Tag Archives: Declaratory Judgment

Sixth Circuit Charts Its Own Course on Abstention from Declaratory Actions That Are Part of a “Mixed Action” Seeking Injunctive or Legal Relief

In Fire-Dex, LLC v. Admiral Ins. Co., No. 24-3781 (6th Cir. June 2, 2025), the Sixth Circuit rejects the holdings of seven other circuits and holds that when a demand for relief under the Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201(a), is combined with a claim for injunctive relief or damages (“coercive relief”), it isContinue reading “Sixth Circuit Charts Its Own Course on Abstention from Declaratory Actions That Are Part of a “Mixed Action” Seeking Injunctive or Legal Relief”

Fifth Circuit Holds That Employers Have Standing to Pursue Pre-Enforcement Challenge to the EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance on Bostock

In Braidwood Mgt. v. EEOC, No. 22-10145 (5th Cir. June 20, 2023), the Fifth Circuit holds that a for-profit “Christian” business and a non-denominational Christian church suffered a concrete injury from prospective enforcement of a guidance by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sufficient to support Article III standing. The guidance at issue isContinue reading “Fifth Circuit Holds That Employers Have Standing to Pursue Pre-Enforcement Challenge to the EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance on Bostock”

Ninth Circuit Holds That Conditional Counterclaim for Damages Does Not Bring Declaratory Action Within Court’s Mandatory Jurisdiction

In Argonaut Ins. Co. v. St. Francis Med. Cntrs., No. 19-17314 (9th Cir. Nov. 17, 2021), the Ninth Circuit holds that the ordinary rule that (1) a declaratory-relief claim brought under 28 U.S.C. § 2201 becomes mandatory if combined with a monetary claim does not apply if (2) the monetary claim is a conditional counterclaimContinue reading “Ninth Circuit Holds That Conditional Counterclaim for Damages Does Not Bring Declaratory Action Within Court’s Mandatory Jurisdiction”

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”

No Federal-Question Jurisdiction Over Declaratory Action Complaint to Block Federal-Law Defense, Holds Eleventh Circuit

In Patel v. Hamilton Medical Center, Inc., No. 19-13088 (11th Cir. July 30, 2020), the Eleventh Circuit holds that there is no federal-question subject matter jurisdiction over a declaratory action brought by a doctor against a hospital for suspending his privileges. Although the plaintiff’s claim arose under state law (and the parties were apparently non-diverse),Continue reading “No Federal-Question Jurisdiction Over Declaratory Action Complaint to Block Federal-Law Defense, Holds Eleventh Circuit”