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”

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an appeal from a Fair Labor Standards Act trial and concludes that the merits decision must be almost-entirely withdrawn, owing to the cross-notices of appeal being filed too late.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”

“Improperly Filed” Post-Judgment Motion by Non-Lawyer Did Not Toll Filing Deadline for Appeal, Tenth Circuit Holds

In Bunn v. Perdue, No. 19-2138 (10th Cir. July 28, 2020), the court holds that the automatic tolling for the filing of an appeal under Fed. R. App. P. 4(a)(4)(A) does not apply when a post-judgment motion is “improperly filed” by someone other than counsel of record. Plaintiff, who was represented by counsel, lost hisContinue reading ““Improperly Filed” Post-Judgment Motion by Non-Lawyer Did Not Toll Filing Deadline for Appeal, Tenth Circuit Holds”