Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Tickle v. Barton (PJ) Structure of the lawsuit claims & parties 3. Temple v. Synthes (Joinder, Rule 19) 4. Jeub v. B/G Foods (Third-party, Rule 14) Motions to dismiss (Rule 12) 5. Case v. State Farm 6. Pruitt v. Cheney Discovery 7. DiMichel v. South Buffalo Railway Co. 8. Tran v. New Rochelle Hospital Summary judgment (Rule 56) 9. Valley National Bank v. J.C. Penney Insurance Co. 10. Houchens v. American Home Assurance Co. Division of authority between judge and jury (Rule 50) 11. Lavender v. Kurn Appeal 12. Hicks v. United States Claim Preclusion 13. Rush v. City of Maple Heights
ii. Tickle sued for personal injury damages against Barton (owner of car, VA resident) as well as the driver of the car iii. Barton filed an amended plea in abatement, challenging the validity of service of alias process, saying he was tricked into entering WV 1. *Plea in abatement = a response by the defendant that does not dispute the plaintiff's claim but objects to its form or the time or place where it is asserted iv. Judge ruled in favor of Barton; ruling affirmed on appeal. b. Personal jurisdiction (geographical limitation on the places where a plaintiff may sue a defendant) i. Question: Do the alleged circumstances of the service of process upon Barton (if considered to be true) render that service invalid? i.e., was the defendant fraudulently brought under the courts jurisdiction? ii. Answer: The court ought not to exercise its jurisdiction over the case, because it was attained through fraud. iii. Dissenting opinion: The facts properly alleged do not establish fraud or wrongdoing, so the rule of law that was applied was not relevant. c. Related notes from class i. State court had SMJ because they have general SMJ, can hear any case at all, here a car accident case (competent) ii. Key idea: you have to get the defendant into the state to get personal jurisdiction. The state cannot reach into other states. 1. Later we will see that in some cases this is not true 2. Note: Federal court cannot reach any farther than the state court of that state can (Rule 4k1a)
ii. Question: Are LaRocca & the hospital indispensable to the case under Rule 19? They
can be brought in because it would not destroy diversity, but must they?
iii. Answer: The threshold requirements necessary to apply Rule 19(a) here have not
been met, so the plaintiff should not be required to join LaRocca in the suit. iv. Reasoning: LaRocca & hospital are potential joint tortfeasors with Synthes (thus merely permissive parties), and it is not necessary for all joint tortfeasors to be named as defendants in a single lawsuit. 1. Inconsistent outcomes should not be a concern with this case c. Related notes from class i. In considering what makes sense in a procedural question, need to consider which values we aim for: fairness, efficiency, accurate outcome ii. Is it more efficient to have one or two suits? Time, money if claims overlap, the parties may try to bring each other into each separate trial. iii. Is it fair? Have to worry about inconsistent verdicts; having one jury decide would prevent this from happening iv. Synthes desire to join suit: why? To shift some blame to doctor (although they could do that with doctor as witness too perhaps); using the rule to stall or get case dismissed
Two motion to dismiss cases: At issue is the question of the courts duty, when considering a motion to dismiss, to create a claim that the plaintiff has not clearly articulated in the complaint. Differing interpretations of Rule 12(b)(6).
2. Forgiveness for issues that the court determines to be important? 3. Embodies one of the two ideas about civil procedure: the more public vision of the legal system that envisions the court as an extension of the people, having a duty to ensure justice. ii. This case, and Case, are different from a 12(b)(6) dismissal where the plaintiff states a claim upon which no legal relief can be granted these two are legal claims, but the claims are faulty or invalid. Even if all facts are assumed true, plaintiffs cant win with these claims. 1. 12(b)(6) sorts out (1) being in the wrong dispute resolution system (not having a legal case); and (2) having a weak legal case
8. Discovery, part two: Tran v. New Rochelle Hospital Med. Ctr., 2003
a. Overview i. New York Court of Appeals (orig. NY state circuit court) (same as DiMichel) ii. Personal injury case. Plaintiff moved to compel disclosure of surveillance video taken of him. Defendants argued that plaintiff should be deposed first. Decision in favor of plaintiff. b. Discovery of video after legislative changes i. New statute: There shall be full disclosure of any films There shall be disclosure of all portions of such material, including out-takes, rather than only those portions a party intends to use. ii. Question: Does the new statute overrule the aspect of DiMichel which allows defendants to withhold surveillance tapes until after plaintiff has been deposed? iii. Answer (not in case materials): Yes. Because the new statute does away with the primary aspect of the DiMichel ruling (regarding which parts of the film must be disclosed), it must also do away with the timing aspect of the ruling. c. Related notes from class
i. The more full the discovery is, the better, because it may avoid the need for trial altogether if, after discovery, a motion for summary judgment may be granted. ii. Here we see a rule that is overturned by a new rule- more than one way to go about things. In these situations, lawmakers fall back on policy arguments to decide new rules based on the ultimate goals of efficiency, fairness, and accuracy.
9. Summary judgment: Valley Natl Bank of Arizona v. J.C. Penney Insurance Co., 1981
a. Overview i. Arizona appeals court (orig. AZ state circuit court) ii. The estate of a disappeared man (Frank Seay, remains found in desert) sued an insurance company to pay up on an accidental death policy. Defendant filed for summary judgment, which was granted. Seays estate appealed; decision reversed and case remanded. b. Summary judgment i. Question: Taking the evidence and inferences presented in a light most favorable to appellant (Seays estate), does a genuine issue of material fact exist as to whether Seays death was accidental? ii. Answer: Yes. An accidental death may be reasonably inferred from the circumstances here. More proof than that is not needed at this time. iii. Reasoning: No one was able to ascertain cause of death. Circumstantial evidence supports, to an extent, the reasonable inference that the death may have been accidental. While plaintiff does have the burden of proving that the death was accidental, that does not have to happen until the trial. (Insurance companys argument was that summary judgment should be granted because plaintiff had not yet proved that the death was accidental.) c. Related notes from class i. The burden of proof is on the plaintiff when trying to win the case. In order to win at trial, they need a preponderance of evidence (more than 51% of the evidence in their favor). But, when a defendant moves for summary judgment, the burden of proof is on them to demonstrate that the standard for issuing a summary judgment has been met. ii. Standard for issuing a summary judgment: The plaintiff, after discovery, does not have enough evidence to prove a central element of their case. Disclosed facts do not support outcome. If the plaintiff shows that there is a genuine issue of facts, so that a reasonable juror might decide in their favor, the judge cannot issue a summary judgment.
iii. Rationale: Wife must prove that husband died by accidental death; given the evidence, she cannot do this. She has failed to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to her case, and on which she would bear the burden of proof at trial. iv. Contrast with previous case (Valley): here there is no circumstantial evidence that supports inferences in plaintiffs favor. c. Related notes from class i. When making inferences, you have to assume the husband dead, because the state of Virginia ruled that he is legally presumed dead. ii. Evidence that would have helped plaintiff: a body, a witness, expert testimony
ii. Answer: Yes. The doctor did not conform to the required standard of care, so he
is liable for negligence. iii. Reasoning: The standard of care is such that if he uses ordinary care in reaching his diagnosis, and thereafter acts upon it, he incurs no liability, even if the diagnosis was incorrect. In this case, the doctor did not use ordinary care, according to the experts. iv. More important issue: The ability of this court to overturn the lower court judges dismissal decision. 1. Question: Does a finding of negligence constitute a finding of fact or a question of law? 2. Rule: Only questions of law can be reviewed and overturned by appellate courts. A trial judges (or jurys, if there is one) finding of fact cannot be disturbed unless clearly erroneous. 3. Answer: A finding of negligence is a question of law because it involves not only the formulation of the legal standard, but also its application to the evidentiary facts as established. Thus, when a judge sitting without a jury makes a determination of negligence, his conclusion is freely reviewable on appeal. c. Related notes from class i. Question of jurisdiction. Why in federal court? This case arises under the Federal Torts Claims Act because it is against the U.S. government. The govt has sovereign immunity, except when its agents involve in torts (in some situations). In those cases, the litigation is tried in the govts own federal court system. 1. Why no jury? The Federal Torts Claims Act does not permit one, because it states that a government is not subject to the decision of its own subjects. ii. Fact and law. In trial, the jury usually distinguishes facts and the judge concerns himself with the law. Here things are more complicated because there is no jury. Judge does everything. The facts have to be distinguished from the law because an appellate court can only review questions of law, not re-decide any matters of fact. 1. This is because matters of fact, when decided in lower court, are decided based on first-hand viewing of witnesses and evidence, something that the appeals court cannot do. At the same time, the appellate court is able to make decisions on law issues because it is not bogged down by issues of fact and can focus exclusively on the law. Specialization. Moreover, trial judges have to make many decisions during the case of a trial and cannot think about each one as long; but appellate judges think about fewer decisions, because only one or a few are brought up in each appeal. 2. Facts can only be reversed in appellate court if they are made by a judge and clearly erroneous. (Jury findings of fact can never be reversed.) The legal decision, on the other hand, is reviewed from scratch (de novo). Thus, when appealing, you want to frame the matter at hand as an issue of law, not fact. In this case, in order to appeal a finding of negligence, the appeals court has to conceptualize it as a legal decision, not a factual one.
iii. On appeal of 2nd case, judgment reversed and found for defendant.
b. Preclusion i. Question: Did the courts, following the precedent of the Vasu case, permit error in permitting the plaintiff to split her cause of action? ii. Vasu ruling: Injuries to person and property suffered by the same person as a result of the same wrongful act are infringements of different rights and give rise to distinct causes of action. So, as long as judgment was for the plaintiff in the first property damages case, that is no bar to an action subsequently prosecuted for personal injury. iii. Answer: Yes. Whether or not injuries to both person and property resulting from the same wrongful act are to be treated as injuries to separate rights or as separate items of damage, plaintiff may maintain only one action to enforce his rights existing at the time such action is commenced. Thus the rule declared in the Vasu case should not be followed. iv. Reasoning: The rule in the Vasu case is in conflict with the majority practice and has caused vexatious litigation. The majority practice has been to require all damages sustained to be sued for in one suit, to prevent multiplicity of suits, burdensome expense, and delays to plaintiffs. The Vasu rule is applicable only when an insurer has acquired the right to recover for money it has advanced to pay for property damage, and the insured sues separately for personal injury. c. Related notes from class, first time around i. First case: Rush asks for property damages, and thus needs to prove the issue of the citys negligence (and does). Second case: Rush asks for personal injury damages arising from same set of operative facts (same accident) as in the first case. ii. Claim preclusion means that all claims arising out of one incident/transaction that could have been brought in an action, even if not brought, merge into the first judgment and cannot be brought again. This is why Rush cannot bring her related claim in a second suit. iii. Rushs argument that the issue of negligence was already res judicata was an attempt at issue preclusion because it was already decided in a previous suit. iv. Concurring judge justifies overturning Vasu by claiming that the relevant passages in that opinion were just dicta, not the case holding. Also, in this case, there was no insurer, so the Vasu rule was not relevant. d. Related notes from class, second time around i. Case #1: Rush v. City ii. Case #2: Rush v. City (same parties) iii. In second case, Rush tries to run issue preclusion against the city (liability already established). City tries to run claim preclusion against Rush (all claims Rush should have brought in first case are merged into the first judgment). iv. Both cases were brought in the same judicial system: intrajurisdictional preclusion.
The Local Train: Detailed Journey into Each Step of the Civil Action Personal Jurisdiction 1. Pennoyer v. Neff (traditional bases of PJ) 2. Hess v. Pawloski (undermining the bases established in Pennoyer) 3. International Shoe Co. v. Washington (minimum contacts standard) 4. Gray v. American Radiator (long-arm statutes) 5. McGee v. International Life Insurance Co. (optional squib jurisdiction trends & forums interest) 6. Hanson v. Denckla (optional squib unilateral activity) 7. World-Wide Volkswagen v. Woodson (two-part test) 8. Burger King v. Rudzewicz (two-part test) 9. Asahi Metal v. Superior Court (purposeful availment & stream of commerce) 10. Helicopteros Nacionales v. Hall (specific/general jurisdiction) 11. Snowney v. Harrahs Entertainment (the internet) 12. Harris v. Balk (property) 13. Shaffer v. Heitner (property) 14. Burnham v. Superior Court (physical presence) 15. Carnival Cruise Lines v. Shute (consent) Procedural Due Process 16. Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank (notice) 17. Jones v. Flowers (notice) 18. Goldberg v. Kelly (opportunity to be heard) 19. Mathews v. Eldridge (opportunity to be heard) 20. Fuentes v. Shevin (OTBH) 21. Mitchell v. W.T. Grant Co. (OTBH) 22. North Georgia Finishing v. Di-Chem (OTBH) 23. Connecticut v. Doehr (OTBH) Subject-Matter Jurisdiction 24. Mas v. Perry (diversity determining citizenship) 25. Arbaugh (diversity timing requirement) 26. AFA Tours v. Whitchurch (diversity amount in controversy) 27. Osborn v. Bank of the United States (federal question constitutional interpretation) 28. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co. v. Mottley (federal question plaintiffs claim only) 29. TB Harms Co. v. Eliscu (federal question Holmes test) 30. Smith v. Kansas City Title & Trust Co. (federal question exception to Holmes test) 31. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals v. Thompson (federal question private right of action) 32. Grable v. Darue (federal question 3-part test) 33. United Mine Workers v. Gibbs (supplemental jurisdiction nucleus of facts) 34. Aldinger v. Howard (supplemental 2 defendants) 35. Owen Equipment v. Kroger (supplemental complete diversity) 36. Finley v. United States (supplemental statutory authorization) 37. Exxon v. Allapattah/Ortega v. Star-Kist (supplemental amount in controversy) Venue and Transfer 38. Bates v. C&S Adjusters (venue) 39. Hoffman v. Blaski (transfer of venue) 40. Piper Aircraft v. Reyno (forum non conveniens) Ascertaining the Applicable Law 41. Swift v. Tyson 42. Erie RR Co. v. Tompkins 43. Stewart v. Ricoh Pleadings 44. Dioguardi v. Durning (pleading dismissals with 12(b)(6))
45. American Nurses Association v. Illinois (pleading dismissals with 12(b)(6)) 46. Beeck v. Aquaslide (pleading amendments, rule 15) 47. Worthington v. Wilson (pleading amendments, rule 15) 48. Zuk v. Eastern Penn. Psychiatric Institute (pleading truthful allegations, rule 11) Structure of the Case 49. Harris v. Avery (historical joinder of claims) 50. M.K. v. Tenet (permissive joinder, rule 18 and 20) 51. United States v. Heyward-Robinson (counterclaims, rule 13) 52. Lasa Per LIndustria v. Alexander (cross-claims, rule 13) 53. Bank of California v. Superior Court (joinder of necessary and indispensable parties, rule 19) 54. Too v. Kohls Department Stores (third-party impleader, rule 14) 55. Smuck v. Hobson (intervention, rule 24) 56. Falcon v. General Telephone (class actions, rule 23(a)) 57. Castano v. American Tobacco Co. (class actions, rule 23(b)) 58. Hansberry v. Lee (class actions, due process considerations) 59. Snyder/Zahn (not outlined class actions, subject matter jurisdiction) 60. Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Shutts (class actions, personal jurisdiction) Discovery 61. Cummings v. General Motors (initial disclosures, discovery sanctions) 62. Hickman v. Taylor (attorney work product) Summary Judgment 63. Lundeen v. Cordner (motion by plaintiff) 64. Cross v. United States (motion by plaintiff) 65. Adickes v. S.H. Kress (motion by defendant) 66. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett (motion by defendant) 67. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby Inc. 68. Matsushita Electric v. Zenith Radio Corp. Trial/Right to a Jury 69. Beacon Theatres v. Westover (which claim gets heard first, legal or equitable?) 70. Local 391 v. Terry (how do you know if a claim is legal or equitable) 71. Galloway v. United States (rule 50, directed verdict/j.n.o.v./judgment as a matter of law) 72. Unitherm Food Systems v. Swift-Eckrich (rule 50) 73. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. v. Yeatts (rule 59, new trial motion) How Do Cases End? Judgments: Remedies, Appeal, and Preclusion 74. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Wetzel (appeal- final judgment rule) 75. Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp. (appeal- collateral judgment rule) 76. Will v. Hallock (appeal- limiting the collateral order doctrine) 77. Mathews v. New York Racing Association (claim preclusion) 78. Federated Department Stores v. Moitie (claim preclusion) 79. Mitchell v. Federal Intermediate Credit Bank (claim preclusion/defense preclusion) 80. Linderman Machine Co. v. Hillenbrand (claim preclusion/defense preclusion) 81. Cromwell v. County of Sac (issue preclusion) 82. Russell v. Place (issue preclusion) 83. Rios v. Davis (issue preclusion) 84. Bernhard v. Bank of America (preclusion/mutuality) 85. Blonder-Tongue Laboratories v. University of Illinois (preclusion/mutuality) 86. Parklane Hosiery v. Shore (offensive non-mutual preclusion) 87. Cooper v. Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (preclusive effect of class action judgment) 88. Martin v. Wilks (binding non-parties) 89. Hooters of America v. Phillips (ADR/arbitration) 90. Morrison v. Circuit City Stores (ADR/arbitration)
another state; that would violate the sovereignty of the other state by allowing Oregon to reach in. iv. Difference between in rem and in personam proceedings: 1. In rem cases: the court determines the status of property. a. Example: a piece of propertys ownership needs to be determined, so the court wants the owner to come claim it. Anyone wanting to claim title is invited into the case. In these cases, constructive service (notice by publication) is sufficient in combination with seizure of the property in question. 2. In personam cases: court determines status/obligations of people in the state. a. Constructive service not sufficient in these cases. 3. Quasi-in-rem cases: an in personam case where property is used to recover damages. The property has to be taken at the outset because it is the basis of the jurisdiction; the jurisdiction extends only so far as the value of the property. The property value defines the boundaries of judgment. v. The Constitution states that each state must give full faith and credit to the judgments of other states. Thus if you get a judgment in one state and the defendant is in another state, you can take the judgment to that second state and have their courts execute on it (e.g. taking money from a bank account). This must be done even if the laws of the second state differ from those of the first state. vi. Glannon: This case was a landmark case because the Supreme Court asserted that, according to the due process clause of the 14th Amendment, fair procedure includes appropriate limits on the places where a defendant can be required to defend suit.
