Complex Lit Blog

Rule 11 Sanctions: (1) Improper Purpose of Harassment Reasonably Determined Based on Past Tactics (25 Lawsuits, 14 Ethics Complaints, and 150 FOIA Requests) As Well As Present Behavior — (2) Hearings Are Not Only Not Required to Satisfy Due Process But, If The Record Is Otherwise Adequate, Are Affirmatively Discouraged

Eberhardt v. Walsh, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 30685 (7th Cir. Dec. 5, 2024): In this appeal, Attorn ...

Eberhardt v. Walsh, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 30685 (7th Cir. Dec. 5, 2024): In this appeal, Attorney Stephen Eberhardt challenges the district court’s decision to sanction him under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and its denial…

RICO and Probate Exception to Federal Jurisdiction: Federal Jurisdiction over RICO Claim Not Barred by Probate Exception Even If the Federal Judgment May Be Binding on the Probate Proceedings (Or Vice Versa) — Calculating Damages Based on Diminution of Value of Estate ≠ Administration of the Estate — Doesn’t Matter If RICO Misconduct Includes Defendants’ Actions with Respect to The Estate

Glassie v. Doucette, 55 F.4th 58 (1st Cir. 2022): *62 This case arises out of a prolonged and acrimonious family dispute over the property of the late hotelier Donelson Glassie, whose estate remains in probate in Rhode Island eleven years after his death. The question here is whether plaintiff has managed to drag the federal courts into the fray. For the ...

Glassie v. Doucette, 55 F.4th 58 (1st Cir. 2022): *62 This case arises out of a prolonged and acrimonious family dispute over the property of the late hotelier Donelson Glassie, whose estate remains in probate in Rhode Island eleven years …

RICO: No Causation Where Harm Flowed Several Steps After the Fraudulent Acts — RICO Causation Same As Antitrust Causation

Laydon v. Cooperative Rabobank U.A, 55 F.4th 86 (2d Cir. 2022): Plaintiff Jeffrey Laydon brought this putative class action against more than twenty banks and brokers, alleging a conspiracy to manipulate two benchmark rates known as Yen-LIBOR and Euroyen TIBOR. He claimed that he was injured after purchasing and trading a Euroyen TIBOR futures contract o ...

Laydon v. Cooperative Rabobank U.A, 55 F.4th 86 (2d Cir. 2022): Plaintiff Jeffrey Laydon brought this putative class action against more than twenty banks and brokers, alleging a conspiracy to manipulate two benchmark rates known as Yen-LIBOR and Euroyen TIBOR.…

Sanctions vs. Automatic Stay: Imposition of Sanctions (Here, Inherent Power Sanctions) Is Subject to the Police Power Exception to the Automatic Stay in Bankruptcy

Dial HD, Inc. v. Clearone Commc'ns, Inc., 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 30172 (11th Cir. Nov. 27, 2024) (unpub ...

Dial HD, Inc. v. Clearone Commc’ns, Inc., 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 30172 (11th Cir. Nov. 27, 2024) (unpublished): PER CURIAM: *1 Donald Bowers, the chief executive officer (“CEO”) of Dial HD, Inc., appeals the district court’s denial of his motion…

The Word “Include” May Be A Word of Limitation As Opposed to a Word of Enlargement, Depending on the Context

Surowitz v. Pontiac, 374 Mich. 597, 606 (1965): The word "include" has been used many times in the past both as a term of enlargement and of limitation, and the word of and by itself cannot determine intent to the exclusion of all other words to which it refers. ...

Surowitz v. Pontiac, 374 Mich. 597, 606 (1965): The word “include” has been used many times in the past both as a term of enlargement and of limitation, and the word of and by itself cannot determine intent to the…

RICO — Pleading Conspiracy — Plaintiffs Must Plausibly Allege That the Defendants Knowingly Joined the RICO Conspiracy — Sparse Allegations of Knowledge of Fraud Due to Participation in a Commercial Transaction Insufficient to State RICO Conspiracy Claim Where Allegations Not Inconsistent with Ordinary Commercial Behavior — While Knowledge May Be Pled “Generally” under Rule 9(b), It Cannot Be Alleged Conclusorily and Must Satisfy the Twiqbal Plausibility Standard

Douglas v. Hirshon, 63 F.4th 49 (1st Cir. 2023): Joel Douglas, Steven Fowler, and James Lewis sued twenty-six defendants, alleging several interrelated schemes to defraud the plaintiffs of real estate in Maine. Among other claims, the complaint asserts that, in connection with these schemes, a subset of the defendants participated in a conspiracy in violation of the

Depositions: Improper to Object to Form to Straightforward Questions (Not Compound, Vague, Leading or Speculative) — Lack of Foundation Objection Improper in 30(b)(6) Deposition — Improper to “Educate” Witness During Breaks of 30(b)(6) Deposition Through Witness Calls to Knowledgeable Corporate Colleagues — Magistrate Judge May Impose Financial Sanctions

Zeikos Inc. v. Walgreen Co., 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 210978 (N.D. Ill. Nov. 20, 2024) MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER This matter comes before the Court on Defendant Walgreen Co.'s ("Walgreen") motion to compel Plaintiff Z ...

