Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co. v. Stonestreet

107 F.R.D. 674, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15933
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. West Virginia
DecidedSeptember 17, 1985
DocketCiv. A. No. 83-A034
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 107 F.R.D. 674 (Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co. v. Stonestreet) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co. v. Stonestreet, 107 F.R.D. 674, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15933 (S.D.W. Va. 1985).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

HADEN, Chief Judge.

Pending before the Court in the above styled action is the Plaintiff’s motion for a reference to a magistrate and other proceedings in aid of execution.

In bringing this motion before the Court, the Plaintiff invokes the provisions of Rule 69 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.1 [675]*675Paragraph (a) of that rule provides generally that the procedures for execution on a judgment are to be governed by the law of the state in which the district court is held. The paragraph also provides that discovery in aid of execution may be held under the federal rules or in accordance with state law. Hence, Rule 69(a) can be read as dealing with (1) execution procedures generally and (2) discovery in aid of execution.

I. Discovery in Aid of Execution

In regard to discovery, the Plaintiff refers to W. Va. Code, § 38-5-1. That section of the West Virginia Code provides that a debtor can be brought before a commissioner in chancery2 “to answer upon oath such questions as shall be propounded at such time and place by counsel for the execution creditor, or by the commissioner.” In essence, the section provides for a deposition. A similar type of deposition could just as easily have been requested under the federal rules. The execution creditor, however, has the choice of state law or federal procedure in pursuing discovery in aid of execution. El Salto, S.A. v. PSG Co., 444 F.2d 477, 484 n. 3 (9th Cir.1971); see also Ranney-Brown Distributors v. E.T. Barwick, 75 F.R.D. 3, 5 (S.D.Ohio 1977). Conceivably, an advantage to the state route can be found in the judicial officer’s ability to join in the questioning during the deposition.

As mentioned, the West Virginia statute provides for a commissioner in chancery. Obviously, the federal court system does not have such a commissioner.3 With this in mind, the Plaintiff has proposed that the Court designate a federal magistrate to serve as a federal parallel to the state position. Moreover, the Plaintiff has suggested that the magistrate sit as a special master.

Rule 53(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that a reference to a master is to be the exception and not the rule. Indeed, the rule requires a showing of some exceptional condition to support a reference in a nonjury case. In jury trials, references are only to be made when the issues are complicated. In designating a magistrate to serve as a master, however, these special showings can be dispensed with upon the consent of the parties. The record here does not reflect any bilateral consent. It may not be necessary; Rule 53(b) seems to be concerned with references during trial, be it a jury trial or one to the Court. The proposed reference before the Court would affect only post-trial issues. Nevertheless, as for discovery purposes, the Court does not feel compelled to resort to a Rule 53 designation. As mentioned, the discovery procedure requested pursuant to W. Va. Code, § 38-5-1 is in the nature of a deposition. The Federal Magistrate Act explicitly gives a federal magistrate the power to take a deposition. 28 U.S.C. § 636(a)(2). Moreover, the local rules for practice before magistrates provide that a magistrate “[cjonduct examination of judgment debtors, in accordance with Rule 69 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.” Rule 6(i), Local Rules of Practice and Procedure Before United States Magistrates. Thus, resort to Rule 53 is unnecessary.

II. Proceedings In Aid of Execution

In its motion, the Plaintiff also requests that in appearing before the “commissioner,” the Defendant be required

[676]*676“[t]o convey or assign to the United States Marshal for the Southern District of West Virginia, such money, bank notes, securities, evidences of debt, other personal property, choses in action or other intangible personal property as may be ordered by the said commissioner for the enforcement and payment of the judgment, including interest and costs, outstanding in the above matter.”

Although not specifically referred to by the Plaintiff, W.Va.Code, § 38-5-4 deals with the content of the above set forth request.4 In importing this state practice into the federal system, the Court perceives at least the appearance of difficulty in a constitutional sense.

The Plaintiffs request, if granted, would have a federal magistrate affecting the property rights of the parties. There has been much concern expressed in the case law about the power which can constitutionally be delegated to a magistrate. The Supreme Court has noted that witnesses testifying before Congress on the then considered Federal Magistrate Act “expressed some fear that Congress might improperly delegate to magistrates duties reserved by the constitution to Article III judges.” Matthews v. Weber, 423 U.S. 261, 269, 96 S.Ct. 549, 553-54, 46 L.Ed.2d 483 (1976). Parties to litigation have been said to have a due process right to have “cases” or “controversies” determined by Article III judges. TPO, Inc. v. McMillen, 460 F.2d 348 (7th Cir.1972).

It was a concern based upon constitutional sensitivity which led Congress to provide for trials at the magistrate level only if both parties consented. 28 U.S.C. § 636(c).5 Such was the concern for consent that there was included language to the effect that a district judge or magistrate should not try to coerce the parties to agree to a reference. In certain instances, voluntariness on the parties was also made a prerequisite for reference to a magistrate as a master under Rule 53.

As mentioned, the Court is reluctant to invoke Rule 53 because of the arguable requirement of consent in this instance. The decision not to rely upon Rule 53, however, does not preclude this Court from referring the matter to a magistrate; the statute is “clear that not every reference, for whatever purpose, is to be characterized as a reference to a special master.” Matthews, 423 U.S. at 273, 96 S.Ct. at 555-56. Moreover, excluding paragraph (c), which deals with trials before magistrates, there appears tó be authority elsewhere in section 636 for the type of reference the Plaintiff seeks. Paragraph (d) of section 636 provides in part that “[a] magistrate may be assigned such additional duties as are not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States.” 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(3).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
107 F.R.D. 674, 1985 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15933, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chicago-pneumatic-tool-co-v-stonestreet-wvsd-1985.