ii. In lower court, Washington State sues Shoe Co. (a Delaware corp. headquartered in
Missouri) to recover unpaid state unemployment tax. Notice of process is issued to an employee of the company in Washington. Shoe Co. resists personal jurisdiction by saying it was not doing business in WA and had no agent there. Lower state court, state supreme court, and U.S. Supreme Court all ruled in favor of Washington State. b. Personal jurisdiction i. Question: Does the state of Washington have personal jurisdiction over Shoe Co.? ii. Answer: Yes. Shoe Co.s operations establish sufficient contacts with the state to make it reasonable and just to permit the state to enforce the obligations which Shoe Co. has incurred there. iii. Reasoning: The court discusses various case precedents and then lays out a twopronged test to determine whether or not a defendant can be brought under personal jurisdiction according to the due process clause. 1. The defendant must have certain minimum contacts with the forum territory. a. There exists a spectrum of contacts ranging from single or isolated to continuous and systematic. There is no jurisdiction resulting from the former, but there is from the latter (general jurisdiction). When the contacts fall somewhere in between, jurisdiction can only be exercised over causes of action stemming from the particular contact in question (specific jurisdiction). b. The contacts in a particular case must be evaluated based on the facts of the case (the quality and nature of the activity) a legal realist approach. 2. The maintenance of the suit must not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice. a. An estimate of the inconveniences is relevant. Underlying this test is a contract-based theory implying that, in return for a corporations enjoyment of the benefits and protections of the laws of a state while it is conducting business there, it must be held to any obligations that arise out of those business activities. iv. Influence of case precedents: 1. Pennoyer: Presence within territory used to be the rule for whether or not personal jurisdiction could be exercised. a. But with a corporation, unlike an individual, its presence in the state can only be manifested by activities carried on in its behalf by those who are authorized to act for it. 2. Hess: Some acts committed in a state by an out-of-state entity may be deemed sufficient to render the entity liable to suit in that state. v. In this case: Shoe Co.s activities were systematic and continuous; thus they establish sufficient contacts. During their business activities they received the benefits and protection of the laws of Washington State; thus it is fair and just to permit the state to enforce obligations they have incurred. c. Related notes from class i. This case represents a move away from a rule-based system such as that in Pennoyer (a state court has jurisdiction over people and property in the state, and no jurisdiction over people and property not in the state). Hess already demonstrated that change was occurring: the court attempted to deal with the rise of interstate lawsuits. ii. Now, the court in this case reads into the 14th Amendment, making essential the territorial connection to the forum state in order for due process to be satisfied. It becomes the third component of due process, along with notice of suit and the
opportunity to be heard. As a result, a set of criteria has to be created to determine what exactly constitutes a territorial connection. Now we have a standard-based system instead of a rule-based system. It is more flexible and subject to argument over when the standard applies. iii. Thus, this case also represents a move away from a focus on the law and toward a focus on facts (a legal realist approach). In Shoe, like Lavender (same time period), the case contains many facts that figure into the courts decision regarding the application of the standard.
5. Personal Jurisdiction Trends & Forum States Interest: McGee v. International Life Insurance, 1957
(Optional Squib) a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. CA state court, then TX state court) ii. Had to do with enforcing a life insurance policy made by an AZ corporation to a policyholder in CA. CA ruled that foreign corporations could be sued in CA for insurance contracts with in-state residents. Plaintiff tried to get this enforced in TX; TX court said CA judgment void under 14th Amendment. Supreme Court upheld the CA decision. b. Personal Jurisdiction Important things that other cases cite i. Trends: With increased nationalization of commerce, there are more interstate business transactions. A trend has thus developed toward expanding the scope of state jurisdiction over foreign corporations and non-residents. ii. Forum states interest: A state has a manifest interest in providing effective means of redress for its residents when foreign entities injure them. This is often mentioned as an other factor that supplements the minimum contacts test of PJ. c. Related notes from class i. This case and Hanson came out different ways, causing the Court to put the issue of PJ on hold until 1980 (World Wide Volkswagen).
ii. Answer: Yes. Defendants have no contacts, ties, or relations with the State of
Oklahoma, so the state cannot exercise jurisdiction over them.
iii. Reasoning: The court mostly bases their decision on the Shoe minimum contacts
test (whose precedents they summarize nicely). However, we see the beginnings of a two-part test also taking into account other factors regarding traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice. 1. This second prong of the test relates to the reasonableness of the relationship between the defendant and forum. The court asserts that there are no affiliating circumstances that would allow the defendant to pass the minimum contacts test because they conduct and solicit no business in the state. In terms of other factors, the court also clarifies the foreseeability benchmark, saying that the only foreseeability that matters is whether or not the defendants conduct and connection with the forum state would cause him to reasonably anticipate being sued there (which is a circular argument since this judgment itself is what is determining whether he can anticipate being sued there). The court refers as well to the purposeful availment factor brought up by Hanson, saying that their intent allows defendants to anticipate lawsuits in various areas, while the unilateral activity of the plaintiffs is not enough to cause defendants anticipation. iv. Dissent: The dissent considers the other factors more important than does the majority opinion; it says the Shoe standard of just minimum contacts is antiquated. It places great weight on the forum states interest in litigating certain suits and the burdens on the defendant (especially regarding mobility of his defense). These other factors sometimes allow suits to potentially go forth in more than one state. c. Related notes from class i. See discussion (not explicitly related to this case) about considerations states make when deciding to enact a broad or narrow long-arm statute. ii. The plaintiffs here want to sue in state court because they think the local jury will be more sympathetic to plaintiffs. The defendants (for the same reason) want to move to federal court, but because plaintiffs have included Seaway and WW, there is not complete diversity of citizenship so federal court does not have SMJ. iii. The two-part test taking shape is (1) minimum contacts, and (2) other factors of fairness and justice. In this case, that second prong combines foreseeability with intention (purposeful availment)intention to create minimum contacts by doing business in OK or even putting cars into the stream of commerce with the intention of them getting to OK. The consumer moving the product by his own accord outside the place the retailer sold it does not count.
course of business that he might be subject to suit there, and has failed to demonstrate how jurisdiction there would be fundamentally unfair. Thus jurisdiction in FL does not violate due process. iii. Reasoning: The court discusses the two-part test begun in World-Wide more explicitly. (This opinion was written by the author of the World-Wide dissent.) Once it has been decided that a defendant purposefully established minimum contacts within the forum state, these contacts may be considered in light of other factors to determine whether the assertion of PJ would comport with fair play and substantial justice. These considerations sometimes serve to establish the reasonableness of jurisdiction upon a lesser showing of minimum contacts than would otherwise be required. 1. Examples of other factors: The burden on the defendant; the forum states interest in adjudicating the dispute; the plaintiffs interest in obtaining convenient and effective relief; the interstate judicial systems interest in obtaining most efficient resolution; shared interest of furthering social policy. 2. This case also counts as a factor the fact that defendant knew he could potentially be held liable in FL. Thus the two-part test: his deliberate affiliation with the forum state and the reasonable foreseeability of possible litigation there Note that the minimum contacts test is further narrowed down by limiting it to only those contacts created deliberately by the defendant, or that represent continuing obligations on the part of the defendant, leading him to receive the benefits and protections of doing business in the state. Also, the court reaffirms the importance of examining the specific facts of each case rather than utilizing any talismanic jurisdictional formulas. iv. Dissent: The dissent argues that there is unfairness in submitting the defendant to FLs jurisdiction. Defendant was primarily dealing with the MI office, not the FL headquarters; thus he had no reason to anticipate litigation in FL. c. Related notes from class i. Note the difference between choice-of-law provisions and jurisdictional provisions. Just because FL law can be applied to the case does not mean it has to be tried in FL; MI courts could apply FL law as well. However, it remains true that the facts of the case associate it with FL. ii. Note as well that the rule the majority establishes (use other factors to help plaintiff bring defendant into court when minimum contacts are minimal; force a defendant to show other factors when contesting jurisdiction if minimum contacts are great) cuts both ways in favor of the plaintiff. Justice Brennan was extremely liberal and wanted to help the little guy. iii. We have now moved from the Shoe minimum contacts test to a complex two-part test in which the two parts have a complicated relationship and the second part includes many factors.
jurisdiction in California. After many reversals, Supreme Court ruled in Asahis favor. b. Personal jurisdiction i. Question: Does the mere awareness on the part of a foreign defendant that the component it manufactured, sold, and delivered outside the U.S. would reach the forum state in the stream of commerce constitute minimum contacts between the defendant and the forum state such that the exercise of jurisdiction does not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice? ii. Answer: (no majority opinion) No. All justices agree that the fairness requirement is not met, and that this requirement can defeat personal jurisdiction even if minimum contacts may or may not be present. Regarding minimum contacts, two interpretations are offered, and the debate is not resolved. iii. Minimum contacts issue stream-of commerce standard (introduced in World Wide) has two interpretations 1. Some courts allow an exercise of PJ to be based on no more than the defendants act of placing the product in the stream of commerce. These courts have held that mere foreseeability or awareness is a constitutionally sufficient basis for PJ. This is a more liberal interpretation (Brennan). 2. Other courts require the action of the defendant to be more purposefully directed at the forum state than the mere act of placing a product in the stream of commerce. These courts require something more than awareness of the products entry into the forum state through the stream of commerce. This is a more conservative (narrower) interpretation. 3. The Supreme Court in this case is split on the issue. iv. Fairness issue other factors 1. All agree that the other factors are not present. The burden on the defendant is severe (foreign legal system); California has little interest in deciding the matter c. Related notes from class i. Even if Cheng Shin got a judgment against Asahi in California, it would be difficult to execute in Japan. Japanese courts might re-try the personal jurisdiction issue. ii. Which of the two interpretations of stream-of-commerce best fits with globalization? iii. Think of the two purposes of Due Process. One is to control each state within a federal system. The other is to defend the individuals right not to be dragged into court in a faraway state. This second right can be waived, but then are you also waiving federalism?
10. Personal Jurisdiction Specific vs. General: Helicopteros Nacionales v. Hall, 1984
a. Case overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Texas state courts) ii. A helicopter owned by Helicol crashed in Peru with Americans on board. Their families sue Helicol (and others) in Texas. Helicol argues against PJ, saying that there is not enough to sustain a suit in Texas. (Helicol bought helicopters from a Texas company, trained pilots there, and attended meetings there.) After many reversals, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Helicol (no PJ). b. Personal jurisdiction i. Question: Is personal jurisdiction justified when the cause of action against a corporation does not arise out of, or is not related to, the corporations contacts with the forum state?
ii. No. If a cause of action does not arise out of, or is not related to, the defendants contacts with the forum state, general jurisdiction is not warranted. iii. Reasoning: The majority does not consider specific jurisdiction possible in this case because they do not consider the claim to arise out of Helicols contacts with Texas. They do not consider Helicols activities in Texas to be continuous and systematic general business contacts. They decide that the purchases and related trips are not enough to warrant PJ over Helicol because the cause of action was unrelated. iv. Dissent: Brennan argues that there are both general and specific jurisdiction over Helicol in this case. He argues that Helicol has purposefully availed itself of the forum, and that there is a direct relationship between the cause of action and Helicols contacts with the forum. Additionally, he argues that Helicols contacts with Texas are continuous commercial contacts and justify general jurisdiction. 1. He distinguishes between arising out of and related to, arguing that the related to standard (which is broader) is applicable here. c. Related notes from class i. Is cause of action related to defendants contacts with forum? If yes, you can get specific jurisdiction. If no, you need general jurisdiction. To get general jurisdiction, there must be many continuous contacts with the forum. A resident of a certain state has such strong contacts with it that they can be sued there for any reason. If sufficient contacts do not exist, you can get specific jurisdiction if the cause of action relates to the few contacts that do exist. ii. In this case, they try to link a tort suit to a business transaction. It might not meet the narrow arising out of standard, but it may meet the broader related to standard. iii. Which has a better case for being heard in the U.S., Hall or Asahi?
a. The courts understanding of this concept: Purposeful availment exists whenever the defendant purposefully and voluntarily directs its activities toward the forum state in an effort to obtain a benefit from that state. It may exist even though the defendant did not invoke the legal protections of the forum state. 2. Relatedness The controversy is related to/arises out of defendants contacts with California. The court uses a substantial connection test and finds that there is a substantial connection because the injury relates directly to the content of defendants advertising in the state. 3. Fairness Defendants do not contend that the exercise of PJ wouldnt be fair. c. Related notes from class i. A class action suit like this is good because it prevents a large company from getting away with taking a little bit of money from a lot of different people. Class action suits are the private sector doing the governments regulatory job (more efficiently). ii. The internet issue is still being played out. It is hard to know with the internet where the injuries are occurring.
