Complex Lit Blog

Rule 37(b) Sanctions Not Imposable in Absence of Court Order That Was Violated

Williams v. Alabama Dept. of Corrections, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 9070 (11th Cir. May 18, 2016): Orlando Williams, proceeding pro se, appeals the district court's grant of summary judgment and judgment as a matter of law in favor of the defendants in his employment discrimination and retaliation suit. In his second a ...

Williams v. Alabama Dept. of Corrections, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 9070 (11th Cir. May 18, 2016): Orlando Williams, proceeding pro se, appeals the district court's grant of summary judgment and judgment as a matter of law in favor of the …

RICO: § 1964(c), Like Most Statutes, Doesn’t Create Private Contractual Right against Government (It’s Not an “Offer” a Plaintiff Can “Accept” by Filing Suit, Such That Dismissal = Breach) — Dismissal of RICO Claim ≠ Taking

Julian v. United States, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14233 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 4, 2016): Plaintiffs Christopher B. Julian and Renee G. Julian filed suit in the United States Court of Federal Claims alleging that the government breached an implied contract and/or violated the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause when the United States Dis ...

Julian v. United States, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 14233 (Fed. Cir. Aug. 4, 2016): Plaintiffs Christopher B. Julian and Renee G. Julian filed suit in the United States Court of Federal Claims alleging that the government breached an implied contract …

Emails Produced by Entity and Bearing Its Bates Numbers Are Authentic When Offered by Opponent — Emails That Could Be Rendered Admissible at Trial OK on Summary Judgment Per Rule 56(c)(2) — Emails as Admissions of Party Opponent, Business Records

Musket Corp. v. Suncor Energy (USA) Mktg., Inc., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157664 (S.D. Tex. Nov. 15, 2016): Pending before the court are (1) plaintiff Musket Corporation's ("Musket") objections to and motion to strike defendant Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Marketing, Inc.'s ("Suncor") summary judgment evidence (Dkt. ...

Is Prudential Standing Jurisdictional and Immune from Waiver? — Circuit Split — Can Prudential Standing Be Divorced from Constitutional Standing & Assessed As a Non-Jurisdictional Issue Under Rule 12(b)(6)? (Raised but Undecided)

Martinez v. Bank of Am., N.A., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 20219 (3d Cir. Nov. 9, 2016): Appellant Gelver Martinez appeals from orders of the District Court dismissing his complaint and denying his motion for reconsideration. We will affirm. I. This case concerns [*2] a mortgage on real property in Passaic, N ...

Inherent Power — Bankruptcy Court Has Inherent Power to Sanction Litigation Abuse & Broad Equitable Powers under § 105 But Cannot Deny a Statutory Exemption Based on Debtor’s Bad Faith Conduct

Clabaugh v. Grant (In re Grant), 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 17139 (10th Cir. Sept. 20, 2016): * After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined unanimously to honor the parties' request for a decision on the briefs without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(f); 10th C ...

Grable Jurisdiction: Reliance on FAA Regs in Negligent Aircrash Case Insufficient — Removal: Only Complete Preemption Is a Ground for Removal, Not Ordinary Preemption — 3 Types of Ordinary Preemption

Bagley v. Teirstein, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138601 (S.D. Cal. Oct. 5, 2016): The matter before the Court is t ...

Bagley v. Teirstein, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138601 (S.D. Cal. Oct. 5, 2016): The matter before the Court is the motion to remand (ECF No. 18) filed by Plaintiff James Bagley. I. Background On September 15, 2015, Plaintiff James Bagley …

Voicemail Authentication — Recipient Recorded VMs on Cassette Tape Recorder & Testifies They Were Not Altered Before Recording Made & Content Is Same As He Heard When Listening to VMs Originally — Multipart 3d Cir. Authentication Test (Criminal Cases)

United States v. Credico, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157640 (E.D. Pa. Nov. 14, 2016): Defendant Justin Michael Credico is charged with making threats to law enforcement officers and their families in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 115(a)(1)(A) and (B). On October 26, 2016, at Defendant's request, the Court reopened a hearing pursuant to < ...

Arbitration — Excess Insurer/Reinsurer with Follow-Form Policy May Not Participate in Arbitration under Primary Policy (No Agreement to Arbitrate with It) — Whether Arbitration Clause Is Valid or Applicable Is Question for Court, Nor Arbitrators

State of Wis. Local Govt. Prop. Ins. Fund v. Lexington Ins. Co., 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 18980 (7th Cir. Oct. 21, 2016): This dispute arises from the 2013 fire at the Milwaukee County Courthouse (the "Courthouse"). Milwaukee County (the "County") maintained its primary insurance policy covering the Courthouse with the ...

