Citation558 U.S. 100 (2009) Brief Fact Summary. Carpenter sued his former employer for wrongful termination. During discovery, he sought to compel production of certain information related to a meeting held between him and Mohawk’s counsel that also pertained to another case, in which Mohawk was also the defendant, involving allegations related to the employment of undocumented immigrants. Mohawk claim that the information sought was protected by the attorney-client privilege. The district court granted Carpenter’s motion to compel discovery. The Court of Appeals ...
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Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corporation
Citation337 U.S. 541 (1949) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner filed a shareholder derivative action against Respondent in federal district court. A state law required that in certain shareholder derivative actions, a bond had to be posted by the plaintiff in order to proceed with the action. The district court held that the state law did not apply to lawsuits in federal court. Synopsis of Rule of Law. In this case, the court had appellate jurisdiction over the order refusing the bond-posting requirement. Such jurisdiction exists in a small class of dec ...
Wyman v. Newhouse
Citation93 F.2d 313 (2d Cir. 1937) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff successfully tricks Defendant into traveling to Florida just to serve Defendant with a summons. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Is service that is obtained through fraud valid and therefore merit full faith and credit in a different jurisdiction? ...
Saltany v. Bush
Citation960 F.2d 1060 (D.C. Cir. 1992) Brief Fact Summary. 55 Libyan citizens attempt to sue the President of the United States and others, including the U.K., for U.S. air strikes in Libya, even when plaintiffs’ counsel knew the case was impossible to win. Synopsis of Rule of Law. When the district court has found that a party violated FRCP 11, it must impose a sanction. ...
Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp.
Citation475 U.S. 574 (1986) Brief Fact Summary. Two companies sued over 20 other companies alleging conspiracy in violation of the Sherman Act. Defendant’s motion for summary judgement is granted and the plaintiff appeals. Synopsis of Rule of Law. To survive a motion for summary judgement A motion filed by a party for the court to make a determination without a full trial. Is granted if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and they are entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The court considers the facts in th ...
Asahi Metal Indus. Co. v. Superior Court
Citation480 U.S. 102 (1987) Brief Fact Summary. A Taiwanese company is being sued for product liability in a California court and the Supreme Court is deciding whether California’s jurisdiction over the Taiwanese company is proper. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Under the Due Process Clause a foreign company’s awareness that its products will reach a state within America in the stream of commerce is not sufficient to establish the minimum contacts required to exercise personal jurisdiction. ...
Kegerise v. Susquehanna Township School District
Citation321 F.R.D. 121 (M.D. Pa. 2016) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff claimed that Defendants violated state and federal laws in connection with her alleged discharge as school superintendent. She sought judgment on the pleadings based on Defendants’ allegedly insufficient responses to the allegations of the complaint. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(b) permits a party to respond to an allegation by (1) denying it; (2) admitting it; or (3) stating that it lacks information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of the alleg ...
Valley View Angus Ranch v. Duke Energy Field Services
Citation. 497 F.3d 1096 (10th Cir. 2007) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for damages caused by the Defendant’s gas leak. Defendant argued the Plaintiff’s claims should have been brought as compulsory counterclaims in the previous lawsuit and were thus barred by claim preclusion. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A compulsory counterclaim must arise from the same transaction or occurrence as the original claim. Claim preclusion bars claims that involve the same evidence, factual issues, and legal issues. ...
Quackenbush v. Allstate Insurance Co.
Citation. 517 U.S. 706 (1996) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner sued Respondent for breach of contract. Respondent removed the case and moved to compel arbitration. Petitioner argued the case should not be removed. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, a district court’s order to remand is considered final for purposes of appeal. ...
Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co.
Citation. 339 U.S. 306 (1950) Brief Fact Summary. Appellee filed a petition to settle accounts of a common trust fund and notified the beneficiaries through publication in a local newspaper. Appellant argued this violated due process. Synopsis of Rule of Law. To satisfy due process, service of process must reasonably reach a defendant, convey the required information, and afford a reasonable amount of time to respond. ...
Mohawk Industries, Inc. v. Carpenter
Citation. 558 U.S. 100 (2009) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for firing him under false pretenses. Plaintiff filed a motion to compel disclosure of conversations between Plaintiff and Defendant’s attorney prior to this lawsuit. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Decisions compelling disclosure of information otherwise protected by attorney-client privilege are not immediately reviewable under the collateral order doctrine. ...
Guaranty Trust Co. v. York
Citation. 326 U.S. 99 (1945) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for an alleged breach of trust after the statute of limitations had passed, bringing the lawsuit in federal court through diversity jurisdiction. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A federal court ruling over a case under diversity jurisdiction must use applicable state law if the outcome of the federal court’s application of law would significantly affect the results of the litigation in comparison to if state law had been applied. ...
Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp.
