Complex Lit Blog

Does the FSIA Apply, & Limit Jurisdiction, in Criminal Cases? (Circuit Split) — Under Animal Sciences, Decl. of Foreign Law from Counsel Rejected (R. 44.1) — Old Cases=“Era When Jurisdiction Had Too Many Meanings (Good Quote)

In re Grand Jury Subpoena, 2019 WL 125891 (D.C. Cir. Jan. 8, 2019): Per Curiam:*Opinion Opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment filed by Senior Circuit Judge

In re Grand Jury Subpoena, 2019 WL 125891 (D.C. Cir. Jan. 8, 2019): Per Curiam:*Opinion Opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment filed by Senior Circuit Judge Williams. *1 With the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act …

RICO Statute of Limitations — Plaintiffs Must Plead Fraudulent Concealment with Particularity to Establish Equitable Tolling

Evans v. Ariz. Cardinals Football Club, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 3706 *; __ Fed. Appx. __; 2019 WL 459857 (9th Cir. Feb. 9, 2019) (unpublished): MEMORANDUM

Evans v. Ariz. Cardinals Football Club, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 3706 *; __ Fed. Appx. __; 2019 WL 459857 (9th Cir. Feb. 9, 2019) (unpublished): MEMORANDUM* This case arises from a suit brought by former players and the …

Prejudgment Interest — On Federal Claims, S.D.N.Y. Judges Split on Use of NY vs. Fed. Rate — Here, Fed. Rate Chosen, Even Though State Rate Necessarily Used for State Claims & Plaintiff Actually Earned 11% During Period

Montefiore Med. Ctr. v. Local 272 Welfare Fund, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13385 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 25, 2019) (R&R): REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION SARAH NETB ...

Montefiore Med. Ctr. v. Local 272 Welfare Fund, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13385 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 25, 2019) (R&R): REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION SARAH NETBURN, [*2] United States Magistrate Judge. TO THE HONORABLE RONNIE ABRAMS: In 2009, Plaintiff Montefiore …

Rule 41(b) Dismissal Requires Non-Compliance with Court Order “Longer Than Just a Few Months” & “Characterized by Significant Periods of Inactivity” — Merely “Careless, Inconsiderate … Exasperating” Conduct Insufficient

Morgan v. Ams. Ins. Co., 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 205 (5th Cir. Jan. 4, 2019): Appellant A-Plus Contractors, L.L.C. ("A-Plus") and its owner, Appellant Stacy Morgan ("Morgan ...

Morgan v. Ams. Ins. Co., 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 205 (5th Cir. Jan. 4, 2019): Appellant A-Plus Contractors, L.L.C. ("A-Plus") and its owner, Appellant Stacy Morgan ("Morgan"), appeal the district court's dismissal with prejudice of their lawsuit under Federal …

Court Lacks Inherent Power (IHP) to Bar Retrial after 2 Hung Juries Where No Prej’l Gov’t Misconduct — Exercise of IHP Must Be Proportionate & Not Contrary to Rule or Stat.—Can’t Create Rule in Conflict with Fed. Rules

United States v. Wright, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 1541 (3d Cir. Jan. 17, 2019): The District Court barred a retrial of and dismissed the indictment against Defendant Raymont Wright ...

United States v. Wright, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 1541 (3d Cir. Jan. 17, 2019): The District Court barred a retrial of and dismissed the indictment against Defendant Raymont Wright with prejudice after two juries failed to reach a verdict. …

Getting Dismissal with Prej. by Settling ≠ “Prevailing Party” — Citing Cases w/o Settlement = “Willful Obtuseness” & Objective Bad Faith under 1927 — Sua Sponte Despite 11(c)(5)(B) Limits on Post-Jmt. $ Sua Sponte (Dicta; Waived)

Bell v. Vacuforce, LLC, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 32196 (7th Cir. Nov. 14, 2018): Richard Bell brought a copyright infringement lawsuit against Vacuforce, LLC, accusing it of publishing his ...

Bell v. Vacuforce, LLC, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 32196 (7th Cir. Nov. 14, 2018): Richard Bell brought a copyright infringement lawsuit against Vacuforce, LLC, accusing it of publishing his photograph of the Indianapolis skyline on its website without a …

Witness’s Denial (& Usually Admission & Maybe Inability to Recall) S/he Sent Texts Opens Door under R. 613(b) to Evidence of Texts Showing Bias under R. 608(b) — Questions Eliciting Admissible Answers ≠ Hearsay

United States v. Fernandez, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 3463 (7th Cir. Feb. 4, 2019): A jury convicted Luis Fernandez of being a felon in possession of a firearm, see 18 U.S.C. § ...

