New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.
Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Complex Lit Blog

Additional Costs to Videotape Deposition Appropriately Taxed Where Objecting Party Ordered Recording and Prevailing Party, as a Result, Paid Some of the Cost

Pacificorp v. Nw. Pipeline GP, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 174593 (D. Or. Dec. 10, 2012): 2. Videography for Deposition PacifiCorp next objects to costs for videography at the depositions of John Roscher and Ed Towes, which it argues was unnecessary. However, these depositions were taken by PacifiCorp and used primarily in PacifiC ...
Pacificorp v. Nw. Pipeline GP, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 174593 (D. Or. Dec. 10, 2012): 2. Videography for Deposition PacifiCorp next objects to costs for videography at the depositions of John Roscher and Ed Towes, which it argues was unnecessary.…
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Expert Opinion on Damages — Good Quotes — Forum State Rule Awarding Attorneys’ Fees to Prevailing Party Applies in Federal Court — Does Such a Forum State Rule Trump Contrary State Law Governing Decision? It Depends

Alaska Rent-a-Car, Inc. v. Avis Budget Group, Inc., 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 4566 (9th Cir. Mar. 9, 2013): Several state law questions arise in this appeal, and [two] federal law questions, whether expert testimony should have been excluded under Daubert *** and whether Alaska "English Rule" attorneys fee awards [Alaska Civil Procedure Rul ...
Alaska Rent-a-Car, Inc. v. Avis Budget Group, Inc., 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 4566 (9th Cir. Mar. 9, 2013): Several state law questions arise in this appeal, and [two] federal law questions, whether expert testimony should have been excluded under Daubert…
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Sanctions: Dismissal to Bar Refiling in State Court of Frivolous Claim Filed in Federal Court Lacking Jurisdiction — Absent Jurisdiction over Complaint, Counterclaim Must State Federal Jurisdiction — Sovereign Citizens’ Movement & Admiralty

El v. AmeriCredit Financial Servs., 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 5579 (7th Cir. Mar. 20, 2013): The plaintiff bought a used pickup truck in 2011 for $28,000 and financed the purchase by means of a six-year installment contract that specified an interest rate of 23.9 percent. The dealer who sold him the truck assigned the contract to AmeriCredit ...
El v. AmeriCredit Financial Servs., 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 5579 (7th Cir. Mar. 20, 2013): The plaintiff bought a used pickup truck in 2011 for $28,000 and financed the purchase by means of a six-year installment contract that specified an…
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Party Cannot Seek Expert Fees for Deposition Time of Expert Who Testifies for Free — Eight Factor Test to Determine Whether Expert Fee Request Is Reasonable — Inherent Power Sanctions for Invoice for Free Expert

Eastcott v. Hasselblad A/S, 892 F. Supp. 2d 587 (S.D.N.Y. 2012) (Rakoff, J.): Contrary to the apparent view of plaintiff and his counsel, a legal forum is not the place to play a shell game. The opportunity for such shenanigans arose when, during the course of this patent infringement lawsuit, plaintiff John Eastcot ...
Eastcott v. Hasselblad A/S, 892 F. Supp. 2d 587 (S.D.N.Y. 2012) (Rakoff, J.): Contrary to the apparent view of plaintiff and his counsel, a legal forum is not the place to play a shell game. The opportunity for such shenanigans…
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SLUSA Displaces Class Actions Alleging Breach of Variable Universal Life Insurance Contracts Where Fraud Is Alleged But Not Does Not Displace Pure Breach of Contract Claims

Freeman Investments, LP v. Pacific Life Ins. Co., 704 F.3d 1110 (9th Cir. 2012): The Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act of 1998 (SLUSA) precludes state law class actions that allege misrepresentation or fraudulent omission in connection with the purchase or sale of covered securities. In this case we answer the question on ...
Freeman Investments, LP v. Pacific Life Ins. Co., 704 F.3d 1110 (9th Cir. 2012): The Securities Litigation Uniform Standards Act of 1998 (SLUSA) precludes state law class actions that allege misrepresentation or fraudulent omission in connection with the purchase or…
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Spoliation — “The Sanction Should Have Some Correlation to the Degree of Fault” — Dismissal Excessive Absent Grave Prejudice (Adverse Inference OK) — Business Records Exception Inapt If Record Made in Anticipation of Litigation

Byrd v. Alpha Alliance Ins. Corp., 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 6398 (6th Cir. Mar. 26, 2013): Plaintiff Sam Byrd appeals the district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendant Alpha Alliance Insurance Corporation ("Alpha Alliance") and dismissal of Byrd's fire-loss claim based on spoliation of evidence. While finding support for ...
Byrd v. Alpha Alliance Ins. Corp., 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 6398 (6th Cir. Mar. 26, 2013): Plaintiff Sam Byrd appeals the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendant Alpha Alliance Insurance Corporation (“Alpha Alliance”) and dismissal of…
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Authentication of Facebook Messages through Circumstantial Evidence

United States v. Grant, 2011 CCA LEXIS 217 (Ct. Crim. Mil. App. Oct. 17, 2011): A special court-martial composed of officer members convicted the appellant in accordance with his pleas of one specification of dereliction of duty by providing alcohol to an underage female and two specifications of a violation of a lawful general order, b ...
United States v. Grant, 2011 CCA LEXIS 217 (Ct. Crim. Mil. App. Oct. 17, 2011): A special court-martial composed of officer members convicted the appellant in accordance with his pleas of one specification of dereliction of duty by providing alcohol…
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District Courts Are Bound by the Law of Their Circuits “No Matter How Egregiously in Error They May Feel Their Own Circuit to Be” (Good Quote)