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Delaware state courts) ii. Heitner, a Greyhound shareholder, sued Greyhound executives in a shareholder derivatives suit on behalf of the corporation (see notes for more info about this process). He sues them for engaging in business practices that have decreased the value of Greyhound stock (thru lawsuits). He sues them in Delaware even though the company is run in Arizona and the business practices took place in Oregon (but the corporation is incorporated in Delaware). Greyhound contests PJ. Delaware courts agree that there is PJ, but Supreme Court reverses and says that there is not. b. Personal jurisdiction i. Question: (a) Is the standard used to evaluate personal jurisdiction in quasi in rem cases still valid? (b) Does the state where a corporation is incorporated have jurisdiction in a quasi in rem case where the corporations stock is the property attached? ii. Answer: (b) No. All assertions of state-court jurisdiction must now be evaluated according to the Shoe minimum contacts standard. (b) Not when the defendants connections with the state do not meet the minimum contacts standard (even if property within the state has been attached). iii. Note: The new standard will only affect quasi in rem proceedings. With in rem proceedings, the property located in the state will in itself create minimum contacts because it is the very subject of the litigation. iv. Reasoning: (a) The standard needs to be re-evaluated because, unlike with in personam cases, in rem standards have not evolved to accommodate notions of fair play and substantial justice. After all, in rem cases affect not things, but peoples interest in those things. To get jurisdiction over people, Due Process must be satisfied. (b) The property is not the subject matter of the litigation, and the underlying cause of action is not related to the property either. The forum state has no interest in this case (if it did, its statutes would reflect that interest). The forum is not fair for the defendant, who has had nothing to do with the state of Delaware. v. Concurring: Stevens notes that if the court does not decide this way, anyone who owns stock in a company incorporated in Delaware will be subject to suit there, and that is not reasonable. vi. Dissent: The decision may be too broad; the issue is not yet ready for decision because it has not yet passed through state courts. There are not enough facts to justify deciding whether minimum contacts exist in this case. c. Related notes from class i. There are many layers of legal fiction at work here: (1) There is such a thing as stock. (2) The stock physically exists in the state of Delaware. (This is a fiction created by a Delaware law.) (3) The stock can be seized by the court. ii. Notes about quasi in rem Now the same basis is used for personal jurisdiction for quasi in rem and in personam cases (minimum contacts). For quasi in rem, the property itself cant be the minimum contact if theres no connection between the property and the cause of action. iii. Now, property alone is not enough to create jurisdiction in a quasi in rem case, although it is still necessary. Why require having property in the state when jurisdiction can be created through minimum contacts anyway? Quasi in rem is used in part to guarantee that there will be an asset remaining at the end of the case that will be able to satisfy a judgment for plaintiff. It can be useful when the defendants
whereabouts are unknown (though you can still get in personam jurisdiction over him in this case). Also, it is more vindictive to use this method. iv. *The effect of this decision is to NARROW the states reach of personal jurisdiction. This is the OPPOSITE of what the minimum contacts standard did for in personam cases.
The two positions are important in the abortion debate tradition (abortion laws existed when 14th Amendment was enacted) vs. fairness (evolving contemporary conceptions of due process)
16. Procedural Due Process Notice: Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank, 1950
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. NY state courts) ii. In NY supreme court (lower court), bank sues for judicial settlement of accounts (asking to be released from liability so no one can sue them later on for mismanagement). Mullane is appointed to represent the beneficiaries of the trust. He argues that the notice given to the beneficiaries was insufficient (it was published in the local paper). The lower court finds in favor of the bank, Supreme Court reverses, saying that notice was insufficient. b. Notice i. Question: Is it constitutionally sufficient to give notice by publication in a local paper to beneficiaries on judicial settlement of accounts by the trustee of a common trust fund established by the N.Y. Banking Law?
viii. Should you be able to consent to giving up your rights to notice/OTBH the way you can consent to PJ? In the criminal system, this can happen, with plea bargains although this is not done in advance of any crime being committed so not the same.
iii. Reasoning: The state must give you due process before depriving you of life, liberty, or property. Welfare can be considered property and thus due process is required. We must not deprive someone of their means of survival without OTBH. The interest of the eligible recipient in uninterrupted receipt of public assistance, coupled with the states interest that his payments not be erroneously terminated, clearly outweighs the states competing concern to prevent any increase in its fiscal and administrative burdens. The hearing should have minimum procedural safeguards adapted to the particular characteristics of welfare recipients. They must be able to confront adverse witnesses and present their cases orally. iv. Dissent: The increased number of hearings is too burdensome on the government and imposes a huge expense. It is unfair to the government to allow those who draw undeserved payments to keep collecting them during the hearing process knowing that the government can never recoup this money. Moreover, welfare should not even be considered property for the sake of due process, especially when unfairly gotten. There is no precedent for the courts decision in this case. c. Related notes from class i. Key question: Is the government depriving welfare recipients of their property? Is welfare their property? The Court says yes here. ii. A lot of due process is given to welfare recipients, but the courts say that more of it should happen before termination of benefits. iii. This case is unusual because the Court is actually prescribing a form for the hearings. iv. *The Court is telling us how to read the due process clause, saying that it varies by context. Two things must be weighed: 1. The interests of the welfare recipientthe value of the necessities they receive (enormous value placed on this even though government has no obligation to provide welfare in the first placeno constitutional basis. You cant force the government to help you, but you can force it to not stop helping you, once its started, without due process) 2. The interests of the governmentincreased costs (new system would increase number of hearings, and also with hearings afterward the government would no longer get to stop paying benefits as early) (Although on this side you can also claim that the govt has an interest in protecting its citizens)
1. The private interest that will be affected by the official action. 2. The risk of an erroneous deprivation of such interest through the procedures used, and the probably value (if any) of substitute/additional procedural safeguards 3. The governments interest, including the function involved and the fiscal burdens that additional/substitute procedures would entail. iv. Factor #1: The situation is different from Goldberg because the financial need of social security recipients is less than that of welfare recipients. Even though there would be financial hardship if benefits were wrongfully terminated, it would not be as serious. v. Factor #2: There is a lower risk of error in the existing procedures here than in Goldberg because the test is more objective (medical assessment). A pre-termination hearing would not greatly decrease this risk. vi. Factor #3: There would be a huge cost on the government because of increased hearings and the expense of providing benefits to ineligible recipients pending decision. c. Related notes from class i. This case comes out oppositely from Goldberg because the Court does not use the same test. Here factor #2 (the accuracy lens) is a new consideration. This threepart test is the state of the law today for due process. However, it is problematic in that it is difficult to tell what the current accuracy of a procedure is and whether the results would change with an additional/substitute procedurespeculative. ii. The three-part test is a combination of normative factors (the value of OTBH) and consequential factors (will a new procedure turn out better than the current one?). iii. What if the current procedure were right 100% of the time? Would there still be a need for OTBH?
exceptions. (e.g. seizure is directly necessary to secure governmental or public interest; state has strict control over its monopoly of legitimate force) Also, the appellants have not waived their rights to an OTBH by signing sales contracts. iv. Dissent: The creditors, not just the debtors, have an interest in this property. Also, this opinion proposes no real change because in the future, creditors can just include a clause in their contracts waiving debtors OTBH. c. Related notes from class i. Here, the property seized is itself the subject of the lawsuit (contrast with Doehr). ii. Why attach this property at the outset? To make sure defendant doesnt sell them, to prevent defendant from being judgment proof? *Possibly but only because the defendant is poor. To get property back in the best condition they can? No, judgment could be adjusted to account for that. Actually, plaintiff wants to be able to use the property for the purposes they desire re-leasing it to someone else. Yet the defendant also wants to use it. The plaintiff has the advantage under the FL/PA laws, even though both have an interest in the property.
21. Procedural Due Process OTBH: Mitchell v. W.T. Grant Co., 1974
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Louisiana state court) ii. A creditor made an installment sale of the goods to petitioner, then filed an affidavit of delinquency. A state trial judge in Louisiana ordered the sequestration of the property. Petitioner challenged laws constitutionality, but Supreme Court upheld law. b. Opportunity to be heard i. Question: Did the sequestration violate the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment because it was ordered ex parte, without prior notice or opportunity for a hearing? ii. Answer: No. The Louisiana standards regulating the use of the writ of sequestration are constitutional. iii. Reasoning: Both seller and buyer had current, real interests in the property. Resolution of the due process question must take into account the interests of the seller (not just buyer) of property. The writ is only issued when the claim is made based on specific facts. This case is different from Fuentes because in that case, the fault standard for replevin was too complex for ex parte determination (it was subject to factual determination and adversarial input). Here, though, the facts relevant to obtaining a writ of sequestration are narrowly confinedthus far less danger of a mistaken seizure. An adversary hearing before the seizure has less utility and anyway it is available immediately after the seizure. c. Related notes from class i. How is this case different from Fuentes? 1. Specific facts have to be shown (accounting records, original contract) though in FL it was not so different, just oral vs. written, but still here we have a one-sided set of facts. 2. Difference analogous to Goldberg (welfare) vs. Mathews (SS) the accuracy issue, process believed to be more accurate when the matter revolves around specific facts that can be documented 3. Tort case vs. contract case (see reason #2) 4. Different Supreme Court justices, different interpretations?
22. Procedural Due Process OTBH: North Georgia Finishing v. Di-Chem, 1975
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Georgia state courts) ii. Consideration of the issue of wage garnishment. b. Opportunity to be heard i. Question: Do provisions surrounding garnishment in the state of Georgia satisfy the Due Process Clause? ii. Answer: No. These provisions do not satisfy due process. iii. Reasoning: The Georgia statute is vulnerable for the same reasons as the one in Fuentes. No notice or opportunity for a hearing. The statute is saved by none of the reasons in Mitchell. The bond provision is not helpful. The probability of irreparable injury when bank accounts are seized is sufficiently great so that some procedures are necessary to guard against the risk of initial error.
v. Concurrence: The Court breaks new ground here in its concept of what is protected by
the Due Process clause. Also, the discussion of bonds is hypothetical here, and unnecessary. c. Related notes from class i. Connecticut law allows DiGiovanni to attach Doehrs property just on the basis of an affidavit saying plaintiff thinks he can win the suit. No evidence required that Doehr will try to alienate property. 1. Connecticut could save its statute by requiring that plaintiff show probable cause that defendant is going to dispose of property before its attached. ii. Discussion of probable cause in the criminal context (search warrants). If in civil suits, the one-sided story is not enough to allow a judge to authorize attachment/seizure of property, why is it enough in criminal cases? Lack of alternatives that would allow criminal laws to be enforced; time interest; greater public interest iii. Bond issue. In some states, plaintiff posts bond to get property attached. Reason: if later shown that attachment was wrongful (not if plaintiff loses case, thats different), defendant can get damages out of the bond. Money as a substitute for due process. No clear answer on whether its to prevent plaintiffs from making spurious claims or in order to satisfy damages to defendants that could arise from attachment. iv. Message in this case is not that you cant attach property, but that Connecticut didnt do it the right way. v. Sometimes the governments interest in having one-sided hearing is so strong that it overrides due process rights. Examples of such circumstances: 1. Worried that giving notice will allow defendant to dispose of property before attachment (fear that plaintiff wont be able to collect if he wins) 2. Courts jurisdiction (Pennoyer) This provision is making sure that the legal system can workmaking sure that judgment is not meaningless. Fear of consequences of not grabbing property.
Until she acquires a new domicile, she remains a domiciliary and thus a citizen of Mississippi. The result of this decision is desirable because the claims of the two people arise from the same operative facts (judicial efficiency argument). c. Related notes from class i. This case arises under state law. The basis of the federal SMJ claimed is diversity of citizenship. ii. Mrs. Mas citizenship is what is important here because if its found that shes from LA, theres not complete diversity. The court chooses the last place she was domiciled. Using residence might be easier, but thats not what the court does. iii. Why do we have diversity jurisdiction at all? We want to protect out-of-staters from state home courts (PJ moves you to the state court where you can get defendant his home state court. Why are we worried why might out-of-state litigants have a better chance in federal court? 1. Federal courts have a wider jury pool (though from same state) 2. Judge could be more fair (not locally elected, but federally appointed) 3. Federal court may have lower caseload 4. Theory that out-of-staters dont have the opportunity to improve the state court (through tax etc.) iv. The law applied to the outcome of the case will be the same in both courts the state law is applied by the federal court (except in cases arising under federal law, in which case diversity is not necessary to prove the case belongs in federal court) v. If this system is designed to protect the out-of-stater, and if the defendant in a case is the out-of-stater, shouldnt the defendant choose which court? (They can move to remove from state to federal court) vi. Rule 12(b) puts forth various kinds of motions to dismiss. Rule 12(g) and (h) set forth the timing requirements for those motions. Some are waived if not brought at beginning, but SMJ can always be brought up. 25. Arbaugh a. Case important only because of the timing requirements for different kinds of motions to dismiss under Rule 12.
iv. Reasoning: The amount of damages recoverable in an action for misappropriation of trade secrets may be measured either by the plaintiffs losses or by the profits unjustly received by the defendant. If punitive damages are permitted under the controlling law, the demand for such damages may be included. Where the plaintiff seeks injunctive relief, the value of his claim is generally assessed with reference to the right he seeks to protect and measured by the extent of the impairment to be prevented by the injunction. The court may look at past losses and also potential harm. Here, AFA was not afforded a proper opportunity to make an evidentiary showing in support of its claim for damages over $50,000. despite this, there was evidence in the record to suggest that the court could not conclusively rule against damages in excess of $50,000. c. Related notes from class i. The complaint isnt the stopping point for determining whether damages might exceed $50,000 the plaintiff could be making it up to create SMJ. Have to police the plaintiff. Assume all allegations are true, and see if damages exceed the minimum requirement. The burden of proof of SMJ is on the person invoking SMJ, but it ends up falling on the defendant to show that plaintiffs claims are exaggerated. In doing so, the defendant may be helped by state statute caps on damages in certain kinds of cases.
27. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Federal Question (Constitutional): Osborn v. Bank of the U.S., 1824
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Ohio federal court) ii. Bank of the United States sued Osborn (state auditor of Ohio) in federal court to stop him from collecting a tax the Bank alleged to be unconstitutional. The court ordered Osborn (state officials) to return money that they took, and officials appealed on the basis of no SMJ. Supreme Court said that there was SMJ (a federal issue). b. Federal question constitutional interpretation (pre-Section 1331) i. Question: Was there a federal question in this case? ii. Answer: Yes. Article III grants federal-question jurisdiction to all cases to which the bank (and thus the U.S. government) is a party. iii. Reasoning: The issue of whether the bank can sue in any particular case (not in general) is renewed with every case (an original ingredient in every case), and it depends on a federal law. 1. This is a broad conception of arising under jurisdiction: Congress may confer on the federal courts jurisdiction over any case or controversy that might call for the application of federal law. c. Related notes from class i. We studied this case after Mottley. We said that Mottley answered the first point, which was to look at the face of the complaint. This case speaks to the second question: when looking at the face of a complaint, what do we look for? This is one of those cases where one party is the federal government, and we ask if that automatically allows the case to be heard in federal court. Generally, when the U.S. govt. sues or is sued, you can assume that it will end up in federal court. d. Glannon i. This case represents the Courts expansive view of the arising under language in Article III (not statutory section 1331). Their approach here is the federal ingredient approach. For federal law to be an ingredient of a case, one of the parties in the case would have to rely on federal law to establish either a claim or a defense in the lawsuit, or at least raise a federal issue in proving the case.
28. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Federal Question (Plaintiffs Claim): Louisville & Nashville Railroad
Co. v. Mottley, 1908 a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Kentucky federal circuit court) ii. Mottley was injured in a railroad accident thirty years ago, and in their with the railroad company, the co. agreed to give Mottley free rail passes for life. More recently, Congress passed a law forbidding the giving of free passes. Mottley sued the railroad co. for failing to renew their passes. The case went to the Supreme Court on its merits, but it was there dismissed for lack of SMJ. b. Federal question plaintiffs claim only i. Question: Was there federal-question SMJ in this case? ii. Answer: No. The plaintiffs complaint, stating his cause of action, does not arise under federal law. iii. Reasoning: A case raising a federal defense, but no federal claim, cannot be brought in federal district court and is not a sufficient foundation for federal jurisdiction. Arguments using a federal law in an anticipated defense are not grounds for federal jurisdiction because an official defense in a lawsuit in not known until the defendant files their answer. c. Related notes from class i. We studied this case first in our discussion of the federal-question issue. ii. Even though the Court would have to interpret a federal law in this case, it found that there was no SMJ because the plaintiffs cause of action did not arise under federal law. This establishes the rule that you should only look at the face of the complaint. iii. Reason for this: if you open up the anticipated defense possibility, you would probably end up with cases not involving federal law in the federal courts (if plaintiff anticipates a defense that the defendant himself does not raise). iv. An alternative: the court could just wait for the answer and see if the federal question is raised v. Why do the Mottleys want to be in federal court? Federal judge might interpret the law in a way different from a state judge; thought it would be more efficient to start in federal court if it would end up in the Supreme Court anyway vi. Why does the Supreme Court adopt an inefficient rule? They err on the side of narrowing federal-question jurisdiction in order to avoid stepping on the states toes. vii. Why have federal courts decide federal-question cases? Uniformity and efficiency. Federal court is concerned with its caseload; federal judges might achieve more uniformity because they understand federal law better than state judges; federal judges might interpret more consistently because they have the national (not local) interest at heart; judges all appointed by Congress (though administrations change); the 13 districts might get better uniformity than the 50 states 1. Counter-argument: you would never get 50 different interpretations of a law; usually just 2-5 so you would get a split in federal courts too. The arguments about the federal judges frame of mind are better arguments. d. Glannon i. This case is asking whether the broad view given to the arising under language of the Constitution extends to Congressional statutory arising under language. It does not. The court holds that section 1331 only applies if the plaintiffs claim requires proof of federal law. The plaintiff himself must assert a cause of action arising under federal law. In this case, cause of action was breach of contract, a state law action. This case would have come out differently if the Court had interpreted the statute
(now 1331) as broadly as it interpreted Article III. Also, it was not enough that plaintiff referred to federal law in complaintthe law has to be necessary to the case, and it wasnt here.
29. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Federal Question (Holmes Test): TB Harms Co. v. Eliscu, 1964
a. Overview i. U.S. Court of Appeals (orig. New York federal district court) ii. Complicated case that basically involved people who copyrighted songs making contracts with each other; the suit was essentially a breach of contract case. The appeals court found that there was no SMJ because the cause of action did not actually arise under the federal copyright law. b. Federal question Holmes Test i. Question: Did the court have federal-question jurisdiction in this case? ii. Answer: No. The action did not arise under the federal Copyright Act. iii. Reasoning: The complaint would only arise under the Copyright Act if it alleged any act of threat or copyright infringement, but it did not do so. There was no national interest or federal significance to this case. The court here applies the Holmes Test: a suit arises under the law that creates the cause of action. This case does not meet the Holmes Test. c. Related notes from class i. This is a case that looks like a federal question (referring to the Copyright Act) but is actually not. It is actually a breach of contract case. d. Glannon i. The Holmes Test finds jurisdiction under section n1331 if the source of the plaintiffs enforceable legal right against the defendant is federal law.
30. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Federal Question (Holmes Test): Smith v. Kansas City Title & Trust Co.,
1921 a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Missouri? federal court) ii. A shareholder sued to enjoin the Trust Company from investing in federal bonds on the ground that the Act of Congress authorizing their issuance was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court held that there was SMJ- the action arose under federal law. b. Federal question Holmes Test i. Question: Did the federal court have federal-question jurisdiction in this case? ii. Answer: Yes. The action arose under federal law. iii. Reasoning: The general rule is that where it appears from the bill or statement of the plaintiff that the right to relief depends upon the construction or application of the Constitution or federal laws, and that such federal claim is not merely colorable, and rests upon a reasonable foundation, federal court has jurisdiction. c. Related notes from class i. The federal court has jurisdiction if the case requires the court necessarily to decide a question of federal law. Just because the cause of action arises under state law, that does not mean that the case cannot be heard by federal court. d. Glannon i. Federal courts have upheld arising-under jurisdiction where federal law does not create the right to sue, but the plaintiff, in order to establish her state law claim, must prove a proposition of federal law. The claim in this case does not satisfy the Holmes Test: the claim was a state law claim. But the plaintiffs could not prove this state law claim without establishing a proposition of federal law. The federal issue was
embedded in the state law claim and essential to its resolution. This case thus represents an exception to the Holmes Test that is still a viable basis for finding jurisdiction under section 1331. This test was later reaffirmed in Grable.
31. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Federal Question (Private Right of Action): Merrell Dow
Pharmaceuticals v. Thompson, 1986 a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Ohio state courts) ii. Thompsons (Canadian) and McTavishes (Scottish) sued pharmaceutical company (Ohio) for causing birth defects with a certain drug (tort negligence claim). Plaintiffs alleged as part of claim that the drug was misbranded in violation of the FDCA (a federal law). Defendant applied for removal; the case was removed to federal court. Supreme Court found that federal court had no jurisdiction. b. Federal question private right of action i. Question: Did the federal court have federal-question jurisdiction in this case? ii. Answer: No. The FDCA does not create or imply a private right of action arising under federal law; the plaintiffs right to relief does not depend necessarily on this law. iii. Reasoning: There are two kinds of federal question cases: 1. Federal law creates the cause of action 2. The vindication of a right under state law necessarily turns on some construction of federal law (Holmes Test) This case would have to fall under the second kind, because the cause of action does not arise under federal law (tort negligence claim). There is no federal cause of action for FDCA violationsCongress did not intend a private federal remedy for violations of this statute. It would undermine congressional intent to allow federal courts to provide remedies for violation of that statute just because the violation of the statute is said to be a proximate cause under state law rather than a federal action under federal law. Also, the mere presence of a federal issue in a state cause of action does not automatically confer FQ jurisdiction; the presence of a claimed violation of this statute as an element of a state cause of action is insufficiently substantial. iv. Dissent: Smith is still valid. There is indeed a need for determining a federal question in this case. The decision not to provide a private federal remedy should not affect federal jurisdiction unless the reasons Congress withholds a federal remedy are also reasons for withholding federal jurisdiction. (They are not.) 1. Brennan and the liberals wanted to expand access to the federal courts because of civil rightseven though it required them to take the corporations side in this case. c. Related notes from class i. This case is one of those cases that looks like a state law claim but is actually a federal law claim. ii. Removal: You can remove anything to federal court that could have been brought there in the first place except that diversity cases cannot be removed by an in-state defendant. Note: theres no such thing as removing a case from federal court to state court; this is a one-way street. iii. Why do the foreigners want to be in state court and the local company wants to be in federal court? Plaintiffs may think they can get a bigger award in state court. The federal court might not let the case go to the jury procedural rules are different. At summary judgment you might get a federal judge more likely to rule in favor of the
drug company, or the federal rules of evidence/summary judgment might be stricter than in state court. iv. The duty and breach requirements of a negligence claim are proven automatically if you show that defendant has violated a statute (negligence per se). Plaintiff points to a federal law (FDCA) as the statute the pharmaceutical co. has broken. The court will have to interpret a federal law, even though the case does not arise under it. But the rule here is complex. They look at whether there is a private cause of action. v. What does it mean to have a private cause of action under the FDCA? That as a private individual you can sue in court for violation of the act. But this is not given by Congress. It was intended to be enforced by the government. Where the law says nothing, sometimes the Supreme Court can find an implied right to sue (4-part test). Here there is not found to be an implied right to sue. The Court collapses this into the jurisdictional argument. vi. Here, under the Holmes Test, the decision of the federal question is not necessary to prove the plaintiffs claim. The federal question is not substantial enough. d. Glannon i. Before this case we knew: 1. Jurisdiction under the arising-under statute must be based on the plaintiffs claim. 2. A case will arise under federal law if it satisfies the Holmes Test (federal law creates the underlying substantive right plaintiff seeks to enforce and authorizes plaintiffs to go to court for a remedy). 3. Smith: a state cause of action can suffice if proof of that cause of action requires proof of a proposition of federal law substantially (exception to Holmes Test). ii. Here, federal law creates a substantive right but does not (expressly) authorize plaintiffs to sue for violation of that right. The court must decide whether there is an implied private right of action; the inquiry involves a search for congressional intent. The court does not find it here. iii. The complaint here alleged a state cause of action (negligence) but asserted that plaintiffs could prove this by showing a violation of federal statute. In this sense, the case resembles Smith and Grable. But here there is a twist: Congress did not intend to create an implied right to sue for damages for violation of FDCA. iv. This case can be viewed as a sensitive application of the Smith exception to Holmes.
32. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Federal Question (3-Part Test): Grable v. Darue, 2005
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Michigan state court, removed to MI federal court) ii. Grables property was seized because of a tax delinquency. The govt sold the land to Darue. Years later, Grable sued Darue in state court to get title of the land back (statelaw claim), challenging the form of notice he was given. Darue removed the case to federal court because it presented the federal question of the notice statute in the tax law. All lower and higher courts found that there was FQJ over the case. b. Federal question i. Question: A) Was there federal-question jurisdiction in this case? B)Does Merrell Dow always require a federal cause of action as a condition for exercising FQJ? ii. Answer: A) Yes. B) No. iii. New rule of law: A three-part test. There is FQJ if: 1. the state-law claim necessarily raises a federal issue.
2. the federal issue is disputed and substantial. 3. the federal forum may entertain the case without disturbing any
congressionally approved balance of federal and state judicial responsibilities. c. Related notes from class i. Note the factual similarities to Pennoyer. ii. This case makes sense of Merrell Dow: in that case, the federal question wasnt necessary to adjudicate; the federal question was not of substantial nature (the regulatory regime leaves enforcement to FDA, so private litigation less important); and it would have upset balance (the state had the greatest right to hear the case).
33. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Supplemental (Nucleus of Facts): United Mine Workers v. Gibbs, 1966
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Tennessee federal district court) ii. Gibbs lost his job at a mining company because the workers in UMW union rioted when the company tried to hire new workers. Gibbs sued UMW on state-law claims (conspiracy) and federal-law claims (secondary boycotts). He brought both claims to federal court. The Supreme Court said that there was supplemental jurisdiction. b. Supplemental jurisdiction nucleus of facts i. Question: Was there supplemental jurisdiction over the state-law claims? ii. Answer: Yes. The claims are part of what the Constitution recognizes as one case. iii. Reasoning: Supplemental jurisdiction exists when there is a claim arising under [federal law] (Article III) and the relationship between that claim and the state claims made in the complain permits the conclusion that the entire action before the court comprises but one constitutional case. This works toward judicial efficiency because the claims arise out of the same nucleus of operative facts and should be heard together. They could be heard in state court, but the federal claims particularly deserve to be heard in federal court; so, both can be heard in federal court. Note that this jurisdiction is a doctrine of discretion, not of plaintiffs right. c. Related notes from class i. Gibbs wants to be in federal court because the local state jury is likely to have union members on it. He wants to be in federal court in a bigger city, bigger jury pool. ii. We know that Gibbs could not bring the state-law claim alone to federal court, and that if he brought the federal-law claim to federal court that would be okay. But the question here is: with both claims together, can the federal court adjudicate the statelaw claims it otherwise could not? Does the presence of the federal claims give the court power to adjudicate the state claims? The answer is yes.
iii. Reasoning: Its one thing to bring a state-law and federal-law claim against one party, but another thing entirely to bring in an entirely new party for the state-law claim. The addition of the new part would run counter to the principle that federal courts have a limited jurisdiction. Also, there are statutory considerations: the federal law addresses the issue that the county cannot be sued. c. Related notes from class i. This is different from Gibbs because there are two separate defendants. ii. The Court here doesnt say that it doesnt have the power to hear both claims under Article III (it does)but the particular statute cuts against it, causing the Court to rule against supplemental jurisdiction.
35. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Supplemental (Complete Diversity): Owen Equipment v. Kroger, 1978
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Nebraska federal district court) ii. Kroger (Iowa resident) sued OPPD (Nebraska corporation) for wrongful death of her husband. She sued in federal court on the basis of diversity jurisdiction. OPPD filed a third-party complaint against Owen; Kroger amended her complaint to name Owen as a defendant. During the trial it was learned that Owen was an Iowa business, destroying diversity. Owen moved to dismiss for lack of SMJ. Supreme Court held that there was no supplemental jurisdiction. b. Supplemental jurisdiction complete diversity i. Question: Can the claim against the defendant that destroys diversity be brought in federal court under supplemental jurisdiction? ii. Answer: No. Complete diversity is required for federal diversity cases. iii. Reasoning: Beyond the constitutional minimum of common nucleus of facts, there are other considerations (which Aldinger shows). Congress requires there to be complete diversity of citizenship in federal diversity cases. Complete diversity is destroyed if the claim against Owen is brought in, and SMJ is destroyed. c. Related notes from class i. Courts have power over this under Article III same case and set of facts. But statutes dont allow it because its not complete diversity. ii. Kroger cant sue Owen in the first place, but Owen is brought in by OPPD that alone would have been OK but its not OK that Kroger added a claim directly against Owen. Rule 1367(b) later codifies the rule preventing people from trying to get around the rules this way. iii. In this case, and in Aldinger, once its all one case, the federal court has constitutional authorization to hear the supplemental claims, but you have to look at whether Congress has taken away that authorization.
36. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Supplemental (Statutory Authorization): Finley v. United States, 1989
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. California federal district court) ii. Finleys husband and children were killed when their plan struck electric power lines on its approach into San Diego. Finley sued the U.S. (FAA) under the Federal Tort Claims Act in federal court. She then amended her claim to include state law tort claims against the city of San Diego and the electric company. The Supreme Court found that there was no supplemental jurisdiction over the amended claim. b. Supplemental jurisdiction statutory authorization i. Question: Did the federal court have supplemental jurisdiction over the state-law tort claims?
ii. Answer: No. The FTCA authorizes federal jurisdiction over claims against the
United States, but no one else.
iii. Reasoning: Not only must a federal court have the constitutional authorization to hear
a case, an act of Congress must also supply it with jurisdiction. Moreover, a grant of jurisdiction over claims involving particular parties does not itself confer jurisdiction over additional claims by or against different parties. iv. Dissent: In Aldinger, the Court adopted a rule of construction assuming the existence of supplemental jurisdiction unless Congress had negated its existence. This approach is very different. c. Related notes from class i. This case is different from Aldinger and Kroger because this particular federal claim against the U.S. government can only be heard in federal court, so if the federal court cannot hear the state-law claim, the case will have to be split into two claims (one in federal and one in state court). So it seems like a good idea for the federal court to take SMJ. But the Court decides here that Congress must have explicitly authorized jurisdiction a departure from Aldinger/Kroger. ii. Later, 1367 gives the statutory authority for taking supplemental claims. 1367(a) codifies Gibbs and gives jurisdiction over supplemental claims to the full extent of the Constitution (over claims and parties arising out of the same case). 1367(b) limits section (a) in diversity cases there are some claims the federal court cant take (though all claims are okay in federal-question cases). iii. The exercise of supplemental jurisdiction in this case would have been upheld if it had taken place after the passing of 1367. d. Glannon i. Supplemental jurisdiction under 1367 requires a three-part analysis. 1. First the court must determine whether there is constitutional power under Article III, 2 to hear the supplemental claim. This must stem from Gibbs (same nucleus of operative facts). 2. Second the court must determine whether there is a statutory grant of jurisdiction over the related claim. Such a grant is provided in most cases by 1367 itself (with exceptions in section (b)). 3. Third, according to 1367(c), the court must exercise its discretion whether it actually wants to take supplemental jurisdiction over related claims.
37. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction Supplemental (Amount in Controversy): Exxon v. Allapattah and Ortega
v. Star-Kist, 2005 a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Florida and Puerto Rico federal district courts) ii. Exxon: Class-action suit by Exxon dealers against the Exxon Corporation. The dealers alleged a scheme by Exxon under which they were overcharged for fuel. They sued in Florida federal district court. The Appeals Court upheld the District Courts exercise of supplemental jurisdiction over those claims of class members who did not meet the minimum amount in controversy for diversity cases. iii. Star-Kist: A young girl sliced her finger on a tuna can and sued Star-Kist for damages. She sued in federal court (>$75,000) and her family joined (<$75,000). The Appeals Court found that 1367 did not authorize supplemental jurisdiction over claims in which one plaintiff fails to satisfy the amount-in-controversy requirement. iv. The Supreme Court found that there was supplemental jurisdiction in both cases. b. Supplemental jurisdiction amount in controversy
i. Question: May a federal court in a diversity action exercise supplemental jurisdiction over additional plaintiffs whose claims do not satisfy the minimum amount-incontroversy requirement, provided the claims are part of the same case or controversy as the claims of plaintiffs who do allege a sufficient amount in controversy? ii. Answer: Yes. Where the other elements of jurisdiction are present and at least one named plaintiff in the action satisfies the amount-in-controversy requirement, 1367 does authorize supplemental jurisdiction over the claims of other plaintiffs in the same Article III case, even if those claims are for less than the jurisdictional amount specified in the statute setting forth the requirements for diversity jurisdiction. iii. Reasoning: Gibbs confirms that the District Court has the power to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over related state claims arising from same Article III case. 1367 authorizes supplemental jurisdiction in this case because it does no exclude it in section (b). The indivisibility theory and contamination theory are not valid justifications for withholding jurisdiction. There is no need to be as strict with the amount-in-controversy requirement as there is with citizenship diversity. iv. Dissent: Theres no reason to be strict with diversity of citizenship and not with amount in controversy. c. Related notes from class i. Here the plaintiffs try to sweep in a claim the court wouldnt have jurisdiction over on its own. The statutory language does not prohibit them from doing it under Rule 20. ii. If each plaintiff sought $40,000 there would be no supplemental jurisdiction because neither claim would have met the requirement. You have to have jurisdiction over one claim which you them supplement with another claim. When looking at supplemental jurisdiction, isolate each claim and see if the court has jurisdiction over it. If you dont have jurisdiction over one of them, ask if it fits on the supplemental jurisdiction hook that you do have jurisdiction over.
i. Keep in mind that venue is all statutory (not constitutional). Its about convenience. ii. SMJ: Federal question. PJ: Defendant sent notice to someone in PA and it was
forwarded to NY specific jurisdiction (did business with a party in NY and claim is related to that incident- letter of notice). iii. District in which case is filed must have venue. 1391 gives two choices: diversity or non-diversity, but really the requirements are the same for both choices. This is nondiversity (federal question)three ways of thinking about venue: 1. Defendants residence (fairness for defendant) 2. Where events take place (location of evidence and witnesses) 3. Where defendant can be found (last resort only used if there is no other district where suit can be brought; if 1 and 2 fail) a. How can 1 and 2 fail? 1 requires all defendants to reside in the same state; 2 requires events to have taken place in the U.S. iv. Where does defendant reside for purposes of venue? Place where you could get PJ if the district were a state. Yet this case works through #2. Why not #1? Its possible there might not actually be PJ in New York, but it wasnt contested (objection was waived). Events took place in NY.
1. *Threshold: case must have been originally eligible to have been brought in the transferee forum (here IL) 2. Convenience of parties 3. Convenience of witnesses 4. Interest of justice iii. Illinois? Still has SMJ (doesnt change within federal system). PJ: maybedefendants waived it. Venue? Events didnt happen there; defendants didnt reside there; part 3 of the venue test is unnecessary because there is another available venue. So the suit could not have been brought in IL originally. Cant take waiver into account. iv. The transfer statute doesnt get away from the issues of convenience in the venue statutehave to re-look at venue requirements.
iii. Why did Piper wait until getting to PA federal court before moving for dismissal on
grounds of FNC? Didnt want to do it in California state court because the last thing they wanted was to get stuck there. They were just covering all their bases. They couldnt transfer from California state court to another state court, had to remove to federal court first. If they moved for FNC and lost in California state court, they might have lost the chance to remove (theres a time limit). Also, FNC comes up in federal court only when you want to move to a foreign court. Otherwise, if you want to move to a different state, you just transfer. iv. See (vi) in the Erie outline for an application of the Erie rule to this case. v. See other Civ Pro document for more insights relating to Erie.
opposed to PA common law (duty only to avoid wanton negligence), and found in favor of Tompkins. Supreme Court reversed/remanded, overruling Swift. b. Ascertaining the applicable law i. Question: Should the Swift rule (federal courts dont have to follow state common law) be overruled? ii. Answer: Yes. Except in matters governed by the Constitution or federal laws, the law to be applied in any case is the law of the state, which includes both laws declared by the legislature in a statute and by its highest court in a decision. iii. Reasoning: Swift was an incorrect interpretation of the Rules of Decision Act. It also had the effect of creating discrimination against citizens of a state by non-citizens by allowing them to choose which law would be applied in a case, rendering impossible equal protection of the law. Swifts doctrine was also unconstitutional because it took power away from the state courts and gave too much to the federal courts. iv. Dissent: The Swift rule has been unchallenged for so long that destroying it now without appropriate deliberation cannot be justified. The constitutional validity of the rule does not need to be considered in this case. v. Concurrence: The Swift rule was erroneous, but not necessarily unconstitutional. c. Related notes from class i. Tompkins wants the application of the general common law (regular negligence), while Erie wants the application of PA common law (wanton negligence, which is harder to prove). In deciding on a choice-of-law rule, the federal court must look to the RDA, which has gone unchanged since Swift. This court differs in interpreting the RDA, though, saying that the Swift court misread it. Now both common law and statutory law are to be used by the federal courts in diversity cases. ii. The dissents argument (to keep misinterpreting the RDA) is not so silly as it sounds- if Congress had really thought the courts were getting the RDA wrong, they could have changed or clarified it, but in 100 years they have not done so. iii. The Court says that it has been unconstitutionally been making up laws for the last 100 years (since Swift) because the constitution does not authorize Congress to give this power to the federal courts. iv. The equal protection problem (other constitutional problem): the Swift rule gives a non-citizen the power to remove to federal court to get a different law, whereas if the same case involves 2 citizens of the same state, can only sue in state court- no removal, no ability to choose a law. Now, under Erie, the federal court uses choiceof-law rules of the state in which its located, giving you the same rule of decision as the state court. v. Now, federal and state courts in the same state apply the same law, BUT federal courts in different states apply different laws. The court has created one type of equality at the expense of another. Why do they prefer equality within one state? They want to prevent Congress (thru federal courts) from making local state law; they want to cut down on forum shopping. Theres now no reason to forum shop within one state. Removal no longer gives you a different body of lawthough it does give you different procedural laws. PrePost-Erie Erie Substantive law Federal State Procedural law State Federal (RCP) vi. A note about Piper. The first step was to determine which choice-of-law rule to use. In CA state court, CA rules would have been applied. In CA federal court, CA rules would have been applied (removal hasnt changed the substantive law that will apply
to Piper after Erie and Klaxon). In PA federal court, CA rules would still have been applied (with a transfer you dont want a change of location to change the substantive laws. Then, a second step: determine what substantive law that rule will tell you to use. CA choice-of-law rule uses the government interest analysis and would have applied PA law to the case. The PA choice-of-law rule uses the significant contacts analysis and would have applied Scottish law to the case.
dismissed again. Appeals court finds that the complaint should survive the motion to dismiss. b. Pleading dismissals i. Question: Is Dioguardis complaint sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss? ii. Answer: Yes. His complaint meets the requirement of a short and plain statement of the claim. iii. Reasoning: Dioguardis complaint, though difficult to understand, does seem to put forth some potentially valid claims. He should not be deprived of his day in court to show what he so firmly believes. c. Related notes from class i. In the motion to dismiss, defendant isnt saying that Dioguardi has no legal claim just that the claim makes no sense (he has no knowledge of what the case is about, so cannot answer). This is similar to complaining of not receiving proper notice. The complaint is supposed to give notice so that OTBH can be meaningful. ii. A motion to dismiss says that, even if the claims in the complaint are true, there is no legal remedy. Defendant is not conceding that claims are true. iii. There is no penalty for losing a motion to dismiss (no consequences). iv. Implication of this case: court establishes rule that whatever is in the complaint is good enough. Yet motions to dismiss are encouraged. So what is the purpose of the complaint? Put D on notice hes been sued. The complaint has to have enough facts only so that D has an idea what the suit is about. This regime sets a low standard of pleadingallowing many more people to get to the discovery phase. v. Most successful Rule 12 motions are based on substance, not form.
Furthermore, a complaint is not required to allege all, or any, of the facts logically entailed by the claim. A plaintiff does not have to plead evidence. c. Related notes from class i. Like Pruittpart of the claim here is no good. Some facts they plead do not constitute sex discrimination. BUT there is some language in the case suggesting there are other facts that the plaintiff might have to prove his claim. The court keeps the case for this reason.
a. Overview i. U.S. District Court (Illinois) ii. Plaintiff was treated roughly by two police officers who broke his hand. He sued unknown named police officers in his complaint just before statute ran out. Afterwards, he amended his complaint naming the defendants by name. They moved to dismiss the amended complaint on the grounds that the statute of limitations had run and that the complaint failed to state a proper claim. The court grants the motion to dismiss (amendment not good). b. Pleading amendments i. Question: Does the amended complaint relate back to the filing of the original complaint (the only way it can be found to be timely)? ii. Answer: No. It would be considered timely because the defendants had notice of the action within the time limit, but there was no mistake concerning the identity of the proper party. iii. Reasoning: Under 15(c), an amended complaint which changes the name of the defendant will relate back to the filing of the original complaint if it arises out of the same conduct contained in the original complaint and the new party was aware of the action within 120 days of the filing of the original complaint. This requirement was satisfied. However, the court also requires that an amended complaint which replaces fictitious names with actual names due to an initial lack of knowledge concerning the proper defendant does not involve a mistake and is therefore not entitled to relation back under 15(c). Also, state law (more favorable to plaintiff) does not apply here because there is a federal law that trumps it. c. Related notes from class i. This case seems to fit the rule of relation back. But not a mistakeBeeck seems to fit that requirement better than this one. Yet the real slide-maker would not have had any notice, so wouldnt meet the first requirement considered by this court. ii. Plaintiff should have conducted a reasonable inquiry into the officers identity before suing. Could have gone to the police department to find out who they were. Most likely the department would not have given out the info, but plaintiff at least would have made an inquiry and might have survived a motion to dismiss to find out names through discovery. The trick is to sue early enough to get the names through discovery within the time allotted by the statute of limitations!
48. Pleading Truthful Allegations: Zuk v. Eastern Penn. Psychiatric Institute, 1996
a. Overview i. U.S. Court of Appeals (3rd Circuit), orig. Pennsylvania federal district court ii. In the 1970s, Zuk, while on faculty of EPPI, films therapy sessions. Zuk has EPPI duplicate the films and make them available for rental. Zuk writes a book containing transcripts of the sessions and registers the book with the U.S. copyright office. In 1980, EPPI sues Zuk. Zuk requests that all copies of the films be returned to him, but they are not. In 1995, Zuk sues, alleging that EPPI is renting out the films and thereby infringing his copyright. EPPI moves for dismissal under 12(b), which is granted. EPPI also moves for sanctions under 11(c)(1)(A) on grounds that Zuk had failed to conduct an inquiry into the facts and the law. Court grants motion. Appellate court analyzes in detail the Rule 11 requirements and upholds sanctions, but remands as to how much and what kind. b. Pleading truthful allegations under Rule 11 i. Question: Which sanctions potentially apply to Zuks attorney in this case?
ii. Answer: The Copyright Act sanctions do not apply to Zuks attorney, only to
Zuk. U.S.C. 1927 does not apply because there was no intentional delay. Rule 11 sanctions do apply because of inadequate investigation into the facts and the law; fee sanctions are acceptable, but should not be extremely severe in amount. iii. Reasoning: First of all, Rule 11 sanctions apply because appellant had not sufficiently investigated the facts of the case or educated himself well enough as to copyright law. (This standard is more stringent than the previous good-faith requirement.) There is no evidence presented as to the facts (whether the videos have been rented in the last 3 years, which matters because of the statute of limitations), and no further information is likely to be turned up in discovery. Moreover, appellants legal research was faulty in two areas, the registration issue and the ownership issue. Appellant might have fared better by framing his argument as a matter of first impression, but as it stands, it just looks like a poor reading of the existing laws. As far as the type of sanctionssanctions should be the least severe necessary to serve the rules deterrent purpose. Mitigating factors may be considered, including the sanctioned partys ability to pay. c. Related notes from class i. For each potential range of sanctions (copyright act, 1927, Rule 11, inherent power of the court) you ask two questions: 1. What standard do I have to live up to? 2. what can happen to me if I dont? ii. Copyright Act: (1) Loss + discretion (2) Fee shifting iii. 1927: (1) Delay/frustrate proceedings (almost never used because hard to prove that violation was willful/intentional) iv. Inherent power: (1) Doing something problematic in front of the judge in the courtroom that makes him/her angry v. Rule 11see diagram in other document. vi. What does Zuk do wrong? He doesnt violate 11(b)(1)not an improper purpose. He thinks he has a case. Validity of cause of action seems to validate your purpose, and there is some suggestion that the claim might have had a bit of merit or at least that Zuks lawyer thought it might. 1. Note: filing a case to get discovery (like in Buffalo Creek) is ok if its the only way to figure out if the defendant is liable. vii. Even if you have a decent purpose, you have to do things before you file the complaint. 1. Inquire into the facts11(b)(3)/(4). What would have been reasonable for Zuk? Might have been easy to go see if video was being rented. If you inquire and they say no (havent rented video), could argue you might be able to substantiate claim later on (we have reason to believe) These phrases flag to the court that you dont actually know anything yet. 2. The defendant has the burden of pleading the statute of limitationswhy should P have to look into this? P does have the burden of having a valid claim; has to investigate merits of affirmative defenses in case they come up. 3. How to protect yourself under Rule 11: (1) reasonable inquiry, (2) flag the claim. But you cant really hide behind flagging your claim if your inquiry has shown that you have no case. viii. Difference between presenting law and facts: 1. 11(b)(2)argument has to be valid under existing law OR argue for a new or amended law. Dont have to have a winning case; have to be brining a good faith case for a proper purpose. a. Do you have to tell the court that your legal claim is bad and that you want a new law? Zuk court says yes, but Rubenstein argues that this
is a bad interpretation, that Rule 11 does not say you have to do this. It might be bad for your case to tell the court you want them to do something new. Rule 11 enables an advocate to frame the legal claim (even if bad) within existing law. 2. But factsyou have to flag for the court if you dont know all the facts. 3. Why differentiate between how we present law and facts to the court? In an adversary system, the judge knows the law and doesnt need you to flag it for him, but facts are entirely provided by the parties, so you are held to a higher standard for presenting them.
