The Supreme Court of the United States issued one decision today:
Hall v. Hall, No. 16-1150: Petitioner Elsa Hall and respondent Samuel Hall are siblings litigating against each other in two consolidated cases surrounding the management of their mother’s property and estate. One of the suits involved claims by Samuel against Elsa in her individual capacity (the “individual case”), and the other involved claims brought by Elsa in her capacity as trustee against Samuel (the “trust case”). The cases were consolidated under Fed. R. Civ. P. 42(a), and tried together to a jury. In the individual case, the jury found for Samuel, but the District Court granted Elsa a new trial, thus reopening judgment. In the trust case, the jury found against Elsa, judgment was entered, and Elsa filed a notice of appeal. Samuel moved to dismiss the appeal, arguing that judgment was not final because the individual case remained open, and the Third Circuit agreed. Today, the Court reversed, holding that when one of several consolidated cases is finally decided, a disappointed litigant is free to seek review of that decision in the court of appeals.
The Court's decision is available here.