United States v. Fernandez, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 3463 (7th Cir. Feb. 4, 2019): A jury convicted Luis Fernandez of being a felon in possession of a firearm, see 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Fernandez appeals his conviction, contending that…

Video Spoliation — Negligent Loss / Destruction Insufficient, Willfulness Required (4th Cir. Common Law) — Defendant’s Mistaken Belief Video Preserved Precludes Willfulness, Sanctions — Same Result under Rule 37(e) (Adopted During Case)

Boone v. Everett, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 3818, 2019 WL 493681 (4th Cir. Feb. 7, 2019) (unpublished): Wally Boone, a Virginia inmate, appeals the denial of his motion for sanctions on the basis of spoliation against former Virginia correctional officer C.D. Everett. Boone alleged that Everett was responsible for the destruction o ...

Boone v. Everett, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 3818, 2019 WL 493681 (4th Cir. Feb. 7, 2019) (unpublished): Wally Boone, a Virginia inmate, appeals the denial of his motion for sanctions on the basis of spoliation against former Virginia correctional officer …

RICO: Married Couple May = Associated-in-Fact Enterprise — No Heightened Structure Requirement — “Marriage Certificate Doesn’t Transform Mail/Wire Fraud Into Ordinary Household Management” (Good Quotes)

Al-Rayes v. Willingham, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 3565 (11th Cir. Feb. 5, 2019): The creditors in this case claim that a husband and wife worked together to commit multiple acts of m ...

Al-Rayes v. Willingham, 2019 U.S. App. LEXIS 3565 (11th Cir. Feb. 5, 2019): The creditors in this case claim that a husband and wife worked together to commit multiple acts of mail and wire fraud over several years for …

Rule 408 Offer of Settlement: While a Dispute Is Required, “Actual … Difference of Opinion” Enough — Communication Needn’t “Expressly & Outwardly Dispute Amount or Validity of Claim” — Tone & Context May Show Dispute Exists

Savy Surfers v. Wings of Minot ND LLC, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14548 (D. N.D. Jan. 30, 2019): Before the Court is a motion in limine regarding the admissibility of an email filed ...

Savy Surfers v. Wings of Minot ND LLC, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14548 (D. N.D. Jan. 30, 2019): Before the Court is a motion in limine regarding the admissibility of an email filed by the Plaintiff, Savy Surfers, Inc.…

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Does the FSIA Apply, & Limit Jurisdiction, in Criminal Cases? (Circuit Split) — Under Animal Sciences, Decl. of Foreign Law from Counsel Rejected (R. 44.1) — Old Cases=“Era When Jurisdiction Had Too Many Meanings (Good Quote)

RICO Statute of Limitations — Plaintiffs Must Plead Fraudulent Concealment with Particularity to Establish Equitable Tolling

Prejudgment Interest — On Federal Claims, S.D.N.Y. Judges Split on Use of NY vs. Fed. Rate — Here, Fed. Rate Chosen, Even Though State Rate Necessarily Used for State Claims & Plaintiff Actually Earned 11% During Period

Rule 41(b) Dismissal Requires Non-Compliance with Court Order “Longer Than Just a Few Months” & “Characterized by Significant Periods of Inactivity” — Merely “Careless, Inconsiderate … Exasperating” Conduct Insufficient

Court Lacks Inherent Power (IHP) to Bar Retrial after 2 Hung Juries Where No Prej’l Gov’t Misconduct — Exercise of IHP Must Be Proportionate & Not Contrary to Rule or Stat.—Can’t Create Rule in Conflict with Fed. Rules

Getting Dismissal with Prej. by Settling ≠ “Prevailing Party” — Citing Cases w/o Settlement = “Willful Obtuseness” & Objective Bad Faith under 1927 — Sua Sponte Despite 11(c)(5)(B) Limits on Post-Jmt. $ Sua Sponte (Dicta; Waived)

Witness’s Denial (& Usually Admission & Maybe Inability to Recall) S/he Sent Texts Opens Door under R. 613(b) to Evidence of Texts Showing Bias under R. 608(b) — Questions Eliciting Admissible Answers ≠ Hearsay

Video Spoliation — Negligent Loss / Destruction Insufficient, Willfulness Required (4th Cir. Common Law) — Defendant’s Mistaken Belief Video Preserved Precludes Willfulness, Sanctions — Same Result under Rule 37(e) (Adopted During Case)

RICO: Married Couple May = Associated-in-Fact Enterprise — No Heightened Structure Requirement — “Marriage Certificate Doesn’t Transform Mail/Wire Fraud Into Ordinary Household Management” (Good Quotes)

Rule 408 Offer of Settlement: While a Dispute Is Required, “Actual … Difference of Opinion” Enough — Communication Needn’t “Expressly & Outwardly Dispute Amount or Validity of Claim” — Tone & Context May Show Dispute Exists

Recent Posts

RICO: Indirect Injury Unrecoverable — Indirect Purchaser Rule Imported from Antitrust

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)

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