New York State Spoliation Law — Adverse Inference OK for Negligence — Lack of Lit. Hold ≠ Gross Negligence Per Se — Ct. App. Not Bound by App. Div.’s Characterization in Certification Order

Pegasus Aviation I, Inc., v. Varg Logistica S.A., 26 N.Y.3d 543, 46 N.E.3d 601, 26 N.Y.S.3d 218 (2015): A party that seeks sanctions for spoliation of evidence must show that the party having control over the evidence possessed an obligation to preserve it at the time of its destruction, that the evidence was destroyed with a ...

Pegasus Aviation I, Inc., v. Varg Logistica S.A., 26 N.Y.3d 543, 46 N.E.3d 601, 26 N.Y.S.3d 218 (2015): A party that seeks sanctions for spoliation of evidence must show that the party having control over the evidence possessed an obligation …

Experts — 26(e) ≠ Extension of Deadline to “Deliver Lion’s Share of Expert Info” or Right to Submit “New Rather Than Supplementary” Opinions — 4 Factors to Judge Whether Exclusion OK — Continuance Usually Preferable — Good Quotes

Matter of the Complaint of C.F. Bean LLC (C.F. Bean LLC v. Suzuki Motor Corp.), 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 19997 (5th Cir. Nov. 4, 2016): This appeal involves a third-party complaint alleging maritime products liability. In 2012, Mark Barhanovich was killed in coastal waters south of Biloxi, Mississippi, when the Suzuki outboard engine on h ...

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Rule 37(b) Sanctions Not Imposable in Absence of Court Order That Was Violated

RICO: § 1964(c), Like Most Statutes, Doesn’t Create Private Contractual Right against Government (It’s Not an “Offer” a Plaintiff Can “Accept” by Filing Suit, Such That Dismissal = Breach) — Dismissal of RICO Claim ≠ Taking

Emails Produced by Entity and Bearing Its Bates Numbers Are Authentic When Offered by Opponent — Emails That Could Be Rendered Admissible at Trial OK on Summary Judgment Per Rule 56(c)(2) — Emails as Admissions of Party Opponent, Business Records

Is Prudential Standing Jurisdictional and Immune from Waiver? — Circuit Split — Can Prudential Standing Be Divorced from Constitutional Standing & Assessed As a Non-Jurisdictional Issue Under Rule 12(b)(6)? (Raised but Undecided)

Inherent Power — Bankruptcy Court Has Inherent Power to Sanction Litigation Abuse & Broad Equitable Powers under § 105 But Cannot Deny a Statutory Exemption Based on Debtor’s Bad Faith Conduct

Grable Jurisdiction: Reliance on FAA Regs in Negligent Aircrash Case Insufficient — Removal: Only Complete Preemption Is a Ground for Removal, Not Ordinary Preemption — 3 Types of Ordinary Preemption

Voicemail Authentication — Recipient Recorded VMs on Cassette Tape Recorder & Testifies They Were Not Altered Before Recording Made & Content Is Same As He Heard When Listening to VMs Originally — Multipart 3d Cir. Authentication Test (Criminal Cases)

Arbitration — Excess Insurer/Reinsurer with Follow-Form Policy May Not Participate in Arbitration under Primary Policy (No Agreement to Arbitrate with It) — Whether Arbitration Clause Is Valid or Applicable Is Question for Court, Nor Arbitrators

New York State Spoliation Law — Adverse Inference OK for Negligence — Lack of Lit. Hold ≠ Gross Negligence Per Se — Ct. App. Not Bound by App. Div.’s Characterization in Certification Order

Experts — 26(e) ≠ Extension of Deadline to “Deliver Lion’s Share of Expert Info” or Right to Submit “New Rather Than Supplementary” Opinions — 4 Factors to Judge Whether Exclusion OK — Continuance Usually Preferable — Good Quotes

Recent Posts

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)

RICO: Mail and Wire Fraud: Act of Emailing Transcript of Court Proceedings Containing Allegedly False Statements Made in Court ≠ Wire Fraud — Mailing (Serving on Opposing Party) Declarations Allegedly Containing False Statements ≠ Mail Fraud

FRAP 38 Sanctions — Sixth Circuit Usually Declines to Impose FRAP 38 Sanctions Unless An Improper Purpose Was Behind the Appeal

FRAP 38: Permissible for Appeals Court to Affirm Sanctions But Deny FRAP 38 Sanctions for Appeal — A Defendant’s Voluntary Cessation of Complained of Behavior Does Not Moot a Case Unless It Is Clear That The Behavior Could Not Reasonably Be Expected to Recur

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