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___________ I n r e : YOL ANDA R ADOGN A, D ebt or

M I CH AE L A. RA DOGNA , A ppel l ant v. W I LLI A M S TO W N SH I P; W I LLI A M S TO W N SH I P B O A R D O F S U P E R V IS O R S ; S A L L Y H IX S O N ; R O B E R T D O E R R , F RE D M E BU S ; RI CH AR D ADAMS ; BR I AN M. P . M ONAHA N

____________________________________ O n A p p ea l Fro m the U n it ed S tat es D istri ct C o u rt F o r th e E a ste rn D istric t o f P e n n sy lv a n ia ( D . C . C i v. N o. 07- cv- 04536) D i s tr i ctJ udge: H onor abl e Thom as M . G ol den

_______________________________________ Subm i tt ed Pur s uantt o T hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

M ay18, 2009 B efor e: B A R R Y , SM I T H and G A R T H , C i r cui tJ udges

( O pi ni on Fi l ed: M ay21, 2009)

_________ OP I NI ON

_________ P E R C UR I AM M i chae l A . R adogna appeal s pr o s e fr om an or derof the D i s tr i ctC our taff i r m i ng2

th e Ba n k ru p t c yCo u r t ’ s d i s mi s s a l o f a n a d v e r s a ryc o mp l a i n t . W e wi l l a f f i r m. I. R adogna’ s m other , Y ol anda Radogna, fi l ed forC hapt er13 bankrupt cypr ot ect i on i n 2001. ( B ankr . E . D . Pa. N o. 01- 24118. ) T he B ankrupt cyC our tent er ed an or der c o n f i r mi n g h e rCh a p t e r1 3 p l a n i n 2 0 0 2 . Ra d o g n a ’ s mo th e rd i e d i n J a n u a ry2 0 0 7 . On A ugus t27, 2007, the Trus t ee f i l ed hi s fi nal r eports t at i ng thatthe bankrupt cyes t at e had b ee n fu ll yad m inist ere d an d req u esti n g an o rde r of d isch arg e. T h e B an k rup tcyC o u rt di s char ged the es t at e byor derent er ed Sept ember19, 2007. O n A ugus t30— aft erthe Trus t ee f i l ed hi s fi nal r eport , butbefor e the B ankrupt cy C ou rtdis charged his m other ’s est at e— R ado gn a fi l ed an adv ers arycom plai nt agai nst W il li am s T o w n sh ip an d ce rt ain o f it s em p loy ee s. (B an k r. E . D . P a. N o . 0 7 -20 7 8 . ) R a d o g n a p u rp o r t e d t o f i l e th e c o m p l a i n to n h i s m o th e r ’ s b e h a l f u n d e ra p o w e ro f

a t t o r n e y, and al s o as s ert ed cl ai m s per s onal t o hi m . A ccor di ng t o R adogna, a Tow ns hi p zoni ng offi cer“tr es pas s ed” on hi s pr operty( w hi ch had be l onged t o hi s m other ) and t ol d hi m t hat h e re q u ir e d a g ra d in g p e rm it, a p p a re n tly f o r c o n s tru c tio n b e in g d o n e a t th e p ro p e rt y . T her eaf t er , the Tow ns hi p i s s ued t o R adogna a “s t op w or k” or derand thr ee c i t at i ons for zoni ng or di nance vi ol at i ons . T hes e eve nt s occurr ed i n A pr i l 2007. R adogna a l s o al l eges th a t T o w n sh ip e m p lo y e e s im p ro p e rlyre sp o n d e d to a n in f o rm a tio n a l re q u e st h e m a d e in c o n n e c tio n w ith th e se p ro c e e d in g s. H e c laim s th a t th e se a c tio n s v io late d th e a u to m a tic bankrupt cys t ay , 11 U . S. C . § 362, and hi s ow n cons t i tut i onal r i ght s t o pr i vacyand dueB efor e fi l i ng hi s compl ai nt , R adogna f i l ed a not i ce of

r emoval purpor t i ng t o r emove 1 the z o n ing cit ati o n s to f ed era l cou rt . A D istri ct Ju d g e su m m aril yrem an d ed the m att er, s ee Com m onw eal th of Pa. v. R adogna, E . D . Pa. C i v. N o. 07- cv- 03027, and R adogna f i l ed h is co m p lai n t sho rt lythere af ter. T h e Di s tr i c tCo u r th a d a p p e l l a t e j u r i s d i c t i o n p u r s u a n tt o 2 8 U. S . C. § 1 5 8 ( a ) , a n d we 2 have appel l at e j ur i s di ct i on pur s uantt o 28 U . S. C . §§ 158( d) and 1291. T he di s m i s s al of R adogna’ s compl ai ntt echni cal l yw as w i thoutpr ej udi ce be caus e both the B ankrupt cy C ou rtand D i stri ctC ou rtgav e him l eave to re- fi l e i tthroug h co un sel , bu tbo th co urt s’ or der s eff

ect i vel yar e fi nal beca us e R adogna ha s s t ood on hi s purpor t ed r i ghtt o pr ocee d w ith the c o m p lai n t pro se. S ee B o rell i v. C ityo f R ea d ing , 5 3 2 F . 3 d 9 5 0 , 9 5 1 -52 (3d C ir . 1 9 7 6 ). “O u r re v iew o f