Citation337 U.S. 541 (1949) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiffs sued Defendants in a derivative suit. Defendants requested security for costs. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A decision is final, for purposes of appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, when it is an important claim of right and independent of the larger claim. ...
Carey v. Piphus
Citation435 U.S. 247 (1978) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiffs sued Defendants under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for depriving them of procedural due process when they were suspended from school. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Without proof of injury, plaintiffs are only entitled to nominal damages in a lawsuit for procedural due process violations. ...
Bowles v. Russel
Citation551 U.S. 205 (2007) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner filed an application for habeas corpus following his murder conviction. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The statutory period established in Rule 4(a) is jurisdictional and cannot be excused through waiver by a district court. ...
Asahi Metal Industry Co. v. Superior Court
Citation480 U.S. 102 (1987) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for product liability. Defendant filed a cross-complaint against Co-Defendant. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A finding of minimum contacts, sufficient to establish personal jurisdiction, is established by the defendant purposefully directing actions towards the forum state. ...
Freedom’s Path at Dayton v. Dayton Metro. Hous. Auth.
Citation. __ F.Supp.3d __, 2018 WL 2948021 (S.D. Ohio, June 13, 2018) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant, alleging that Defendant violated the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. During discovery, Defendant moved for protective order and Plaintiff moved to compel discovery. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The party who is moving for a protective order must articulate specific facts showing clearly defined and serious injury resulting from the discovery sought and the party cannot rely on mere conclusory statements. ...
B&B Hardware, Inc. v. Hargis Industries, Inc.
Citation575 U.S. 138 (2015) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff filed suit in federal district court against Defendant for trademark infringement. While the action was pending in district court, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board held for Plaintiff. However at the federal district court trial, a jury held for Defendant. Plaintiff appealed. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The doctrine of collateral estoppel applies to judicial-related decisions of an administrative agency so long as the facts before the agency and a federal court are materially the same and the other ...
Clearfield Trust Co. v. United States
Citation. 318 U.S. 363, 63 S.Ct. 573, 87 L.Ed. 838 (1943) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant to recover a forged check accepted by Defendant. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The rule under Erie Railroad v. Tompkins does not apply in cases involving the rights and obligations of the United States, such as the disbursement of federal funds. ...
Guaranty Trust Co v. York
Citation326 U.S. 99, 65 S.Ct. 1464, 89 L.Ed. 2079 (1945) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for an alleged breach of trust after the statute of limitations had passed, bringing the lawsuit in federal court through diversity jurisdiction. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A federal court ruling over a case under diversity jurisdiction must use applicable state law if the outcome of the federal court’s application of law would significantly affect the results of the litigation in comparison to if state law had been applied. ...
Mohawk Industries, Inc. v. Noman Carpenter
Citation558 U.S. 100, 130 S.Ct. 599, 175 L.Ed.2d 458 (2009) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for firing him under false pretenses. Plaintiff filed a motion to compel disclosure of conversations between Plaintiff and Defendant’s attorney prior to this lawsuit. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Decisions compelling disclosure of information otherwise protected by attorney-client privilege are not immediately reviewable under the collateral order doctrine. ...
Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust
Citation339 U.S. 306, 70 S.Ct. 652, 94 L.Ed. 865 (1950) Brief Fact Summary. Appellee filed a petition to settle accounts of a common trust fund and notified the beneficiaries through publication in a local newspaper. Appellant argued this violated due process. Synopsis of Rule of Law. To satisfy due process, service of process must reasonably reach a defendant, convey the required information, and afford a reasonable amount of time to respond. ...
Guaranty Trust Co v. York
Citation326 U.S. 99, 65 S.Ct. 1464, 89 L.Ed. 2079 (1945) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for an alleged breach of trust after the statute of limitations had passed, bringing the lawsuit in federal court through diversity jurisdiction. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A federal court ruling over a case under diversity jurisdiction must use applicable state law if the outcome of the federal court’s application of law would significantly affect the results of the litigation in comparison to if state law had been applied. ...
Lind v. Schenley Industries
Citation278 F.2d 79 (3d Cir. 1960) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for alleged breach of an oral promise for an increase in pay. Plaintiff sought review of the the district court’s judgment for Defendant after a jury found that Plaintiff was entitled to compensation and moving expenses. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A trial judge may not set aside the jury verdict as contrary to the weight of the evidence if: 1) it is based solely on the fact that he would have come to a different conclusion and 2) no undesirable or pernicious eleme ...
Ferguson v. Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc.
Citation298 F.3d 778 (9th Cir. 2002) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant (Plaintiff’s former employer), alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and hostile work environment, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Defendant moved to stay the proceedings, and compel arbitration, based on an arbitration agreement which Plaintiff signed as a pre-condition to employment with Defendant. The District Court denied the Petition to Compel Arbitration, ruling that the agreement was unconscionable. Defendant appealed. Synopsis of R ...