In In re Nat’l Prescription Opiate Litig., No. 19-4097 (6th Cir. Sept. 24, 2020), a divided panel of the Sixth Circuit rebuffs a novel attempt to certify a Rule 23 class in a massive multi-district litigation (MDL) proceeding, solely for the purpose of giving the parties a vehicle for negotiating a global resolution. “The nationalContinue reading “Sixth Circuit Dashes the Concept of a Rule 23 “Negotiating” Class”
Tag Archives: Appellate Jurisdiction
Fifth Circuit Lacks Appellate Jurisdiction Over Appeal of $125,000 Attorneys’ Fee Sanction Because the Notice of Appeal Failed to Name the Lawyer Who Was Taking the Appeal
The biggest USA pop record of 2012, “Thrift Shop” by hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, spawned litigation for copyright infringement by New Orleans-based musician Paul Batiste. In Batiste v. Lewis, No. 19-30400 (5th Cir. Sept. 22, 2020), the panel affirms summary judgment in favor of defendants. Adding insult to injury, the panel holdsContinue reading “Fifth Circuit Lacks Appellate Jurisdiction Over Appeal of $125,000 Attorneys’ Fee Sanction Because the Notice of Appeal Failed to Name the Lawyer Who Was Taking the Appeal”
First Circuit Holds That Declaratory Judgment Is Not Final and Appealable Until A Declaration of Rights Is Entered
In WM Capital Partners 53, LLC v. Barreras, Inc., No. 19-1364 (1st Cir. Sept. 22, 2020), the First Circuit dismisses the appeal of a declaratory judgment where summary judgment was granted, but the district court had not yet entered a declaration. “Plaintiff-appellee WM Capital Partners 53, LLC (‘WM Capital’) filed this diversity action seeking aContinue reading “First Circuit Holds That Declaratory Judgment Is Not Final and Appealable Until A Declaration of Rights Is Entered”
Fifth Circuit Eats Crow As It Withdraws Entire Decision on the Merits, Finding That the Notices of Appeal Were Filed Too Late
In Edwards v. 4JLJ, LLC, No. 19-40553 (5th Cir. Sept. 21, 2020), a panel of the Fifth Circuit reconsiders an appeal from a Fair Labor Standards Act trial and concludes that the merits decision must be almost-entirely withdrawn, owing to the cross-notices of appeal being filed too late. In the prior opinion, Edwards v. 4JLJ,Continue reading “Fifth Circuit Eats Crow As It Withdraws Entire Decision on the Merits, Finding That the Notices of Appeal Were Filed Too Late”
Dismissal “With Prejudice” Until Heck v. Humphrey Conditions Are Met Is Not A Final Appealable Order, Holds Fifth Circuit
In Cook v. City of Tyler, Tex., No. 19-40144 (5th Cir. Sept. 4, 2020) (per curiam), the court dismisses an appeal taken by defendants in a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 wrongful imprisonment case for lack of appellate jurisdiction. The form of judgment, while final in form, was held non-final because the plaintiff had leave toContinue reading “Dismissal “With Prejudice” Until Heck v. Humphrey Conditions Are Met Is Not A Final Appealable Order, Holds Fifth Circuit”
Dismissal of “All Claims … Without Prejudice” Is an Appealable Final Judgment, Holds Fifth Circuit
In Umbrella Investment Group, LLC, et al v. Wolters Kluwer Finan. Servs., Inc., No. 20-30078 (5th Cir. Aug. 26, 2020), the panel holds that it has appellate jurisdiction over the dismissal of “all claims … without prejudice” for failure to state a claim under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), by alleging fraud without the specificityContinue reading “Dismissal of “All Claims … Without Prejudice” Is an Appealable Final Judgment, Holds Fifth Circuit”
Union Took Wrong Route to Challenge Inclusion in Declaratory Judgment, Holds Seventh Circuit
In Shakman v. Clerk of the Circuit Court, No. 19-2772 (7th Cir. Aug. 13, 2020), the Seventh Circuit dismisses an appeal on the ground that the union bringing it was not a party to the action below, and thus the court lacked jurisdiction to consider its challenge a declaratory judgment that affected its operations. Shakman,Continue reading “Union Took Wrong Route to Challenge Inclusion in Declaratory Judgment, Holds Seventh Circuit”
Perfunctory Fed. R. Civ. P 54(b) Certification Fails to Confer Appellate Jurisdiction, Holds D.C. Circuit
In a breach-of-privacy action, Attias v. CareFirst, Inc., No. 19-7020 (D.C. Cir. Aug. 11, 2020), the D.C. Circuit holds that the district court’s failure to explain his Rule 54(b) dismissal of some plaintiffs and claims dashes jurisdiction over an appeal. Seven plaintiffs filed a putative class action against a health insurer following a hack ofContinue reading “Perfunctory Fed. R. Civ. P 54(b) Certification Fails to Confer Appellate Jurisdiction, Holds D.C. Circuit”
Appellate Jurisdiction Lacking Over Appeal of Denial of Motion to Quash Grand Jury Subpoena Where Documents Are Not Claimed to Be Privileged, Holds Ninth Circuit
In In re Grand Jury Investigation, No. 19-10187 (9th Cir. July 27, 2020), the Ninth Circuit considers the scope of Perlman v. United States, 247 U.S. 7 (1918), which provides an exception to the general rule that denials of motions to quash grand jury subpoenas are not final and appealable orders. The grand jury, investigatingContinue reading “Appellate Jurisdiction Lacking Over Appeal of Denial of Motion to Quash Grand Jury Subpoena Where Documents Are Not Claimed to Be Privileged, Holds Ninth Circuit”
Federal Arbitration Act Requires an Immediate Trial to Resolve Genuine Disputes of Material Fact About Arbitrability, Says D.C. Circuit
A district court erred by not holding an immediate trial to resolve a factual dispute about whether the parties agreed to arbitrate an employment discrimination claim. (Jin v. Parsons Corp., No. 19-7019 (D.C. Cir. July 24, 2020).) The Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) spells out a procedure in 9 U.S.C. § 4 for when there isContinue reading “Federal Arbitration Act Requires an Immediate Trial to Resolve Genuine Disputes of Material Fact About Arbitrability, Says D.C. Circuit”
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