Complex Lit Blog

Even If Rule 11 Violated, Court Has Discretion to Deny Sanctions — § 1927 Requires “Conduct Constituting or Akin to Bad Faith” — Once Claim Is Adjudicated, Res Judicata Bars More Litigation under Different Theory or Seeking New Remedy

WD Music Prods., Inc. v. Muller, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 25990 (2d Cir. Dec. 20, 2012): We affirm the dismissal of WD Music's complaint for substantially the same reasons stated by the district court. In sum, WD Music's second state-court action was brought to a final conclusion by the New York State Supreme Court's dismissal on res judica ...

WD Music Prods., Inc. v. Muller, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 25990 (2d Cir. Dec. 20, 2012): We affirm the dismissal of WD Music’s complaint for substantially the same reasons stated by the district court. In sum, WD Music’s second state-court…

RICO: Freeze-Out Merger Does Not Constitute Fraud in the Sale of Securities within PSLRA Bar — Shareholder Cannot Show Proximate Cause If Injury Is Derivative of Harm to Corporation

Amos v. Franklin Fin’l Servs. Corp., 2011 WL 5903875 (M.D. Pa. November 22, 2011), aff’d, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 868 (3d Cir. Jan. 11, 2013) (the following is from the Court of Appeals’ affirmance): Matthew P. Amos and twenty four other plaintiffs have appealed the district court's order dismissing their first amended complaint for ...

Sanctions — Distinctive Rationales and Intertwined Applicability of Rule 11 and 35 U.S.C. § 285 in Patent Cases

Raylon, LLC. v. Complus Data Innovations, Inc., 700 F.3d 1361 (Fed. Cir. 2012) (Reyna, J., concurring): II. Distinct Rule 11 and § 285 Inquiries Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and 35 U.S.C. § 285 of the Patent Act offer courts distinct, yet overlapping, rationales for awarding an injured party relief. ...

“Purely Factual Material” in Work Product Document Not Subject to Production — Waiver of Privilege vs. Waiver of Work Product — Fed.R.Evid. 502 “Abolished the Dreaded Subject Matter Waiver”

Appleton Papers, Inc. v. EPA, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 26346 (7th Cir. Oct. 26, 2012): After the government alleged Appleton Papers Inc. ("API") and seven other companies caused $1 billion in contamination in the Fox River near Green Bay, Wisconsin, the government hired a consultant that prepared reports on the companies' responsibility fo ...

Appleton Papers, Inc. v. EPA, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 26346 (7th Cir. Oct. 26, 2012): After the government alleged Appleton Papers Inc. (“API”) and seven other companies caused $1 billion in contamination in the Fox River near Green Bay, Wisconsin,…

Inherent Power Sanctions: Bad Faith Required in 5th Circuit — Raising Patently Frivolous Legal Argument and Threatening Further Meritless Litigation = Bad Faith — Pro Se Litigant — Vexatious Litigant Injunction Must Be Tailored

Terra Partners v. Rabo Agrifinance, Inc., 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 26291 (5th Cir. Dec. 21, 2012): On September 20, 2012, Steve Veigel sought to file a pro se amicus brief in support of Terra Partners. Steve Veigel has an obvious interest in this case. He is an authorized managing agent for Terra Partners, is a corporate officer for all fo ...

Spoliation Claim Mooted by Court’s Assuming Truth of Party’s Factual Position

Lawler v. Montblanc N. Am., LLC, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 761 (9th Cir. Jan. 11, 2013): Finally, Lawler argues that the district court abused its discretion by declining to draw a negative inference of discrimination against Defendants because they "willfully" destroyed the August 5, 2009 security tape capturing the exchange between Schmitz ...

Transmittal of Letter Drafted by Counsel Does Not Waive Privilege as to Investigation and Communications Leading up to Letter — Lawyer’s Testimony as to Process Insufficient

Le v. City of Wilmington, 480 Fed. Appx. 678 (3d Cir. 2012): c) Attorney-client privilege Finally, Le asserts that the District Court erred in refusing to compel testimony from a former lawyer working in Wilmington's legal department, Mr. Mili. During a pre-trial deposition, Le asked Mili specific questions about hi ...

