United States Department of Energy v. Roth

882 F.2d 519, 1989 U.S. App. LEXIS 10482, 1989 WL 72867
CourtTemporary Emergency Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 5, 1989
DocketNo. 3-53
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 882 F.2d 519 (United States Department of Energy v. Roth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States Department of Energy v. Roth, 882 F.2d 519, 1989 U.S. App. LEXIS 10482, 1989 WL 72867 (tecoa 1989).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

MAXWELL, Judge.

The panel selected to dispose of the above-styled appeal, having examined the [520]*520briefs and appellate record, unanimously determined that oral argument would not materially assist in the determination of this appeal and recommended to Reynaldo G. Garza, Chief Judge of the Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals, that the matter be submitted for final disposition without oral argument, and the Chief Judge having concurred by Order entered herein, the matter, in accordance with Rule 27, General Rules of the Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals of the United States, was placed on the court’s summary calendar for final disposition.

This matter is before this Court for review of an October 7, 1987 Memorandum Opinion of the Honorable Jane R. Roth, United States District Judge for the District of Delaware, denying the United States Department of Energy’s [hereinafter DOE] Motion For Summary Judgment. The DOE, having filed a Petition For A Supervisory Writ pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1651 and Rule 21, Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, urges this court to exercise its supervisory powers and compel the District Court for the District of Delaware to recognize that this court’s ruling in United States v. Exxon, 773 F.2d 1240 (Temp.Emer.Ct.App.1985), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1105, 106 S.Ct. 892, 88 L.Ed.2d 926 (1986) [hereinafter “Hawkins Field”'], is controlling of the issues raised and suggested in the action below, Sun Company v. United States, 594 F.Supp. 652 (D.Del. 1984) [hereinafter “Sun Company”], and further, to direct the District Court to dismiss Sun Company. For the reasons hereinafter set forth, the Court declines to issue the writ.

The substantive and procedural background of this and related cases has been clearly and adequately summarized by the District Court and requires no further amplification other than as necessary to place our resolution of this matter in context.

Sun Company, Inc. and Sun Exploration and Production Company [collectively “Sun”] is an interest holder in a unitized oil field known as the “Hawkins Field Unit” [hereinafter HFU] which is operated by Exxon Company, the largest interest holder in the unit. Sun entered into a Consent Order with the DOE on September 11,1980 whereby the DOE agreed, in essence, to forego the prosecution of asserted and unasserted civil claims adverse to Sun in return for a certain sum of money and the surrender of certain future rights belonging to Sun. Sun brought the civil action below on April 12, 1983 seeking a declaratory judgment that the DOE’s proceeding against Exxon Corporation for the full amount of the HFU overcharges, pursuant to the federal petroleum price and allocation regulations, is precluded by the Consent Order insofar as the HFU overcharges were attributable to Sun’s interest in the unit.

The DOE argues that the question Sun raises in the civil action below has previously been determined adversely to Sun by our opinion in Hawkins Field. In that case Exxon raised a question regarding the effect of the Sun-DOE Consent Order upon the two billion dollar judgment which the DOE had obtained against Exxon. Exxon sought an offset equal to the amounts collected by the United States on the basis of consent orders with those such as Sun who had held ownership and other interests in the HFU.

The trial court in Exxon determined that Exxon’s liability for the full amount of overcharges attributable to the HFU rested upon Exxon’s status as the operator of the HFU. On appeal Exxon claimed entitlement to a reduction of this liability, arguing that it cannot be held accountable for other charges attributable to the interests of others in the HFU who have previously entered into consent orders with the DOE. Inasmuch as Exxon was not a party to the consent orders and the settlements did not reference Exxon or the HFU, this Court determined Exxon’s claim to be without merit and also noted that “Exxon’s right of contribution, if any, from third parties are not now a subject of consideration by this Court.” Hawkins Field, 773 F.2d at 1277, n. 36.

The DOE has taken the position that this court’s determination in Hawkins Field — that the consent orders between [521]*521DOE and certain interest holders in the HFU did not entitle Exxon to a proportionate downward adjustment of its assessed liability — is also dispositive of the question of whether Sun, having earlier made full settlement with DOE, would be entitled to an offset against an Exxon claim for indemnification or contribution. In the event Exxon would be successful in its efforts to collect from Sun, the question would become whether Sun would be entitled to a proportionate refund of the earlier settlement Sun paid to the DOE. The DOE, having received a ruling in the negative on its position below, now seeks to have the District Court compelled to rule in the affirmative.

The supervisory writ of mandamus is an extraordinary remedy and, as such, must be reserved for extraordinary or exceptional situations. Kerr v. United States, 426 U.S. 394, 402, 96 S.Ct. 2119, 2123, 48 L.Ed.2d 725 (1976); Will v. United States, 389 U.S. 90, 95, 88 S.Ct. 269, 273, 19 L.Ed.2d 305 (1967). “While the courts have never confined themselves to an arbitrary and technical definition of ‘jurisdiction,’ it is clear that only exceptional circumstances amounting to a judicial ‘usurpation of power’ will justify the invocation of this extraordinary remedy.” Will v. United States, 389 U.S. at 95, 88 S.Ct. at 273. It has also been held that the petitioner seeking the extraordinary writ of mandamus must establish his entitlement by a “clear and indisputable” showing. Kerr v. United States, 426 U.S. at 403, 96 S.Ct. at 2124.

It has been stated that “a promising new field has opened up for mandamus ... as an instrument to promote economical, even, and orderly administration of justice within [a] circuit” 9 Moore’s Federal Practice ¶ 110.28; however, courts have also cautioned of the temptation of employing mandamus to “review nonappealable orders on the mere ground that they may be erroneous.” Will v. United States, 389 U.S. at 98, n. 6, 275 n. 6. While the extraordinary remedy has been called upon to prevent a judge from proceeding contrary to a recent appellate decision, Erie Bank v. United States District Court for the District of Colorado, 362 F.2d 539 (10th Cir.1966) and the net effect of the District Court’s ruling upon the litigants must be calculated, see 9 Moore’s Federal Practice ¶ 110.28 at 313, absent exceptional and compelling circumstances an appellate court should stay its hand, avoiding piecemeal litigation. “[Mjandamus is not to be used as a substitute for an appeal, even though hardship may result from delay, and perhaps unnecessary trial.” 8 Federal Procedure, L.Ed. § 20:437.

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

Related

In re Phillips Petroleum Co.
943 F.2d 63 (Temporary Emergency Court of Appeals, 1991)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
882 F.2d 519, 1989 U.S. App. LEXIS 10482, 1989 WL 72867, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-department-of-energy-v-roth-tecoa-1989.