Kersh v. BORDEN CHEMICAL, a DIV. OF BORDEN, INC.

689 F. Supp. 1442, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5497, 1988 WL 64323
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedJune 10, 1988
Docket2:82-cv-74444
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 689 F. Supp. 1442 (Kersh v. BORDEN CHEMICAL, a DIV. OF BORDEN, INC.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kersh v. BORDEN CHEMICAL, a DIV. OF BORDEN, INC., 689 F. Supp. 1442, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5497, 1988 WL 64323 (E.D. Mich. 1988).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

JULIAN ABELE COOK, Jr., District Judge.

The issue before this Court is whether to enter a permanent injunction against the Plaintiff, David A. Kersh, which would prevent him from filing any new lawsuits unless he complied with certain conditions that had been set by this Court. This matter arises from the issuance of a Restraining Order by the Court on May 19, 1988. The Order set forth a lengthy demonstration of evidence which suggested that (1) Kersh had engaged in vexatious litigation tactics before this Court, as well as other courts, and (2) these tactics had severely interfered with the integrity of the judicial system. The Order also directed *1443 Kersh to appear before this Court and explain:

why a permanent injunction should not be entered that would bar him from filing any new lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan or in the Michigan state courts without leave of this Court. The hearing shall also consider the appropriate scope, if any, of such a permanent injunction.

On May 19, 1988, the Court entered a second Order which clearly established that the time of the Order to Show Cause hearing on May 31, 1988 would be at 8:30 a.m. 1 This corrected Order stated that:

It is the Order of this court that the Plaintiff, David Kersh, shall appear before this Court at 8:30 a.m. on May 31, 1988. The remaining portions of the previously issued May 19, 1988 Order, to which reference has been made, shall remain undisturbed and with full force and effect. Should Kersh fail to appear at the scheduled time and place, his case shall be dismissed.

(Emphasis added).

On the day and time set for the hearing, Kersh did not appear. Consequently, this Court dismissed his Complaint. At the hearing, the Court emphasized that Kersh had received full notice of the date and time of the hearing, citing his “Motion and Brief in Support of Request for Safe Passage and Adjournment of Hearing,” in which he acknowledged “[tjhat this court has ordered the plaintiff to appear on May 31, 1988 at 8:30 a.m. or have his case dismissed.” 2

The Court entered its Order of Dismissal on May 31, 1988, and took the permanent injunction issue under advisement. In particular, the Court required additional time in which to review the several documents that had been recently filed by Kersh. 3 The Court is now ready to make its decision. Because this is a permanent injunction issue, the Court will make “Findings of Fact” and “Conclusions of Law,” pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 52.

The failure of Kersh to appear at the Order to Show Cause hearing on May 31, 1988 has precluded this Court from presenting numerous questions to him regarding his litigation activities. 4 This hearing had been scheduled for the purpose of giving him an opportunity to point out any misconceptions which this court may have about his litigation activities. In waiving his opportunity to do so, he has forced the Court to draw conclusions on the basis of the existing record without the benefit of his perspective.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Kersh’s Actions in This Case

In the May 19, 1988 Order, several examples of Kersh’s sanctionable actions regarding this Court and the other parties in the case were outlined. Due to Kersh’s failure to appear at the Order to Show Cause hearing or to file any legal documents in opposition to the injunction, the Court will adopt these examples as being accurate summaries of this litigation.

First, concerning Kersh’s activities toward opposing counsel, the Court makes the following findings:

1. He failed or refused to attend three independent physical examinations which had been scheduled by Polar Foam in connection with the instant cause. Polar Foam was subsequently obligated to assume the costs of the court reporter and the medical doctor, as well as the legal fees and costs which were incurred by the ne *1444 cessity of its counsel having set up the exams.
2. He failed or refused to sign a release which would have enabled Polar Foam to obtain copies of certain pertinent records from the Southfield, Michigan Fire Department.
3. He repeatedly failed to comply with a June 18, 1986 directive from this court to release and surrender certain records which had been determined to be relevant to the controversy and appropriate for discovery purposes. *
4. Borden’s Second Supplemental Interrogatories were not answered by Kersh for a period of approximately nineteen months.
5. Borden was obligated to schedule Kersh’s deposition on six separate occasions. Each deposition was rescheduled by Borden at the specific request of Kersh who generally cited other court commitments as the basis for the adjournment requests.

Kersh attempts to contradict these conclusions in his “Additional Brief” in Support of Disqualification. For example, he claims to have “no memory of requesting an adjournment” of the depositions. 5 However, his absence of memory does not constitute a denial that he failed to appear at any of the six depositions which had been scheduled by Borden.

Regarding the physical examinations, Kersh claims that he did not get notice from his former attorney upon whom the blame has been placed. However, Kersh then expresses uncertainty as to why he did not appear:

If, in fact, said notice exists plaintiff alleges they would have been in conflict with hearings plaintiff was required to attend or were set for times when Kersh was out of this State. 6

This statement makes clear that he is quite uncertain whether he did, or did not, receive notice of the three physical examination dates. Indeed, this statement also shows that Kersh is quite willing and able to “invent” reasons for his nonappearance at proceedings which have been scheduled by his adversary or the Court. Thus, his attempted denials lack merit.

Regarding his actions before this Court, the Court also makes the following findings:

1. Despite repeated warnings by this Court, he has often failed or refused to serve legal papers or pleadings on opposing counsel.
2. Kersh has repeatedly sought delays in the commencement of these proceedings where the circumstances have suggested bad faith by him:
a. He sought to cancel an October 27, 1987 hearing before this court on the basis of an alleged medical examination at Mayo Clinic when, in fact, the attached documentation reflected a medical examination of November 10, 1987.
b.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
689 F. Supp. 1442, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5497, 1988 WL 64323, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kersh-v-borden-chemical-a-div-of-borden-inc-mied-1988.