50. Case Structure Joinder of Claims and Parties (Permissive): M.K. v. Tenet, 2002
a. Overview i. U.S. District Court for District of Columbia ii. Six former employees sued the CIA for violating the Privacy Act and other constitutional rights. In amended complaint, they added nine more plaintiffs and added additional claims. Defendants moved to sever claims of initial six plaintiffs. b. Permissive joinder of claims under rule 18 i. Question: Can the six existing plaintiffs new claims be joined? ii. Answer: Yes, because under the unrestricted joinder provision of Rule 18, such joinder of new claims is possible. c. Permissive joinder of parties under rule 20 i. Question: Can the plaintiffs be joined as parties in the case? ii. Answer: Yes. They satisfy the first prong of Rule 20(a) because defendants acts pertaining to plaintiffs claims are logically related events that the court can regard as arising out of the same series of transactions of occurrences (defendants alleged repeated pattern of obstruction of counsel). They satisfy the second prong of Rule 20(a) because each of plaintiffs claims arises out of a common question of law or fact (defendants scheme of behavior). Moreover, plaintiffs allege common claims under the Privacy Act.
1. Rule 13(a/b)Is the counterclaim compulsory or permissive? a. Compulsory (arises out of same transaction). Compulsory just
means that if you dont bring your counterclaim now, you cant bring the same claim at a later time and place. Like res judicata, but without a judgment for you to wave around. b. Although anything unrelated is permitted to be brought as well 2. This case will probably never be heard settlement a. How to get most efficient settlement process? Overseen by one judge? Also, it might be harder for one party to hold out if there are more parties in the case. iv. What rule allows the cross-claims? 1. Rule 13(g)allowed if arising out of the same transaction (no unrelated permissive cross-claims). Different in this way from (a/b) which allows permissive counterclaims. 2. *The main reason to read the LASA case is because everything turns on whether the cross-claims arise out of the same transaction, leading to a discussion of what is a transaction? v. Jurisdictional basis 1. Joinder of parties need to re-examine PJ. 2. Joinder of claims need to re-examine SMJ. This case is a diversity case at first; when bringing in new parties, plaintiff needs to make sure they dont upset complete diversity. Cross-claims: some have no diversity, so supplemental jurisdiction is needed. (1367) a. So first you need to know you can bring the cross-claim in the first place: Rule 13(g) (same transaction/occurrence) b. Then you need jurisdiction: 1367(a) (common nucleus of fact) c. These two tests seem very similar. If you meet the first youll probably meet the second. vi. Bringing in new parties 1. Defendant can only bring in other defendants under Rule 13 if there is already another defendant to cross-claim against in the first place. Rule 14 is what allows bringing in new defendants when no cross-claim is initially possible.
53. Case Structure Joinder of Necessary & Indispensable Parties: Bank of Calif. v. Superior Ct, 1940
a. Overview i. California Supreme Court ii. Boyd died, appointing Bank of California executor of estate, and leaving the bulk of the estate to St. Lukes Hospital. Other legacies were left to a large number of scattered legatees. Smedley sued to enforce an alleged contract by which Boyd agreed to leave her entire estate to Smedley. Summons was served only upon Bank of America and St. Lukes. They moved for an order to bring in the other beneficiaries of the will, on the grounds that they were necessary and indispensable. The motion was denied by the lower court and the supreme court. b. Joinder of necessary and indispensable parties i. Question: Are the absent defendants not only proper parties but indispensable parties in the sense that service upon them or their appearance is essential to the jurisdiction of the court to proceed in the action?
ii. Answer: No. The absent defendants are not indispensable parties, and the court
has jurisdiction to proceed without them, to determine the rights of the parties actually before it. iii. Reasoning: If, in this kind of action, the court has jurisdiction to try the case, and may render a valid judgment where the plaintiff sues or maintains the suit against less than all of the distributees, it must be clear that they are not indispensable. They are all necessary, though, in the sense that the main issue, the validity of the testamentary disposition of the property, affects their property interests, and the entire matter, the disposition of all of the decedents property, cannot be finally settled without a binding adjudication for or against every legatee. While necessary parties are so interested in the controversy that they should normally be made parties in order to enable the court to do complete justice, yet if their interests are separable from the rest and particularly where their presence in the suit cannot be obtained, they are not indispensable parties. Indispensable parties are those without whom the court cannot proceed. The rule is limited by considerations of fairness, convenience, and practicability. c. Related notes from class i. Rule 19can complete relief be given to Smedley in the absent defendants absence? No; Smedley wants the whole estate. (Though can argue that its her fault for not bringing them in; that she has dropped her claims against them by not serving them; and that she can still get complete relief from defendant St. Lukes.) ii. Do missing parties have an interest in the suit that will be impaired in their absence? Not really. If Smedley wins against St. Lukes, she will have established that the contract is superior to the will, so if she sues other beneficiaries later, she will have already established her supremacy. BUT, those other beneficiaries will not be bound to that judgment because they were not parties to the case. iii. Will anyone end up with inconsistent obligations if other beneficiaries are not included? Maybe; the bank could be told to execute AND not execute the will.
54. Case Structure Third-Party Impleader: Too v. Kohls Department Stores, 2003
a. Overview i. U.S. District Court of New York ii. Windstar produced and sold apparel. They hired DeCaro and Abraham to start up a sleepwear division. Windstar was sued by Too for copyright infringement. Windstar moved to file a third-party complaint seeking contribution and indemnification from DeCaro and Abraham. The court allowed the contribution claim. b. Third-party impleader i. Question: Does Rule 14 allow Windstar to implead DeCaro and Abraham? ii. Answer: Windstar can file a third-party complaint for contribution, but not for indemnification. iii. Reasoning: Impleader under rule 14 is appropriate when the third-party Ds liability to the third-party P is dependent upon the outcome of the main claim or the third-party D is potentially secondarily liable as a contributor to the defendant. The purpose of this rule is to promote judicial efficiency by eliminating the necessity for the D to bring a separate cause of action against a third-party for contribution. Upon determining that a third-party complaint would be appropriate, the factors to be considered in determining whether to grant leave are: 1. whether movant deliberately delayed filing the motion 2. whether impleading would unduly delay or complicate the trial 3. whether impleading would prejudice the third-party D
4. whether the third-party complaint states a claim upon which relief can be granted. Judicial economy would be served in allowing Windstar to implead the others because this complaint arises from the same core of facts which is determinative of the plaintiffs claim. Windstar states a valid claim. No prejudice or delay would result. However, Windstars claim for indemnification is without merit. c. Related notes from class i. This case is different from Jeub. Here, Windstar wants compensation from A and D if W is held liable; in the other case, the restaurant claimed the supplier was completely responsible. (Like Ws indemnification claim that was thrown out?) ii. Rule 14third party is liable if D is liable (not its not me, its you). D can drag in someone to indemnify them, but cant bring in someone to take liability on the main claim. iii. P controls structure of the suitwe limit who D can bring in as new parties. Bringing in an indemnifier sticks to Ps lawsuit, but when we allow D to point fingers at another tortfeasor, wed allow D to change Ps lawsuit (you should have sued them, not us). iv. Efficiency: By putting the indemnifier in the first suit, you allow them to defend themselves on the main claim, which they couldnt do if the indemnification suit happened separately after D was found liable in the first suit. v. In this case, would Abraham and DeCaro have been able to intervene under Rule 24? If W was found liable, third parties might have interests left unprotected; and Windstar might not be adequately representing them if preparing to turn around and sue them if W found liable. So wed probably let them intervene if there was juris. vi. Limited nature of impleader: 1. Jurisdictionneed SMJ over new claim and other counter/cross-claims that result (1367b kicks in if you turn to supplemental jurisdiction). 2. Res judicataif you dont implead a third-party D, you can still sue for contribution later (impleader is not compulsory).
preventing it from becoming too long/complex. An economic interest is not always needed to justify intervention. The parents do have an interest. Second requirement: would their interest be impaired if they could not appeal? Yes, because if the decision below becomes final, the parents cannot pursue their interests in a subsequent suit. Third requirement: are their interests adequately represented by existing parties? No, because the Board decided not to appeal. c. Related notes from class i. Normally you have to be a party to appeal a case, so here some outside parties try to intervene and become parties to the case. Hansen cant because he resigned. Smuck cant because he was on the Board and thus his interests were represented in his official capacity as a member of that board (even if he voted against their decision not to appeal). ii. The parents: their interest is the outcome that may determine where their children may go to school. They are not represented by the board like Smuck because they are not formal members. iii. The parents are not bringing a new claim/cause of action. Just intervening as defendants, defending the Board. Though they are not technically defendants against whom relief will run. They are schmoozer intervenorsthey feel like they belong at the party and that the court should listen to what they have to say. (If the Board had appealed, they could have just done this by amicus brief.) They have no legal interest, but we believe they have some practical interest. Here the court, in hearing their case, takes over the role of the legislature (deciding where children will go to school). We begin to read into the nature of interest more than just legal interest.
56. Case Structure Class Actions: Falcon v. General Telephone Co., 1982
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court ii. Falcon was passed over for a promotion at the same time several white employees were granted promotions. He sued, alleging discrimination and that G.T.s policy operated against Mexican-Americans as a class. The complaint contained no factual allegations. Falcon moved to certify a class of all employees who were not promoted AND who were not hired by G.T. The Supreme Court refused to certify the class. b. Class actions Rule 23(a) i. Question: Does this class meet Rule 23(a)s requirements? ii. Answer: No. Falcons claim was not typical of other claims against petitioner by Mexican-American employees and applicants. iii. Reasoning: Falcons claims are not typical of the class (he was hired); he is not an adequate representative of the class. His individual allegation does not (absent evidence) justify the additional class inferences. His complaint provided an insufficient basis for concluding that the adjudication of his discrimination claim would require the decision of any common question concerning the failure of petitioner to hire more Mexican-Americans. c. Related notes from class i. Why would Falcon want to file a class action rather than an individual claim? Perhaps he thinks that the generalized evidence (no Mexican-Americans in the company) would bolster his claim. Perhaps he thinks that he can gain leverage with the larger claim and get G.T. to settle. ii. This case worries about all of the 23(a) requirements. Falcon does two things wrong:
57. Case Structure Class Actions: Castano v. American Tobacco Co., 1996
a. Overview i. U.S. Court of Appeals (orig. federal district court for 5th circuit) ii. Largest class action ever attempted. Ps filed suit seeking compensation for injury of nicotine addiction. Class was all nicotine-dependent persons in the U.S. who have purchased and smoked cigarettes manufactured by Ds; their estates; and their loved ones. The appellate court concluded that the district court abused its discretion in certifying this class. b. Class actions: rule 23(b) i. Question: Can this class be certified under Rule 23(b)? ii. Answer: No. The district court failed to consider how variations in state law affect predominance and superiority. Also, its predominance inquiry did not include consideration of how a trial on the merits would be conducted. Each of these defects mandates reversal; moreover, at this time, while the tort is immature, the class complaint must be dismissed as class certification cannot be found to be a superior method of adjudication. iii. Reasoning: Our specific concern is that a mass tort cannot be properly certified without a prior track record of trials from which the district court can draw the information necessary to make the predominance and superiority analysis required by rule 23. Also, a main rationale for superiorityjudicial efficiencyis lacking: any savings in judicial resources is speculative. Here, the class action device could lengthen, not shorten, the time it takes for the plaintiffs to reach final judgment. c. Related class notes (from Elise) i. This is a mass tort case under 23(b)(3)
58. Case Structure Class Actions (Due Process): Hansberry v. Lee, 1940
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Illinois state court) ii. A class of landowners sued to enforce a racially restrictive covenant involving land in Chicago. P alleged that Hansberry, a black man, had purchased some of the restricted land from an owner who had signed the agreement, and that the binding effect of the covenant had been established in an earlier court action. Ds pleaded that they were not bound by res judicata because they were not parties to the earlier suit. The Illinois court concluded that the first action had been a class/ representative suit so that it was binding on all the class members, including Hansberry. Supreme Court reversed. b. Class actions: due process i. Question: Were the defendants in this case bound by the earlier class judgment? ii. Answer: No. The procedure and course of litigation in the first suit did not satisfy due process. iii. Reasoning: To the general rule of due process there is a recognized exception that the judgment in a class suit, to which some members of the class are parties, may bind members of the class who were not made parties. But, where it cannot be said that the
procedure adopted fairly insures the protection of the interests of absent parties who are to be bound by it, there has been a failure of due process. Absent parties must be adequately represented by parties who are present (they must have a joint interest with present parties, or present parties must be legally entitled to represent the absent ones). That did not happen here because the plaintiffs in the first case sought to compel performance of the agreement; defendants here are trying to resist performance. c. Related class notes see Elises outline
59. Case Structure Class Actions (SMJ): Snyder/Zahn (not outlined) 60. Case Structure Class Actions (PJ): Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Shutts, 1985
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. Kansas state court) ii. Phillips spews forth oil. The leaseholds are owned by individuals such as Shutts. Phillips is trying to screw the little guys by paying them royalties on prices that are too low. Shutts wants to recover interest on the money that was withheld. There are 33,000 people in Shuttss position who get together to sue for the interest the oil company owes. Shutts sues in Kansas. None of these people have much interest. Each of them has a small amount of interest in their interest. This is a perfect example of class litigation bringing together small claims that are too small to litigate individually. Shutts provides the best possible notice. He sends out a letter to all of the class members telling them they can opt-out if they want. 28,100 are in, 3,400 opt out, and 1,500 were not found and excluded. Less than 1,000 of the plaintiffs are actually in Kansas, and a negligible part of the oil and gas leases are in Kansas. Phillips makes a personal jurisdiction argument that only the Kansas plaintiffs can sue. Phillips argues that there has to be an opt-in procedure. Supreme Court says no opt-in procedure is necessary, and there is PJ in the case. b. Class actions: personal jurisdiction i. Question: Do the traditional doctrines of personal jurisdiction apply to nonrepresentative class members who are beyond the courts jurisdiction? ii. Answer: No. Issues of PJ arent the same with out-of-state plaintiffs as with outof-state defendants. Absent class-plaintiffs do not need minimum contacts for a court to exercise jurisdiction. But, there does have to be due process: notice, OTBH (thru adequate representative), and the ability to opt out. iii. Reasoning: Phillips argues that out-of-state defendants must affirmatively consent, and that plaintiffs must have minimum contacts. However, due process and the minimum contacts test are meant to protect defendants. The burdens placed by a state upon an absent class-action plaintiff are of not the same order/magnitude as those placed upon an absent defendant (absent P doesnt really have to do anything, and someone else is protecting his interests). The opt out clause satisfies due process. iv. Related question: Can Kansas law be applied to all the cases? Answer: No. Given Kansas lack of interest in claims unrelated to that state, and the substantive conflict with other jurisdictions, application of Kansas law to every claim in this case is sufficiently arbitrary and unfair as to exceed constitutional limits. An important element when considering fairness is the expectation of the parties. c. Related class notes: see Elises outline i. Note that absent this holding, we would not be able to have nationwide class actions, but would have to split them up into all 50 states.