Jackson v. Evans, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28893 (C.D. Cal. Mar. 1, 2013): Footnote 1. See Bell v. Hill, 190 F.3d 1089, 1093 (9th Cir. 1999) (district courts must follow controlling circuit court precedent); Hasbrouck v. Texaco, Inc., 663 F.2d 950 (9th Cir. 1961) (district courts are bound by the law of their own circuit. "They are no ...
Jackson v. Evans, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28893 (C.D. Cal. Mar. 1, 2013): Footnote 1. See Bell v. Hill, 190 F.3d 1089, 1093 (9th Cir. 1999) (district courts must follow controlling circuit court precedent); Hasbrouck v. Texaco, Inc., 663 F.2d…
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Obtaining Immediate Review of Discovery Order by Dismissing Case with Prejudice — Motions for Reconsideration: Proper Use (Good Quote), Standard of Review, “New Evidence”

Reisinger v. City of Wilkes-Barre, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 6301 (3 Cir. Mar. 29, 2013): The District Court had jurisdiction to hear the case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1343. We have jurisdiction to hear this appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291. Footnote 3. Ordinarily, a District Court's discovery-relate ...
Reisinger v. City of Wilkes-Barre, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 6301 (3 Cir. Mar. 29, 2013): The District Court had jurisdiction to hear the case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1343. We have jurisdiction to hear this appeal pursuant…
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Waiver of Attorney-Client Privilege by Inadequate Privilege Log — Sale and Transfer of Assets, Including Privileged Material, Waives Privilege and Work Product — Court Enters 502(d) Order Confining Waiver to Instant Case

Solis v. Bruister, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29108 (January 22, 2013): Plaintiff's Motion to Compel seeks an order compelling the production of documents subpoenaed by Plaintiff from DirecTV, the purchaser of Southeastern Ventures, Inc. f/k/a Bruister & Associates, Inc. These documents were stored on Defendant Amy Smith's Bruister & Associa ...
Solis v. Bruister, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29108 (January 22, 2013): Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel seeks an order compelling the production of documents subpoenaed by Plaintiff from DirecTV, the purchaser of Southeastern Ventures, Inc. f/k/a Bruister & Associates, Inc. These…
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Recent Posts

Supreme Court: (1) Fraudulent Inducement Theory of Mail Fraud: Statute Violated If Victim Is Tricked into Parting with Money Or Property, Even If Victim Suffers No Pecuniary Loss — (2) “A Fraud Is Complete When The Defendant Has Induced The Deprivation Of Money Or Property Under Materially False Pretenses” — (3) The Old Soil Principle of Statutory Construction Applies Only to the Extent That a Common-Law Term Has Accumulated a Settled Meaning — (4) Rescission for Fraud Does Not Require Economic Loss; Sufficient If Property of A Different Character Or Condition Provided — i.e, If Victim Tricked into A Bargain Materially Different from The One Promised — (5) “At The Right Level Of Specificity, Anything Can Be Described As ‘Unique’ Or ‘Different From’ Something Else” (Good Quote) — (6) “Materiality Look[s] To The Effect On The Likely Or Actual Behavior Of The Recipient Of The Alleged Misrepresentation” (Good Quote)

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 Pattern: No Closed-Ended Continuity If Racketeering Activity Lasted Less Than One Year (11th Circuit) — Conspiracy Allegations Governed by Rule 8(a), Not 9(b) — Two Paths to Establishing A RICO Conspiracy: Agreement to Objective Or to Commit 2 Predicate Acts — Plaintiff Need Not Show Reliance When The Predicate Acts Are Wire Fraud — In Dicta, 11th Circuit Intimates That Even If The Primary RICO Violation Allegations Fail, The RICO Conspiracy Allegations Might Survive, But Is Probably Talking About A Conspiracy to Commit The Predicate Acts

United States Trinity Energy Servs., L.L.C. v. Se. Directional Drilling, L.L.C., 2025 U.S. App. LEXIS 10178 (5th Cir. Apr. 28, 2025): FRAP 38 Separate Motion Requirement FRAP 38 Sanctions Properly Denied for Want of Separate Motion — Request in Brief Insufficient — “Manifest Disregard” Is Not A Freestanding Ground for Vacatur of Arbitration Award in Fifth Circuit (Or First, Eighth Or Eleventh)

§ 1927 Sanctions Apt for Failing to Withdraw Claim Until Summary Judgment Hearing, Requiring Opponent and Court to Prepare for An Abandoned Argument — Bad Faith Established by False and Misleading Statements to Court — Raising New Argument for First Time in Reply Brief Does Not Warrant § 1927 Sanctions

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

Supreme Court: (1) Rule 11 Sanctions Available Where Affirmative Defense “Obviously Applies” and Plaintiff/Plaintiff’s Counsel “Lack A Good Faith Basis to Believe Otherwise” — (2) If Affirmative Defense Pled, Court May Require Plaintiff to File a Reply to the Answer Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 7(a) Setting forth “Specific, Nonconclusory Factual Allegations” Showing That The Affirmative Defense Does Not Apply — (3) The Title of a Statute And The Heading of a Section May Properly Be Used to Interpret the Text

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

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New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.
New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.

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