In re San Juan Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire Litigation

117 F.R.D. 30, 9 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 172, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13863
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedSeptember 8, 1987
DocketMDL No. 721
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 117 F.R.D. 30 (In re San Juan Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire Litigation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re San Juan Dupont Plaza Hotel Fire Litigation, 117 F.R.D. 30, 9 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 172, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13863 (prd 1987).

Opinion

MAGISTRATE’S OPINION AND ORDER NO. I

JUSTO ARENAS, United States Magistrate.

Non-party witness William B. Eberle was served with a subpoena duces tecum issued by the United States District Court for the District of Idaho in May, 1987. Mr. Eberle agreed to appear in California, where other depositions in this case were being taken, for the taking of his own deposition. He objected to the production of certain documents. Plaintiffs moved to quash Mr. Eberle’s objections on May 29, 1987. JURISDICTION

In his brief filed August 12, 1987, Mr. Eberle attacks the jurisdiction of this court to order the production and disclosure of his tax returns and financial statements pursuant to subpoena issued in Idaho. Rule 45(d)(1), of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, reads in part “If objection is made, the party serving the subpoena shall not be entitled to inspect and copy the materials except pursuant to an order of the court from which the subpoena was issued.” An action to enforce compliance with a subpoena issued pursuant to Rule 45(d)(1) must generally be brought in the court which issued the subpoena, and in the court where the action is pending. Wm. T. Thompson Co. v. General Nutrition [32]*32Corp., Inc., 671 F.2d 100, 102 (3d Cir.1982); First National Bank at Thermopolis v. Western Casualty Surety Co., 598 F.2d 1203, 1206 (10th Cir.1979); In re Uranium Antitrust Litigation, 503 F.Supp. 33, 35 (N.D.Ill.1980).

Mr. Eberle argues that this court has no authority to enforce the Idaho subpoena, citing 28 U.S.C. § 1407(f) which states “the (judicial) panel (in multidistrict litigation) may prescribe rules for the conduct of its business not inconsistent with Acts of Congress and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.” At first blush it appears that we are without jurisdiction to entertain this matter. Yet, in general terms, the law regarding multidistrict litigation would logically provide for a unified concept of pretrial proceedings. In fact, not only does the enabling statute provide for such coordination, in general, but specifically allows the transferee judge, in this case Honorable Raymond L. Acosta, to exercise the powers of a district judge in any district for the purpose of conducting pretrial depositions in such coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings. See In re Molinaro/Catanzaro Patent Litigation, 402 F.Supp. 1404, 1406 (Jud.Pan.Mult.Lit.1975); Kaiser Indus. Corp. v. Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp., 328 F.Supp. 365, 370-71 (D.Del.1971); 28 U.S.C. § 1407(b). His powers as a transferee judge are nothing less than plenary. See In re Multi-Piece Rim Products Liability Lit., 653 F.2d 671, 676-77 (D.C.Cir.1981). As an ordinary consequence of a transferee judge’s additional duties, he may designate a United States magistrate to resolve non-dispositive civil motions, as Judge Acosta did in fact on May 11, 1987. Rule 72(a), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. See e.g. In re Agent Orange Product Liability Litigation, 597 F.Supp. 740, 752 (E.D.N.Y.1984) (United States Magistrate Shira A. Scheindlin directed to control the completion of discovery on all issues). It is totally consistent with the spirit and wording of 28 U.S.C. § 1407 for a transferee judge to delegate authority under 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A) which delegation does not result in a surrender of inherent Article III powers. This matter reflects no such surrender. Nor is there any likelihood that a transferee judge’s exercise of powers is somehow offensive to the transferor court or breaches notions of comity. In re Upjohn Co. Antibiotic Cleocin Products, etc., 664 F.2d 114, 118 (6th Cir.1981); cf. In re Uranium Antitrust Litigation, 503 F.Supp. 33, 35 (N.D.Ill.1980). Because the law creates an additional power for the transferee judge, and he acts “with full powers” as a judge of the deposition district for these purposes, see In re Corrugated Container Antitrust Litigation, 644 F.2d 70, 74 n. 6 (2d Cir.1981), it is necessary to append to the transferee judge enforcement powers in relation to subpoenas issued in the deposition district, In re Corrugated Container Antitrust Litigation, 662 F.2d 875, 880-81 (D.C.Cir.1981), including depositions and subpoenas addressed to non-parties. See In re Corrugated Container Anti-Trust Litigation, 620 F.2d 1086, 1091 (5th Cir.1980), cert. denied sub nom. Adams Extract Co. v. Franey, 449 U.S. 1102, 101 S.Ct. 897, 66 L.Ed.2d 827 (1981). The failure of a non-party deponent to comply with our directive or our decision would result in a certification in contempt addressed to the transferee judge acting as a judge in the deposition district. See e.g. In re Corrugated Container Antitrust Litigation, 662 F.2d 875, 881 (D.C.Cir.1981). Thus, there would be no inconsistency with that power under 28 U.S.C. § 1407 and the provisions of Rule 37 requiring that orders directed to recalcitrant deponents be issued in the district in which the deposition is taken. Id. The same reasoning applies to Rule 45(f), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Indeed, jurisdictional issues become germane in multidistrict litigation only at the appellate level in that where review of the transferee judge’s order is sought, it would be directed to the appellate forum for the deposition court rather than to that of the transferee court. Id. In this case, appeal would be had at the Ninth and not the First Circuit. Regardless, it is now held that a United States magistrate, designated by a transferee judge, to perform duties under 28 U.S.C. § 636(b), is empowered to order compliance with a subpoena duces tecum [33]*33issued in a deposition court other than the transferee court.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Lynch v. Ethicon, Inc.
S.D. West Virginia, 2019
In re Asbestos Products Liability Litigation (NO. VI)
256 F.R.D. 151 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 2009)
In Re Welding Rod Products Liability Litigation
406 F. Supp. 2d 1064 (N.D. California, 2005)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
117 F.R.D. 30, 9 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 172, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13863, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-san-juan-dupont-plaza-hotel-fire-litigation-prd-1987.