61. Discovery Initial Disclosures & Attorney Sanctions: Cummings v. General Motors, 2004
a. Overview i. U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Cir. (Oklahoma) ii. The Cummings were involved in a car accident. Mr. Cummings ran a stop sign and the car skidded into a ditch, injuring Mrs. Cummings. They sued GM, asserting that Mrs. Cummings sustained injuries because of the design of the seat belt and seat, as well as GMs failure to warn. The jury returned a verdict for GM. The Cummings appealed. After filing appeal, the Cummings found GM child safety seat test videos. They argued that the tests fell within their prior requests for production and would have helped their case. They filed a motion for relief under Rule 60(b). The district court denied the motion. Appellate court affirmed, also denying the motion. b. Discovery initial disclosures, attorney sanctions i. Question: Did Rule 26 require GM to disclose these videos initially? ii. Answer: No. Under Rule 26, GM was not required to automatically disclose documents that it did not intend to use. iii. Reasoning: Under the revised Rule 26, a party is not obligated to disclose witnesses or documents, whether favorable or unfavorable, that it does not intend to useRule 26(a)(1) requires that parties make initial disclosures of all documents, data compilations, and tangible things that are in the possession, custody, or control of the party and that the disclosing party may use to support its claim or defenses. c. Related notes from class i. This case, along with Hickman, reveals ways in which discovery can be limitedadds some nuance to the playing poker with an open hand analogy. ii. Initial disclosure involves the stuff you have to give over to the other side at the outset without anyone having to ask for it. iii. The old Rule 26 was broader; required sides to turn over anything relevant to disputed facts alleged with particularity in the pleadings. The new, revised rule takes the burden off the attorneys to figure out what the other side is going to want. It narrows what the parties have to turn over at first. iv. P can make a broader request later, and does here, but court says that it is too broad, and, when more specific, that it is focusing on the wrong things (other parts in other cars). v. The pros and cons of the narrowed discovery rules. Pro: it would be too burdensome on D to just ask for everything and force them to make the Ps case; they may have so many documents that it would be extremely hard to figure out whats relevant for other side. Con: then again, it is too burdensome on the P to imagine exactly what might exist that they could use and ask for it specifically. vi. If this issue had come up during trial, the court might have been more favorable to P on this point. But after the fact, its governed by a stricter rule (60) that makes it harder to reopen the case later on.
statements had to be handed over; D still refused and got thrown in jail for contempt. Appellate court reversed and said that the work product of the lawyer was privileged from discovery. Supreme Court agreed and found in favor of D on this point. b. Discovery attorney work product i. Question: Is the attorneys work product privileged from discovery? ii. Answer: Yes. Written statements made while preparing for trial can only be discovered if the other side shows substantial need for documents that they cannot get themselves without undue hardship. Any mental impressions made by attorneys, however, are always immune from discovery. iii. Reasoning: The documents that P wants are not privileged, and they are relevant. The FRCP do not specifically say that they are immune from discovery. But the court has several policy reasons why they do not want these documents to be discoverable. First of all, they dont want one side to do all the work for the other side; P could get all this information themselves by interviewing the witnesses. Also, having a lawyers mental impressions be discoverable would be bad for the legal profession because it would encourage lawyers not to write anything down. Attorneys must have a certain degree of privacy while preparing for trial. iv. Concurrence: Discovery was hardly intended to enable a learned profession to perform its functions either without wits or on wits borrowed from the adversary. c. Related notes from class i. This doctrine was later codified in Rule 26(b)(3). ii. Court is mostly concerned with the implications on the legal profession. iii. Work product is discoverable under some circumstances (substantial need, undue hardship). For example, if one of the interviewees had died. But some things are inviolateyour personal thoughts, wits, tactics, opinions.
that this affidavit is not worthy of belief. Wife #1 submitted her own affidavit saying that Cordner cared about her kids, but offered no other info. Wife #1 said she wants to cross-examine Burks at trial because his testimony is so important. But there is no positive showing here that Burkss testimony could be impeached. Also, Burks couldnt even be brought into court b/c hes in Singapore. Wife #1 would have little to gain by trying to cross-X him on the witness stand. The court here is not saying that an affiants credibility cannot be put in issue by a litigant, but in doing so, specific facts must be properly produced. Rule 56(e) says the non-movant must respond or suffer te fate of a SJ; wife #1 failed to respond to the adequate and substantial showing of wife #2, so SJ was proper. c. Related notes from class i. The person responding to a SJ motion has to present some contrary evidence. What wife #1 does here is not enough. The court does not think there is sufficient reason to distrust Burks affidavit. Wife #1 had the opportunity to depose Burks but she didnt. So we toss out her opposition to the SJ.
65. Summary Judgment Motion by Defendant: Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 1970
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court ii. Adickes, a white female teacher, entered Kresss restaurant with six black students. The waitress refused her service because she was a white person in the company of blacks. The police then arrested Adickes on a charge of vagrancy. She sued Kress for damages for denying her civil rights, and alleged a conspiracy between Kress and the police. She put forward circumstantial evidence for this claim. Kress moved for SJ and supplied affidavits from the store manager, chief of police, and other officers, denying a pre-arranged scheme. Adickes pressed the circumstantial case. But because the statements she used were hearsay (and inadmissible at trial), the district court ruled that Adickes had failed to allege any fact from which a conspiracy might be inferred and granted SJ; the Supreme Court reversed. b. Summary judgment motion by defendant i. Question: Did the defendant sustain the necessary burden in order to allow a summary judgment? ii. Answer: No. Kress failed to fulfill its initial burden of demonstrating a critical element in this aspect of the casethat there was no policeman in the store. iii. Reasoning: If a policeman were present, it might be open to a jury to infer that there was a conspiracy. On SJ the inferences to be drawn from the facts need to be viewed in the light most favorable to the non-movant (Adickes here)- so Kresss failure to show there was no policeman in the store requires reversal of SJ. Kress didnt meet its initial burden of establishing absence of a policeman, so Adickes was not required to come forward with anything either. If Kress had met its burden, maybe by submitting affidavits of policemen who said they were not present, Adickes would have had to do something more than just rely on her complaints contrary allegations. iv. Rule: Where the evidentiary matter in support of the motion does not establish the absence of a genuine issue, SJ must be denied even if no opposing evidentiary matter is presented. c. Related notes from class i. This is one instance where a defendant moves for SJ and has to try to prove a negative to show that the plaintiff doesnt have enough evidence to win. ii. The Supreme Court wants to let the case go forward. Nothing D has said can prove there was no police officer in the restaurantthey havent proven the negative. The court wants them to completely negate the possibility that there was a police officer in the restaurant. What the court is saying is: P doesnt have very much evidence, but since we want them to get to a jury, we wont look at their evidence (or lack thereof) unless D satisfies his burden of proof of proving the negative. If D doesnt put forth enough negating evidence, were not even going to look at what P has. This puts a huge burden on a D moving for SJ. Later Celotex will try to solve this problem.
that her late husband was exposed to Celotexs product. Court of appeals reversed, denying SJ because Celotex made no effort to adduce any evidence (affidavits, etc.) to support its motion. Supreme Court reversed and granted SJ. b. Summary judgment motion by defendant i. Question: Did the defendant sustain the necessary burden in order to allow a summary judgment? ii. Answer: Yes. Rule 56(c) does not require a party moving for SJ to support its motion with affidavits/etc negating the opponents claim. The moving party only has to meet the burden of showing (pointing out to the court) that there is an absence of evidence to support the other partys case. iii. Reasoning: A motion for SJ may be made pursuant to Rule 56 with our without supporting affidavits. The appellate court, in denying SJ, was influenced by Adickes. Yet that case should not be construed to mean that the burden is on the moving party to produce evidence proving the negative (absence of factual issue), even with respect to an issue on which the nonmoving party bears the burden of proof. SJ should not be thought of as a shortcut, it is an important part of the system; it more or less replaces Rule 12 motions to dismiss. iv. Dissent: The court has not explained what exactly is required of a moving party seeking SJ on the ground that the nonmoving party cannot prove its case. Dissent believes that Celotex did not meet its burden of production. c. Related notes from class i. P has the burden of proof at trial. To get SJ, D has to prove that P has nothing. Here, Celotex is not made to show any evidence (affidavits/etc) that negates Ps claim. Court says Rule 56 does not require this. It says D can submit affidavits, if any, but does not have to submit its own negative evidence. All D has to do is suggest that P has nothing, and then P has the burden of proof. (Whereas, in Adickes, P never had to face that burden.) This case thus lowers the standard for a SJ motion brought by D.
68. Summary Judgment Motion by Defendant: Matsushita Electric v. Zenith Radio Corp., 1986
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. 3rd circuit) ii. Zenith (American television manufacturers) alleged that a group of 21 Japanese manufacturers and distributors conspired to fix prices. Matsushita moved for SJ, trial court granted, but appellate court reversed, arguing that certain direct evidence of a concert of action among defendants created a genuine issue for trial. The Supreme Court held that SJ was proper. b. Summary judgment motion made by defendant i. Question: Did the defendant sustain the necessary burden in order to allow a summary judgment? ii. Answer: Yes. Defendant showed that plaintiff failed to allege a rational economic motive to conspire. iii. Reasoning: Lack of motive bears on the range of permissible conclusions that might be drawn from ambiguous evidence. In light of the absence of any rational motive to conspire, there is no genuine issue for trial.
69. Right to a Jury Trial Legal & Equitable Claims: Beacon Theatres v. Westover, 1959
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. California federal court) ii. Fox Theatres owns a movie theatre in LA county and has exclusivity contracts with movie distributors. Beacon wants to open a drive-in movie theatre nearby. Fox sues Beacon for undermining Foxs contract with the distributors (interference with Foxs property rights). Fox also says theyre not violating the antitrust act and wants a declaratory judgment to say that theyre not violating the law, so Beacon will be precluded from suing Fox later on this ground. Thus Beacon has to bring a compulsory counterclaim, suing Fox for antitrust violations. Beacon wants a jury trial but district judge doesnt want to give it to them, so Beacon seeks by mandamus to require it. The appellate court refuses. Supreme Court reverses and gives Beacon the jury trial. b. Right to a jury trial legal & equitable claims i. Question: When there are legal and equitable claims in one lawsuit, which should get tried first? (This will determine whether or not the case is heard by a jury.) ii. Answer: The legal claim must be tried first in order to protect the right to a jury trial. iii. Reasoning: Beacon would have been entitled to a jury trial in a treble damage suit against Fox, so it cannot be deprived of that right merely because Fox took advantage of the availability of declaratory relief to sue Beacon first. iv. Dissent: The counterclaim cannot be held to have transformed Foxs original complaint into an action at law. The equity claims should be heard first. c. Related notes from class i. Fox is a potential D that has turned itself into a P. Instead of waiting to get sued, they take the initiative to try to take control of the lawsuit. ii. Fox claims that $ (legal remedy) would be insufficient and thus it needs equitable remedy, because Fox does not want a jury trial. (The jury would be favorable to the
drive-in.) If Fox were to win, they would get an injunction against other suits- so if Beacon sued anyway, theyd be in contempt of court. iii. Its important to decide which claim gets tried first because in deciding the first one, the second one will also probably get decided in some way. So if you run the equity claims first, you do away with the right to a jury trial. If you run the legal claim first, you do away with the equitable trial, but thats not a constitutional right. iv. Is a claim for declaratory judgment characterized as legal or equitable relief? Fox doesnt want money or a jury trial, so it looks like an injunction. But you have to look at the underlying claim that was turned around by the declaratory judgment motion. v. This case is Beacon v. Westover because Westover is the district court judge whose refusal to grant a jury trial is being challenged by Beacon.
70. Right to a Jury Trial Legal & Equitable Claims: Local 391 v. Terry, 1990
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. 4th circuit) ii. Terry and a group of workers had a complaint against McLean trucking company. They filed a grievance with the union, but the union refused to follow up on it. Terry sued the union alleging that the union violated its duty of fair representation and seeking damages for lost wages. Terry requested a jury trial. The district court and appellate court both affirmed that a jury trial was guaranteed. The Supreme Court also affirmed the jury trial. b. Right to a jury trial legal & equitable claims i. Question: How do we know if a claim is legal or equitable? ii. Answer: There is a two-part test for deciding whether a claim is legal or equitable. We must examine both the nature of the issues involved and the remedy sought. iii. Reasoning in this case: 1. Nature of issues: An action for breach of a unions duty of fair representation did not exist in 1791. We must look for an analogous cause of action that did exist. The closest thing we can come up with is the trust analogy. But that does not persuade us that the claim is wholly equitable. There are also legal issues in the case (breach of contract). This part of the test leaves us in equipoise. 2. Remedy sought: The only remedy sought is money damages. There are two exceptions to the general rule that money damages are legal relief. The remedy sought here does not meet either exception. Thus the claim is legal and Terry is entitled to a jury trial. iv. Concurrence: We should get rid of the first part of the test. It is less important than the second part anyway, and is confusing. v. Dissent: We must use both parts of the test. In the first part, the trust analogy does convince us that the claim is equitable. In the second part, we must not assume that monetary relief must be considered legal relief. A jury trial is not guaranteed here. c. Related notes from class i. The court here comes close to a bright-line rule in using the damages portion of the test as determinative. But they pull back to say that in some cases, money damages could be equitable (the two exceptions).
71. Right to a Jury Trial Rule 50 Motions for Directed Verdicts: Galloway v. United States, 1943
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. 9th circuit)
ii. No facts provided b. Rule 50 motions for directed verdicts/j.n.o.v./judgment as a matter of law i. Question: Does taking a case away from a jury, on the ground that P has not met its burden of production at trial, a violation of the 7th Amendment right to a trial by jury? ii. Answer: No. The Amendment was designed to preserve the basic institution of jury trial in only its most fundamental elements, not the great mass of procedural forms and details, which varied even when the Amendment was written. iii. Reasoning: The contention that the Amendment forbids Rule 50 motions has been foreclosed by repeated decisions made by the Sup. Ct. consistently for a century. The argument from history is not convincing. Back in 1791, the jury was not an absolute matter of fact. People argue that higher standards of proof are required now and that different consequences follow as to further maintenance of the action, so Rule 50 is different from what existed back then. Well, the Amendment did not bind the federal courts to the exact procedural incidents or details of jury trial according to the common law in 1791. iv. Dissent: The prevalence of Rule 50 motions takes away the essential guarantees of the 7th Amendment. The dissent believes that a verdict should only be directed, if at all, only when, without weighing the credibility of the witnesses, there is in the evidence no room whatever for honest difference of opinion over the factual issue in controversy. c. Related notes from class i. This case contemplates how we can justify using Rule 50 motions under the 7th Amendment. First, we are not reexamining facts tried by the jury (on a renewed motion, post-verdict). Second, this was done in 1791, so we can do it now. The dissent says that this second one is a lie, because the demurrer that existed in 1791 was not totally analogous (there were risks then that there arent now), but the majority emphasizes the general principle of having control over the jury that existed.
