Tag Archives: Ninth Circuit

No Leniency for a Pro Se Litigant Who Is Also a Licensed Attorney, Holds Ninth Circuit

In Hoffman v. Lindgren, No. 22-35471 (9th Cir. Sept. 1, 2023), the Ninth Circuit resolves an intracircuit split and holds that no leniency is due to pro se litigants who are also licensed, practicing attorneys. “Huffman, a practicing attorney, sued a municipal court judge, a prosecutor, and the City of St. Helens, Oregon in ColumbiaContinue reading “No Leniency for a Pro Se Litigant Who Is Also a Licensed Attorney, Holds Ninth Circuit”

Ninth Circuit Holds That District Court Lacked Authority to Convert a Fed. R. Civ. P. 56 Summary Judgment Motion Sua Sponte into a Fed. R. Civ. P. 12 Motion to Dismiss

In Jones v. L.A. Central Plaza, No. 22-55489 (9th Cir. July 26, 2023), the Ninth Circuit holds that the district court erred by sua sponte granting a Rule 12 dismissal on the pleadings for lack of Article III standing, when the parties had already briefed summary judgment on the same standing issue. Jones sued theContinue reading “Ninth Circuit Holds That District Court Lacked Authority to Convert a Fed. R. Civ. P. 56 Summary Judgment Motion Sua Sponte into a Fed. R. Civ. P. 12 Motion to Dismiss”

Ninth Circuit Holds Battery Maker Made “Purposeful Availment” of the State of Hawai’i Sufficient for Personal Jurisdiction, Yet A Product Liability Case Did Not “Arise Out of Or Relate To” Those Contacts

In Yamashita v. LG Chem, Ltd., No. 20-17512 (9th Cir. Mar. 6, 2023), the Ninth Circuit holds in a products-liability case that there was no personal jurisdiction in Hawai’i over a USA subsidiary of a South Korean manufacturer headquartered in Georgia, despite that the company ships their products through Honolulu and sells some of itsContinue reading “Ninth Circuit Holds Battery Maker Made “Purposeful Availment” of the State of Hawai’i Sufficient for Personal Jurisdiction, Yet A Product Liability Case Did Not “Arise Out of Or Relate To” Those Contacts”

Split Ninth Circuit Panel Applies Prior Exclusive Jurisdiction Rule to Affirm Dismissal of Federal Action Against State Insurance Commission

In Applied Underwriters v. Laras,  No. 21-15679 (9th Cir. June 10, 2022), a split panel affirms the dismissal of a federal civil-rights action in favor of a pending state conservatorship action, but disagrees on the grounds. The panel majority would affirm under the prior exclusive jurisdiction rule, while the concurring judge would rely (as didContinue reading “Split Ninth Circuit Panel Applies Prior Exclusive Jurisdiction Rule to Affirm Dismissal of Federal Action Against State Insurance Commission”

Ninth Circuit Vacates Conviction Because District Court’s COVID-19 Precautions, Which Prevented Any Video Streaming, Deprived the Defendant of a Sixth Amendment Public Trial

In United States v. Allen, No. 21-10060 (9th Cir. May 16, 2022), the Ninth Circuit holds that a district court’s COVID-19 precautions that denied the public streamed hearings of a criminal defendant’s case violated his Sixth Amendment rights and required a new suppression hearing and trial. “At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020,Continue reading “Ninth Circuit Vacates Conviction Because District Court’s COVID-19 Precautions, Which Prevented Any Video Streaming, Deprived the Defendant of a Sixth Amendment Public Trial”

Pending Fed. R. Civ. P. 68 Offer of Judgment Not Terminated by Intervening Grant of Summary Judgment, Holds Ninth Circuit

In Kubiak v. County of Ravalli, No. 21-35542 (9th Cir. May 3, 2022), the Ninth Circuit holds that a Fed. R. Civ. P. 68 offer of judgment remained open for fourteen days for the plaintiff to accept, even after the district court granted summary judgment (but did not enter final judgment) while the time wasContinue reading “Pending Fed. R. Civ. P. 68 Offer of Judgment Not Terminated by Intervening Grant of Summary Judgment, Holds Ninth Circuit”

Ninth Circuit Holds That Court of Appeals Could Not Extend Appellate Jurisdiction Under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) to Address Question of Law Not Presented in the “Four Corners of the Certified Order”

In ICTSI Oregon, Inc. v. Int’l Longshore and Warehouse Union, No. 20-35818 (9th Cir. Jan. 18, 2022), the Ninth Circuit declines to accept certification of an interlocutory appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b). It holds that one question in the certified order is really just a question of fact, while the other question – whileContinue reading “Ninth Circuit Holds That Court of Appeals Could Not Extend Appellate Jurisdiction Under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) to Address Question of Law Not Presented in the “Four Corners of the Certified Order””

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”

Deposition Testimony Is Not “A Pleading, Motion, Order or Other Paper” for Removal Purposes Under 28 U.S.C. § 1446(b)(3) Holds Ninth Circuit, Splitting with the Tenth Circuit

In Dietrich v. The Boeing Co., No. 19-56409 (9th Cir. Oct. 1, 2021), the Ninth Circuit aligns itself with other circuits in holding that the removal section 28 U.S.C. § 1446(b)(3) is triggered by the filing or service of “an amended pleading, motion, order or other paper” that discloses an “unequivocally clear and certain” basisContinue reading “Deposition Testimony Is Not “A Pleading, Motion, Order or Other Paper” for Removal Purposes Under 28 U.S.C. § 1446(b)(3) Holds Ninth Circuit, Splitting with the Tenth Circuit”

Ninth Circuit Vacates Preliminary Injunction Ordering Los Angeles to House All Local Homeless, Faulting the Lower Court for “Impermissibly Resort[ing] to Independent Research and Extra-Record Evidence.”

In LA Alliance for Human Rights v. County of Los Angeles, No. 21-55395 (9th Cir. Sept. 23, 2021), the panel eviscerated a preliminary injunction won by a group of homeless advocates, holding that the district court made findings based on its own research, based on claims not raised by the plaintiffs. “Nearly one in fourContinue reading “Ninth Circuit Vacates Preliminary Injunction Ordering Los Angeles to House All Local Homeless, Faulting the Lower Court for “Impermissibly Resort[ing] to Independent Research and Extra-Record Evidence.””