Case ID: f-appx_627/html/0037-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

Stephane HOUDET, Alan Joel Rich, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. David BREWER, David Schobel, United States Tennis Association, Jeremiah Yolkut, Daniel Malasky, Harlan Stone, Chris Widmaier, Gordon Smith, John and Jane Doe (employees, agents and servants of Defendant USTA whose names are unknown), Defendants-Appellees.
    No. 15-4-CV.
    United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.
    Jan. 7, 2016.
    Alan Joel Rich, Esq., Brooklyn, New York (Stephen Bergstein, Bergstein & Ullrich, LLP,. Chester, New York, on the brief), for Appellant.
    Jeffrey Ian Carton (Joanna Frances Sandolo, on the brief), Denied & Carton LLP, White Plains, NY, for Appellees.
    PRESENT: REENARAGGI, RICHARD C. WESLEY, CHRISTOPHER F. DRONEY, Circuit Judges.
   SUMMARY ORDER

Plaintiffs Stephane Houdet and Alan Joel Rich, who sue the United States Tennis Association (“USTA”) and certain of its employees for disability discrimination and retaliation in violation of federal and state law, see Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub.L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 327, codified as- amended at 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213; New York State Human Rights Law, N.Y. Exec. Law §§ 290-301, here appeal from the dismissal of their claims on the grounds of res judicata. See Houdet v. United States Tennis Ass’n, No. 13-CV-5131 FB LB, 2014 WL 6804109, at *1 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 3, 2014) (finding preclusive Houdet v. United States Tennis Ass’n, No. 22704/2009 (N.Y.Sup.Ct. Aug. 13, 2013) (granting summary judgment to USTA)). We assume the parties’ familiarity with the facts and the record of prior proceedings, which we reference only as necessary to explain our decision to affirm.

The application of res judicata is a matter of law that we review de novo. See EDP Med. Comput. Sys., Inc. v. United States, 480 F.3d 621, 624 (2d Cir.2007). “Under the doctrine of res judicata, or claim preclusion, ‘[a] final judgment on the merits of an action precludes the parties or their privies from relitigating issues that were or could have been raised in that action.’ ” St. Pierre v. Dyer, 208 F.3d 394, 399 (2d Cir.2000) (alteration in original) (quoting Federated Dep’t Stores, Inc. v. Moitie, 452 U.S. 394, 398, 101 S.Ct. 2424, 69 L.Ed.2d 103 (1981)). Plaintiffs argue that res judicata does not apply here because the cited state court decision reached claims that were not raised in that action and that plaintiffs did not have a full and fair opportunity to litigate. Further, plaintiffs argue that, insofar as the state court granted judgment for USTA’s actions up to 2009, that should not bar claims of discrimination and retaliation for actions after 2009. Plaintiffs failed not only to raise these arguments before the district court, but also to file any opposition at all to defendants’ motion to dismiss, despite receiving no less than four extensions. We have held repeatedly that an argument not raised before the district court is forfeited on appeal. See, e.g., New York ex rel. Schneiderman v. Actavis PLC, 787 F.3d 638, 662 (2d Cir.2015); Zalaski v. City of Hartford, 723 F.3d 382, 395 (2d Cir.2013). While “we may ... exercise our discretion to consider an issue raised for the first time on appeal where the argument presents a question of law and there is no need for additional fact-finding,” Cortlandt St. Recovery Corp. v. Hellas Telecomms., S.À.R.L., 790 F.3d 411, 422 (2d Cir.2015) (internal quotation marks omitted), plaintiffs have offered no compelling reason for us to do so. Indeed, their failure to comply with this court’s procedures in a timely fashion — for which they have already had their appeal' dismissed and reinstated, and then lost the opportunity to file a reply brief — leaves us ill-inclined to do so.

Accordingly, we hold that plaintiffs have forfeited their right to appeal the district court’s dismissal of their complaint. The judgment of the district court' is AFFIRMED.