72. Right to a Jury Trial Rule 50 Motions: Unitherm Food Systems v. Swift-Eckrich, 2006
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court ii. Unitherm sued to declare S-Es patent invalid and for claims of antitrust violations with Unitherms business. S-E counterclaimed for patent infringement. Before giving the case to the jury, S-E moved under rule 50(a) for a directed verdict, on the ground that the evidence was insufficient to find for Unitherm. The motion was denied and the case went to the jury, who found in favor of Unitherm. S-E did not file either a rule 50(b) motion (for j.n.o.v.) or rule 59 motion (for a new trial based on the sufficiency of the evidence). S-E appealed, and the court of appeals reviewed the sufficiency of the evidence, found it insufficient to sustain the judgment, and ordered a new trial. Supreme Court reversed. b. Rule 50 motions i. Question: If a party never seeks a new trial before the district court, do they forfeit the right to do so on appeal? ii. Answer: Yes. iii. Reasoning: Even if the district court was inclined to grant a new trial on the basis of arguments raised in Ds preverdict motion, it was without power to do so under rule 50(b) absent a postverdict motion pursuant to that rule. Consequently the court of appeals was similarly powerless. iv. Dissent: While a partys failure to make a rule 50(b) motion precludes the district court from directing a verdict in that partys favor, the rule does not purport to strip
the courts of appeals of the authority to review district court judgments or to order such relief as may be just under the circumstances. c. Related notes from class i. What can you bring to an appellate court? It has to be something you raised below appellate court can only review what happened below, no new issues. You have to be on the record as objecting to anything you might want to appeal. Most importantly, you have to make Rule 50 and Rule 59 motions if you want to appeal. If you make 50 (a and b) and 50 you can appeal everything. If you make either only 50 or only 59, you cant appeal anything that would have fallen under the other rule. In this case, D only makes a 50(a) motion. Supreme Court says no new trial because motion was not renewed. 50(b) is the appealable one. 50(a) when denied isnt final, just put into abeyance.
73. Right to a Jury Trial Rule 59 Motions for a New Trial: Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. v. Yeatts, 1941
a. Overview i. U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit ii. Aetna sued to get a declaratory judgment with respect to the coverage of a policy of indemnity insurance. They denied liability on the round that Yeatts was engaged in the performance of a criminal abortion at the time he incurred the liability for which the recovery was had against him, and that such liability was expressly excluded from the coverage of the policy. The question as to whether Yeatts was engaged in criminal activity was submitted to the jury. The jury found in Yeatts favor. Aetna had made no motion for directed verdict. After verdict, Aetna moved for j.n.o.v. and also for new trial, on the ground that the verdict was contrary to the evidence. These motions were denied, and Aetna appealed. b. Rule 59 motions for new trial i. Even if a motion for directed verdict had been made by Aetna (P), it is clear that it should have been denied, as should also any motion for j.n.o.v. based thereon. ii. Rule: On such a motion, under rule 59, it is the duty of the judge to set aside the verdict and grant a new trial, if he is of the opinion that the verdict is against the clear weight of the evidence, or is based upon evidence which is false, or will result in a miscarriage of justice. iii. The exercise of this power is not in derogation of the right to trial by jury, but is one of the historic safeguards of that right. iv. Distinction between the rules to be followed in (a) directing a verdict, and (b) granting a new trial. 1. Where there is substantial evidence in support of Ps case, the judge may not direct a verdict against him, even though he may not believe his evidence or may think that the weight of the evidence is on the other side; for, under the constitutional guarantee of trial by jury, it is for the jury to weigh the evidence and pass upon its credibility. 2. The judge may, however, set aside a verdict supported by substantial evidence where in his opinion it is contrary to the clear weight of the evidence, or is based upon evidence which is false; for, even though the evidence be sufficient to preclude the direction of a verdict, it is still his duty to exercise his power to prevent a miscarriage of justice. v. However, the granting or refusing of a new trial is a matter resting in the sound discretion of the trial judge, and his action thereon is not reviewable upon appeal. Thus in this case, while the trial judge might properly have granted the motion for a
new trial, we cannot say that his denial of the motion amounted to an abuse of discretion on his part.
74. Appeal Final Judgment Rule: Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Wetzel, 1976
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court (orig. 3rd circuit) ii. Wetzel sued Liberty Mutual, saying LMs employee insurance benefits and maternity leave regulations discriminated against women in violation of Title VII. District court ruled for Wetzel on the issue of LMs liability under Title VII, and LM appealed to the appellate court. That court held that it had jurisdiction, and proceeded to affirm. Supreme Court determined that they, and the appellate court, did not have jurisdiction to hear an appeal because of the final judgment rule. b. Appeal final judgment rule i. Question: Was the district courts order appealable to the Court of Appeals? ii. Answer: No. The district courts order was not a final judgment because it did not dispose of respondents prayers for relief. iii. Reasoning: Respondents received a favorable ruling on the issue of LMs liability to them, but they did not receive any of the relief that they expressly prayed for in their complaint. Rule 54(b) does not apply here, because that rule applies when there are multiple claims and one or more, but less than all, are decided. Here there is only a single claim. And the decision rendered by the district court was by nature interlocutory and not final. c. Related notes from class i. Final judgment rule: you have to have a final judgment in order to appeal. This is a jurisdictional requirement for the appellate court to act. ii. In this case, Justice Blackmun did not participate, so the court was split. They could not come to a decision so fell back to the final judgment rule. iii. An interlocutory appeal on the liability issue seems more efficient than waiting until relief is decided before appealing. Why take all the time to determine relief if liability is going to be overturned? We dont want two separate courts to handle the same case at the same time. iv. The court isnt saying that the partial SJ granted by the district court is not valid. Just saying that it cannot be appealed on its own. v. The judges look for various ways around the final judgment rule. 1. Rule 54: multiple claims. You can have a partial judgment on one of the claims and that judgment can be final and appealable. That isnt the case here. 2. An injunction can be appealable. But here the judge didnt rule on injunctive relief one way or the other. Why is injunctive relief immediately appealable? It is immediateyou need the D to do something or stop doing something right away. If it is denied, or granted, and you have to wait until the end of trial to appeal it, its effects may be irreversible. 3. 1292: sets up a system for the judge to have his/her decision reviewed by appellate court before continuing with the case. Certification is necessary for that and was not done here. 4. Collateral judgment rule (Cohen): this is a rule where the court made up an exception to the final judgment rule that is not explicitly given like with an injunction, rule 54, or 1292. See Cohen for the rule. It doesnt apply here.
75. Appeal Collateral Judgment Rule: Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp., 1949
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court ii. Cohen brought a shareholders derivative suit. The district court denied Beneficials motion to require Cohen to post security for costs (pursuant to a NJ statute), holding the statute inapplicable to an action in a federal court. Court of appeals reversed, and Supreme Court affirmed that decision (approved Beneficials motion to require bond). b. Collateral judgment rule i. Question: Is the courts collateral order regarding the bond immediately appealable? ii. Answer: Yes. Collateral orders are an exception to the final judgment rule because they are too important to be denied review and too independent of the cause of action itself to require that appellate consideration be deferred until the whole case is adjudicated. iii. Reasoning: The Court gives this provision a practical rather than technical consideration. c. Related notes from class i. NJ passed a law for shareholder strike suits where P must post a bond at the beginning of the suit. Here the court says P doesnt have to because law is not applicable to federal court. If P is relieved from this requirement, the requirement is meaningless. The court issues a collateral order on this issue. This case is now about whether that collateral order is appealable. ii. The collateral order doctrine seems very broad in this case. It is restricted in Will.
79. Claim Preclusion/Defense Preclusion: Mitchell v. Federal Intermediate Credit Bank, 1932
a. Overview i. South Carolina Supreme Court ii. Case #1: Bank v. Mitchell (farmer). Bank sues Mitchell for $. Mitchell argues as defense that he already paid. Mitchell wins. iii. Case #2: Mitchell v. Bank. Mitchell wants his money back. He pleads the same facts that he pled in his answer in case #1. Court holds that Mitchells claim was merged in the earlier judgment and he cannot bring it now. b. Defense preclusion i. Question: Is Mitchell precluded from bringing his new claim in a new lawsuit? ii. Answer: Yes. His claim was a compulsory counterclaim in the first suit, so because he did not bring it then, he cannot bring it now. iii. Reasoning: Mitchell pleads the same facts in his complaint in this case as he did in his defense in the first case. The same transaction is the root of both cases. c. Related notes from class i. This is like a regular claim preclusion case, except that instead of P bringing both suits, D in the first suit becomes P in the second suit. ii. Defense preclusion is claim preclusion by virtue of the compulsory counterclaim rule (claim that should have been brought as counterclaim). However, defense preclusion adheres even if jurisdiction doesnt have a compulsory counterclaim rule (claim that could have been brought as counterclaim). Same effect. iii. Defense preclusion seems less fair than regular claim preclusion where P is the one bringing both cases. It has the effect of creating a race to the courthouse. If P and D both have claims and they both have to be brought in the same suit, each person wants to file first so he can pick the forum. Suits are thus brought more quickly.
b. Issue preclusion i. Question: Is Cromwell precluded from bringing the second lawsuit? ii. Answer: No. This case involves a different claim than the first suit, and a different issue needs to be litigated. iii. Reasoning: There is a different cause of action here because they are different bonds (so, no claim preclusion). Where the second action between the same parties is upon a different claim/demand, the judgment in the first action operates as preclusion ONLY as to those issues that were actually litigated and decided. So you always have to ask if the question was already litigated, not if it might have been litigated. In this case, Cromwell has brought up different issues that were not litigated in the first case. c. Related notes from class i. Issue preclusion: same parties but different transaction.
c. Related notes from class i. No preclusion out of fairness to defendant in first case (Rios).
ii. Reasoning: The mutuality requirement may be eroded in order to limit relitigation of
issues where that can be achieved without compromising fairness. It is not really tenable to offer every litigant more than one full and fair opportunity for judicial resolution of the same issue. Relitigation is a waste of time. Litigants who have never appeared in a prior action may not be collaterally estopped without litigating the issue because they have not had their day in court. Abrogation of the mutuality rule in patent cases will save some judicial time. c. Related notes from class i. If the university had won case #1, they could not run issue preclusion against the second infringer (B-T) because B-T had not yet had their day in court. So a patent holder has to relitigate in every infringement suit. ii. If there are 3 cases, and the first 2 have inconsistent outcomes, you cant run preclusion in the third case, you have to relitigate. iii. We put a lot of faith (too much?) in the outcome of the first case when we allow a defendant to run issue preclusion. But we consider it important to consider judicial economy and efficiency, only letting each person get one day in court. We also may be worried about accuracy, that we might get inconsistent outcomes with repeat cases.
c. Related notes from class i. In this case, a plaintiff is trying to run offensive issue preclusion against a repeat defendant. Taking away defendants opportunity to defend itself. ii. In this case, Parklane already knew that case #2 had been filed when it was defending case #1. It seems somewhat less fair when case #2 is just looming in the future as potential litigation. iii. The court says there is no procedural opportunity that Parklane could have in case #2 that it didnt have in case #1. What about a jury trial? The court assesses this separately and finds that preclusion is still OK. This contradicts the Courts insistence on the importance of a jury trial in Beacon Theatres. iv. Each case gets looked at separately- theres no hard and fast rule about offensive issue preclusion. Factors are considered.
87. Preclusive Effect of Class Action Judgments: Cooper v. Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, 1984
a. Overview i. U.S. Supreme Court ii. Case #1: the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued the Bank for discriminating against blacks. Four individual plaintiffs intervened, and a class was certified. Baxter and five others were members of the class and did not opt out. The court found some instances of discrimination but said that the Bank had not engaged in a pattern and practice of discrimination. So, the Bank won this suit. iii. Case #2: The Baxter individuals filed a separate action against the Bank for individual discrimination. The Bank moved to dismiss, saying that they were members of the class and were bound by the judgment in case #1. The Supreme Court allowed the case to go forward because the individuals were not precluded. b. Preclusive effects of class action judgments i. Question: Were the Baxter plaintiffs precluded by the judgment in the class action case? ii. Answer: No. The first judgment bars class members from relitigating the question of the Banks patterns and practices of discrimination, but it does not preclude the Baxter plaintiffs individual claims. iii. Reasoning: In general, a judgment in favor of either side is conclusive in a subsequent action between them on any issue actually litigated and determined, if its determination was essential to that judgment. There is a distinction between an individuals claim of discrimination and a class action alleging a general pattern or practice of discrimination (see General Telephone Co. v. Falcon). The rejection of a claim of classwide discrimination does not warrant the conclusion that no member of the class could have a valid individual claim. c. Related notes from class i. The Baxter plaintiffs arent precluded because theyre trying to litigate a different issue than in the first case. ii. Could the Bank have tried to run claim preclusion instead of issue preclusion, by saying that the same transaction/occurrence gave rise to both claims? In other words, why shouldnt these individuals claims be merged into the 1st judgment? The Supreme Court doesnt really go into this because the Bank didnt try to claim it. The district court judge in case #1 had announced what preclusive effect the judgment would have. He said that the pattern & practice claim would be precluded but left open the possibility of individual claims. Also its possible to think of there being two different causes of action. In case #1 there was a classwide cause of action rather than just an aggregation of individual causes of action.
iii. Think about the relationship between claims and remedies. Its possible for there to be two discrimination claims, one asking for injunctive relief and one asking for money damages. How is it possible that one will not preclude the other? iv. The take home point from this case is: you can run a patterns and practices case and individual claims are not merged into the judgment. Normal class action cases are groups of individual claims, so this will not apply to that sort of case. v. You cant run preclusion against someone who didnt have the procedural opportunity to litigate in the first case (e.g. if it was in small claims court, etc.)
1. Were they bound by virtue of their intervention in the fairness hearings? NO 2. Did Birmingham represent them enough to bind them? NO 3. How could original plaintiffs have figured out how to join/bind all the people who might be affected? Theyd have to make a defendant class actionvery difficult
principles and because it attempted to limit her substantive rights and remedies. The court decided in favor of upholding the arbitration agreement. b. Arbitration agreements i. Question: Is the arbitration agreement unenforceable for failing to protect plaintiffs substantive rights? ii. Answer: No. The agreement is enforceable because plaintiff could effectively vindicate her statutory and common law causes of action in the arbitral forum offered by defendant. iii. Reasoning: Plaintiff makes three arguments against the arbitration agreement: 1. The rules provide for a time limit shorter than that granted under Title VII. 2. Discovery is restrained/limited under the rules. 3. The rules limit the remedies and damages available to her. The court is not persuaded that the procedure would be an unacceptable replacement for a judicial forum. Public policy supports this decision, for Congress as well as federal and state courts generously support arbitration. c. Related notes from class i. In this case, the inequity problem is an inequality between the arbitration proceeding rules and the civil litigation rules not an inequality between the two parties, as in Hooters above. ii. Arbitration is supposed to be a more efficient dispute resolution system. In order to get this increased efficiency, you have to be prepared to give up some things. iii. Ask this. Is it worrisome that the Supreme Court is ok with allowing one side to limit substantive liability through contracting? What else could Circuit City have gotten away with before reaching the one-sidedness limit that we ran up against in Hooters?