In Stone v. J&M Securities, LLC, No. 21-3422 (8th Cir. Dec. 19, 2022), the Eighth Circuit vacates an amended judgment entered in response to a motion for reconsideration under Fed. R. Civ. P 59(e). The panel holds that the order dismissing the plaintiffs’ state-law claims on the merits, though erroneous, could not be corrected post-judgmentContinue reading “Once District Court Enters Remand Order Under 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c), It Cannot Revisit That Decision Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 59, Holds Eighth Circuit”
Author Archives: pwmollica1961
New Jersey District Court Scores TKO in Epic Fight with Fifth Circuit Over Venue of Gun-Rights Case
In a gun-rights case that’s generated a succession of Fifth Circuit decisions (see blog entries of August 20, 2020, April 2, 2022, and September 19, 2022), the Fifth Circuit finally throws in the towel with a decision holding that it lacks jurisdiction, owing to the failure of a transferee court to return a case toContinue reading “New Jersey District Court Scores TKO in Epic Fight with Fifth Circuit Over Venue of Gun-Rights Case”
Surviving Family Members Who Do Not Represent a Decedent Party’s Estate Need Not Be Served with A Suggestion of Death Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 25(a), Eleventh Circuit Holds
In Silas v. Sheriff of Broward Cnty., Fla., No. 21-13946 (11th Cir. Dec. 14, 2022), the Eleventh Circuit holds that a defendant’s survivors who do not formally represent the decedent’s estate are not “nonparties” for purposes of Fed. R. Civ. P. 25(a)(3), and thus suggestion of death need not be served on them to triggerContinue reading “Surviving Family Members Who Do Not Represent a Decedent Party’s Estate Need Not Be Served with A Suggestion of Death Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 25(a), Eleventh Circuit Holds”
Federal Case That May Require Assessing Damage to Decedent’s Estate Assets Not Barred by the Probate Exception to Federal Jurisdiction, Holds First Circuit
In Glassie v. Doucette, No. 21-1761 (1st Cir. Dec. 5, 2022), the First Circuit reverses dismissal of a civil action on federal subject-matter jurisdiction grounds, holding that the so-called probate exception did not apply even though the case may require the district court to award damages for the loss in value of a decedent estate.Continue reading “Federal Case That May Require Assessing Damage to Decedent’s Estate Assets Not Barred by the Probate Exception to Federal Jurisdiction, Holds First Circuit”
Eleventh Circuit Holds District Court Lacked Equitable Jurisdiction to Make the Government’s Use of Documents Seized from Former President Trump Subject to Special Master Review
In Trump v. United States, No. 22-13005 (11th Cir. Dec. 2, 2022), the Eleventh Circuit vacates and orders dismissal of a proceeding brought by the former president in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to block the FBI’s use of documents seized from his personal residence, holding that the court lackedContinue reading “Eleventh Circuit Holds District Court Lacked Equitable Jurisdiction to Make the Government’s Use of Documents Seized from Former President Trump Subject to Special Master Review”
Second Circuit Dismisses Pseudonymously Filed Appeal as Violation of Fed. R. App. P. 32(d)
In Publicola v. Lomenzo, No. 22-795 (2d Cir. Nov. 29, 2022), the Second Circuit publishes an order dismissing an appeal after the plaintiff-appellant violated an order to file their appeal under their real name. “In December 2021, Appellant commenced this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the Town of Penfield, the NYSLRB, current andContinue reading “Second Circuit Dismisses Pseudonymously Filed Appeal as Violation of Fed. R. App. P. 32(d)”
Eighth Circuit Vacates Judgments in Favor of 177 Plaintiffs Confirming Arbitration Awards Due to Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction
In Hursh v. DST Systems, Inc., No 21-3554 (8th Cir. Nov. 28, 2022), appeals of awards to 177 claimants –who prevailed in ERISA arbitrations about losses in their 401(k) profit sharing plan – result in the judgments being vacated and remanded owing to doubts about the district court’s subject-matter jurisdiction. “DST was the Plan’s sponsor,Continue reading “Eighth Circuit Vacates Judgments in Favor of 177 Plaintiffs Confirming Arbitration Awards Due to Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction”
Fifth Circuit Grants Mandamus to Quash Subpoena of State Attorney General’s Testimony Until Sovereign Immunity Issue Is Decided
In In re Ken Paxton, No. 22-50882 (5th Cir. Nov. 14, 2022), the panel grants a writ of mandamus directing that the district court quash a subpoena of Texas Attorney General Paxton until the judge decides whether he should be dismissed from the action owing to sovereign immunity. The underlying lawsuit challenged the potential extraterritorialContinue reading “Fifth Circuit Grants Mandamus to Quash Subpoena of State Attorney General’s Testimony Until Sovereign Immunity Issue Is Decided”
Plaintiffs Waited Too Long to Appeal Post-Judgment Formula for Calculating Interest, Holds Second Circuit
In Amara v. Cigna Corp., No. 20-202 (2d Cir. Nov. 10, 2022), reviewing post-judgment orders in a long-running class action under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Second Circuit holds that it has no jurisdiction over the plaintiff-class’s challenge to the district court’s orders setting the formula for calculating interest because the noticeContinue reading “Plaintiffs Waited Too Long to Appeal Post-Judgment Formula for Calculating Interest, Holds Second Circuit”
Fed. R. Civ. P. 11 Does Not Apply to Pleadings Filed in State Court and Then Removed by the Defendant, Holds First Circuit
In Guaetta & Benson, LLC v. McArdle, No. 22-1034 (1st Cir. Oct. 28, 2022), the First Circuit reversed Fed. R. Civ. P. 11 sanctions, holding as a matter of law that Rule 11 did not apply to complaints filed in state court and then removed to federal court. “On February 7, 2017, Nicholas Triantos suedContinue reading “Fed. R. Civ. P. 11 Does Not Apply to Pleadings Filed in State Court and Then Removed by the Defendant, Holds First Circuit”
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