Voluntary Dismissal — with or without Prejudice — Renders Order Compelling Arbitration Appealable; Stay of Action Does Not

In re Pharmacy Benefit Managers Antitrust Litig,, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 23432 (3d Cir. Nov. 15, 2012): AdvancePCS questions our jurisdiction to hear this appeal. Under the FAA, a party may generally not appeal from an interlocutory order "compelling arbitration" or "granting a stay" pending arbitration. 9 U.S.C. § 16(b ...

Spoliation Sanctions Inapt against Individual Where Plaintiff Put Only Entity on Notice of Possible Claim, without Notifying Individual of Prospective Claim against Him Personally — 10th Circuit Requires Bad Faith for Adverse Inference Instruction

Smith v. Nichols, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 16 (10th Cir. Jan. 2, 2013): Plaintiff-Appellant Tommie Smith, an inmate in the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections ("CDOC"), appeals a jury verdict denying his claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Defendant-Appellee Sergeant Virgil Nichols, a CDOC correctional officer. 1 The jury co ...

Smith v. Nichols, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 16 (10th Cir. Jan. 2, 2013): Plaintiff-Appellant Tommie Smith, an inmate in the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections (“CDOC”), appeals a jury verdict denying his claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983…

Sanctions: Counsel Still Caused “Excess” Fees within § 1927 Despite 42 U.S.C. § 1988 Award against Client for Same Fees — Default in Responding to Motion Suffices as a Substitute for Required Finding of Bad Faith (1 Judge Dissenting)

Young Apartments, Inc. v. Town of Jupiter, 2013 U.S. App. LEXIS 383 (11th Cir. Jan. 7, 2013): Appellants William Tedards and Michael Weeks, two attorneys who represented their client, Plaintiff Young Apartments, in this civil lawsuit, appeal the district court's imposition of sanctions on them in the form of attorneys' fees under 28 U.S ...

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Even If Rule 11 Violated, Court Has Discretion to Deny Sanctions — § 1927 Requires “Conduct Constituting or Akin to Bad Faith” — Once Claim Is Adjudicated, Res Judicata Bars More Litigation under Different Theory or Seeking New Remedy

RICO: Freeze-Out Merger Does Not Constitute Fraud in the Sale of Securities within PSLRA Bar — Shareholder Cannot Show Proximate Cause If Injury Is Derivative of Harm to Corporation

Sanctions — Distinctive Rationales and Intertwined Applicability of Rule 11 and 35 U.S.C. § 285 in Patent Cases

“Purely Factual Material” in Work Product Document Not Subject to Production — Waiver of Privilege vs. Waiver of Work Product — Fed.R.Evid. 502 “Abolished the Dreaded Subject Matter Waiver”

Inherent Power Sanctions: Bad Faith Required in 5th Circuit — Raising Patently Frivolous Legal Argument and Threatening Further Meritless Litigation = Bad Faith — Pro Se Litigant — Vexatious Litigant Injunction Must Be Tailored

Spoliation Claim Mooted by Court’s Assuming Truth of Party’s Factual Position

Transmittal of Letter Drafted by Counsel Does Not Waive Privilege as to Investigation and Communications Leading up to Letter — Lawyer’s Testimony as to Process Insufficient

Voluntary Dismissal — with or without Prejudice — Renders Order Compelling Arbitration Appealable; Stay of Action Does Not

Spoliation Sanctions Inapt against Individual Where Plaintiff Put Only Entity on Notice of Possible Claim, without Notifying Individual of Prospective Claim against Him Personally — 10th Circuit Requires Bad Faith for Adverse Inference Instruction

Sanctions: Counsel Still Caused “Excess” Fees within § 1927 Despite 42 U.S.C. § 1988 Award against Client for Same Fees — Default in Responding to Motion Suffices as a Substitute for Required Finding of Bad Faith (1 Judge Dissenting)

Recent Posts

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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