Zeikos Inc. v. Walgreen Co., 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 210978 (N.D. Ill. Nov. 20, 2024) MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER This matter comes before the Court on Defendant Walgreen Co.’s (“Walgreen”) motion to compel Plaintiff Zeikos Inc. (“Zeikos”) to produce…

Spoliation/Sanctions: “A Party Does Not Spoliate Evidence When, Without Notice Of The Evidence’s Potential Relevance, It Destroys The Evidence According To Its Policy Or In The Normal Course Of Its Business” (Good Quote)

Meza-Perez v. Sbarro LLC, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 26503 (9th Cir. Oct. 21, 2024) (unpublished): MEMORANDUM* This appeal comes from a ten-day jury tri ...

Meza-Perez v. Sbarro LLC, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 26503 (9th Cir. Oct. 21, 2024) (unpublished): MEMORANDUM* This appeal comes from a ten-day jury trial where Plaintiff-Appellant Sandra Meza-Perez [*2] (“Perez”) sued her supervisor, Defendant-Appellee Zachary Ceballes (“Ceballes”), for…

RICO: Fraud on Government Entities Causing Plaintiffs to Pay More for Inmate Calls Actionable on Bridge v. Phoenix Bond Analysis — Fact That Governments Had Separate Injuries As Part of the Scheme (from Reduced Commissions) Irrelevant — Plaintiffs’ Injuries Not Derivative of Governments’ — The Fraud on the Governments Was Not Too Distinct From Plaintiffs’ Injuries But Rather Necessary to Injure Plaintiffs — No Risk of Duplicative Recoveries and No Plaintiff Better Situated to Sue for Plaintiffs’ Injuries

Albert v. Global Tel*Link, 68 F.4th 906 (4th Cir. 2023): *908 Plaintiffs Ashley Albert, Ashley Baxter, Karina Jakeway, and Melinda Jabbie appeal the district court’s dismissal, under

Albert v. Global Tel*Link, 68 F.4th 906 (4th Cir. 2023): *908 Plaintiffs Ashley Albert, Ashley Baxter, Karina Jakeway, and Melinda Jabbie appeal the district court’s dismissal, under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), of their Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt…

Inherent Power Sanctions — Dismissal for Threatening Defendant and Magistrate Judge — No First Amendment Right to Threaten Violence

Czajkowski v. Richardson, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 27067 (10th Cir. Oct. 25, 2024) (unpublished): ...

Czajkowski v. Richardson, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 27067 (10th Cir. Oct. 25, 2024) (unpublished): ORDER AND JUDGMENT* Conrad J. Czajkowski appeals the district court’s dismissal with prejudice of his pro se action as a sanction for his abusive and …

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

RICO: No Causation Where Harm Flowed Several Steps After the Fraudulent Acts — RICO Causation Same As Antitrust Causation

Sanctions vs. Automatic Stay: Imposition of Sanctions (Here, Inherent Power Sanctions) Is Subject to the Police Power Exception to the Automatic Stay in Bankruptcy

The Word “Include” May Be A Word of Limitation As Opposed to a Word of Enlargement, Depending on the Context

Spoliation/Sanctions: “A Party Does Not Spoliate Evidence When, Without Notice Of The Evidence’s Potential Relevance, It Destroys The Evidence According To Its Policy Or In The Normal Course Of Its Business” (Good Quote)

Inherent Power Sanctions — Dismissal for Threatening Defendant and Magistrate Judge — No First Amendment Right to Threaten Violence

Recent Posts

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

Rule 11: Violation of 21 Day Safe Harbor “Overlook[ed]” As Non-Prejudicial by First Circuit — “Rule 11 Monetary Sanctions Must Be Reasonable” (Good Quote) — Rule 11(c)(4) Requires Consideration of Offender’s Ability to Pay

Temporary Restraining Order = Preliminary Injunction: 3 Supreme Court Cases (TRO=PI x 3)

Rule 37(c)(1) Sanctions — Exclusion of Untimely Expert Report — Eighth Circuit’s 4-Factor Test

RICO: So Insubstantial A Claim As to Fail to Confer Subject Matter Jurisdiction

RICO: Distinctiveness Issues Most Likely to Appear When The Enterprise Is An Entity Capable of Being Sued, Like A Corporation

FRAP 38 Sanctions: Eleventh Circuit Generally Declines to Impose FRAP 38 Sanctions on Pro Se Appellants Absent a History of Frivolous Litigation or an Explicit Warning

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