating Is Not A Basis to Deny

Leonard v. Stemtech Int’l Inc., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 15565 (3d Cir. Aug. 24, 2016): Andrew Leonard, a stem cell photographer, and Stemtech International, Inc., a company that sells nutritional supplements through independent distributors, cross appeal various rulings in the copyright infringement lawsuit Leonard brought against Stem ...

Voicemail Authentication: Self-Identification + Request to Return Call to Home Number of Self-Identifier + Contents of Message = Sufficient Circumstantial Authentication

Goodrich v. Director, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111633 (E.D. Tex. July 21, 2016): Petitioner Joseph Glenn Goodrich, an inmate confined within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Correctional Institutions Division, proceeding pro se, filed this petition for writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254. The abov ...

Evidence: How Does Rule 403 Apply to Propensity Evidence Allowed by Rules 413 and 414? — Circuit Split

Pilati v. United States, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 99541 (N.D. Ala. Mar. 23, 2016): A court cannot admit evidence of a person's character or traits in order to "prove that on a particular occasion the person acted in accordance with the character or trait." Fed. R. Evid. 404(a)(1), (b)(1). However, Rule ...

Class Actions — Claims-Made Settlement: Is Benefit to Class the Amount Claimed or Amount Available to Be Claimed? — Circuit Split — Consumer Settlement with Clear Sailing & Kicker Clauses, and Fees Exceeding Amount Claimed, Upheld

Gascho v. Global Fitness Holdings, LLC, 822 F.3d 269 (6th Cir. 2016) (2-1 decision): **1 This case involves challenges to the settlement of a consumer class action. Amber Gascho and other Plaintiffs (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) sued Global Fitness Holdings, LLC alleging that between 2006 and 2012 Global sold gym m ...

RICO Complaint Must Allege Crimes — Civil RICO Conspiracy Can’t Be Based on Negligence — Res Judicata Bars RICO Claim Based on Same Nucleus as Prior Non-RICO Case — Federal Res Judicata Law Applies in Fed. Question Cases (State Law If Diversity)

Snow Ingredients, Inc. v. Snowizard, Inc., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14977 (5th Cir. Aug. 15, 2016): As the seasons turn from spring to summer in New Orleans, locals know to expect familiar changes. The days get longer. The temperature rises. And in the humid warmth of summer, long lines grow outside the most popular sno-ball shops. The pa ...

Judicial Notice — Federal Court May Take Judicial Notice of Papers Filed in State Court

Wilson v. Cnty. of Contra Costa, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 108246 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 14, 2015): As to the Due Process Claims, Defendants challenge these claims on the merits but also ask the Court, as an alternative to dismissal of these claims, to stay proceedings under the Colorado River doctrine pending the resolution of ...

Wilson v. Cnty. of Contra Costa, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 108246 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 14, 2015): As to the Due Process Claims, Defendants challenge these claims on the merits but also ask the Court, as an alternative to dismissal of …

Appealability — Denial of Summary Judgment Is Generally Interlocutory, Subsumed by Verdict, Unappealable — But a “Controversial Exception” Exists for “Purely Legal Issues” (Circuit Split)

Empress Casino Joliet Corp. v. Balmoral Racing Club, Inc., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14057 (7th Cir. Aug. 2, 2016): A. Facilitating a RICO Enterprise The racetracks did not properly preserve for appeal their argument that the evidence did not support a finding that the racetracks agreed to facilitate the Blagojevich rackete ...

Rule 11 Sanctions Inapt Where Losing Claims “Not So Obviously Foreclosed by Precedent” As to Doom Them — Courts Should Be Cautious to Avoid Chilling Enthusiasm & Creativity of Counsel — Acts Before Administrative Agency Sanctionable Only by Agency

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 whom the United States Trustee appointed to represent the bankruptcy estate. The debtor's numerou ...

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 of the United States District Court for the Southern Distric ...

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…

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Prejudgment Interest Can’t Be Denied on the Ground That the Verdict Is Generous Enough — That Gives Windfall to Defendant: An Interest-Free Loan — Difficulty in Calculating Is Not A Basis to Deny

Voicemail Authentication: Self-Identification + Request to Return Call to Home Number of Self-Identifier + Contents of Message = Sufficient Circumstantial Authentication

Evidence: How Does Rule 403 Apply to Propensity Evidence Allowed by Rules 413 and 414? — Circuit Split

Class Actions — Claims-Made Settlement: Is Benefit to Class the Amount Claimed or Amount Available to Be Claimed? — Circuit Split — Consumer Settlement with Clear Sailing & Kicker Clauses, and Fees Exceeding Amount Claimed, Upheld

RICO Complaint Must Allege Crimes — Civil RICO Conspiracy Can’t Be Based on Negligence — Res Judicata Bars RICO Claim Based on Same Nucleus as Prior Non-RICO Case — Federal Res Judicata Law Applies in Fed. Question Cases (State Law If Diversity)

Judicial Notice — Federal Court May Take Judicial Notice of Papers Filed in State Court

Appealability — Denial of Summary Judgment Is Generally Interlocutory, Subsumed by Verdict, Unappealable — But a “Controversial Exception” Exists for “Purely Legal Issues” (Circuit Split)

Rule 11 Sanctions Inapt Where Losing Claims “Not So Obviously Foreclosed by Precedent” As to Doom Them — Courts Should Be Cautious to Avoid Chilling Enthusiasm & Creativity of Counsel — Acts Before Administrative Agency Sanctionable Only by Agency

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

Recent Posts

RICO: Indirect Purchasers (Car Buyers/Renters) Lack Standing to Sue Manufacturers for RICO Violations Even Though Intermediaries (Auto Dealer Direct Purchasers) Lack Any Damages

RICO: Statutory Requirement that RICO Be Liberally Construed Does Not Establish a More Liberal Pleading Standard for RICO Claims — “To Be Sure, Adequately Pleading a RICO Claim Can Be Challenging” (Good Quote) — Court May Dismiss Action Pursuant to Rule 41(b) Absent A Motion

For An Appeal to Be Timely, A Motion for Reconsideration in The District Court (A Rule 59(e) Motion) Must Be Filed, And Not Just Served within 30 Days of The Decision, to Toll The 30-Day Period for Filing An Appeal

There Is No Good-Faith Defense For Issuing An Overly Burdensome Subpoena

Purposes of Rule 37 and Section 1927 Sanctions

While Rule 11 Doesn’t Apply to Appellate Proceedings (Unless It Has Been Incorporated in Local Appellate Rules), Rule 11 Caselaw Is Looked to for Guidance in Interpreting Applicable Sanctions Powers on Appeal

Rule 11 Sanctions & Appellate Review: Abuse of Discretion Standard Applies Unless Sanctions Are Based Solely (Not Just in Part) on Legal Issues, in Which Case Review Is De Novo

Archives

New York Office