th e D istric t C o u rt’s r u lin g in its c a p a c itya s a n a p p e llate c o u rt is p lena ry , an d w e re v iew the b an k rup tcyjud g e’s leg al de term ination s d e n o v o . ” In re M u ll ark ey , 5 3 6 F . 3 d 2 1 5 , 2 2 0 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 8 ). 3 process. 1 B yo rde r en tered S ep tem b er 2 4 , 2 0 0 7 , the B an k rup tcyC o u rtd ism issed R ad o g n a’s co m p lai n t on the g rou n d s tha t he w as n o t auth o ri ze d to rep rese n t his m o ther’s e stat e p ro s e and ga ve hi m l eave t o r e- fi l e the compl ai ntthr ough l egal couns el . R adogna appeal ed to th e D is tr ic t C o u rt , w h ic h a f f ir m e d o n th e s a m e g ro u n d b yo rd e r e n te re d A p ri l 1 0 , 2 0 0 8 . R ado gn a no w app eal s t o u s. 2 II. R a d o g n a ’s c o m p lain t alle g e s th a t d e f e n d a n ts’ a c tio n s b o th v io late d th e a u to m a tic s t ayi n hi s m other ’ s bankrupt cyand vi ol at ed hi s ow n cons t i tut i onal r i ght s . T he B ankrupt cyC our tdi s m i s s ed hi s ent i r e compl ai nton the gr ounds thathe w as not a u th o riz e d to re p re se n t h is m o th e r p ro se . W e a g re e w ith th a t ru lin g , an d a g re e th a t itW e not e, w i thoutdeci di ng the i s s ue, thatthe W i l l i ams Tow ns hi p zoni ng ci t at i ons m ay 3 nothave be en s ubj ectt o t he aut om at i c s t ayi n the fi r s tpl ace . See I n r e M y s t i c Tank L i nes C o rp., 5 4 4 F . 3 d 5 2 4 , 5 2 6 -27 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 8 ) (discu ssing “p o li ce an d reg u lat o ryp o w er” ex ce p ti o n to au tom ati c stayu n d er 1 1 U . S . C . § 3 6 2 (b)(4 )). B oth the B ankrupt cyC our tand D i s tr i ctC our topi ned thatR adogna w as pr act i ci ng or 4 att empt i ng t o pr act i ce l aw w i thouta l i cens e i n vi ol at i on of s t at e l aw . R adogna t akes i s s ue w i th thos e s t at ement s and appe ar s t o ar gue thatthe D i s tr i ctC our terr ed i n fai l i ng concl us i vel yt o r es ol ve thati s s ue. T hati s s ue, how ever , w as notbefor e the B ankrupt cy C our torthe D i s tr i ctC our tand i s notbefor e us . L i ke the B ankrupt cyC our tand D i s tr i ct C o u rt, w e d e c id e m e re lyth a t R a d o g n a ’s p o w e r o f a tto rn e yd id n o t p e rm it h im to lit ig a te p ro se o n b e h a lf

o f h is m o th e r in f

e d e ra l co u rt a s a m a tter o f f e d e ra l law . T h e sta tem e n ts bel ow r egar di ng the unauthor i zed pr act i ce of l aw w er e s urpl us age. 4 r e q u i r e d th e d i s m i s s a l o f th e c o m p l a i n ti n s o f

a ra s i ts o u g h tt o e n f

o r c e th e a u t o m a t i c s t a y. 3 F e d e ra l co u rts, in c lu d in g o u rs, “ h a v e ro u tin e lya d h e re d to th e g e n e ra l ru le pr ohi bi t i ng pr o s e pl ai nt i ffs fr om pur s ui ng cl ai m s on behal f of other s i n a r epr es ent at i ve capa ci ty . ” Si m on v. H art for d L i fe, I nc. , 546 F. 3d 661, 664- 65 ( 9th C i r . 2008) ( col l ect i ng cas es ) . See al s o O s ei - A fr i y i e v. M ed. C ol l . of Pa. , 937 F. 2d 876, 882- 83 ( 3d C i r . 1991) (h o ld in g th a t p a re n t a n d g u a rd ia n c o u ld n o t liti g a te p ro s e o n b e h a lf o f h is c h ild re n ). R adogna’ s pow erof att orneym ayhave c onferr ed ce r t ai n deci s i on- m aki ng r i ght s under s t at e l aw , buti tdoes notal l ow hi m t o l i t i gat e pr o s e on beha l f of hi s m otheri n fede r al co u rt . S ee P o w erse rve Int’l , Inc . v . L av i, 2 3 9 F . 3 d 5 0 8 , 5 1 4 (2d C ir . 2 0 0 1 ). 4 Ra d o g n a a l s o l a c k e d s t a n d i n g t o e n f o r c e th e a u t o ma t i c s t a yo n h i s o wn b e h a l f. He a p p e a rs to a rg u e , as h e a rg u e d f o r th e f irst tim e in th e D istric t C o u rt, th a t h e m a ya ss e rt a vi ol at i on of the aut om at i c s t aybeca us e he i s a “c o- debt or ” w i th hi s m other . B utR adogna wa s n o ta c o - d e b t o ri n h i s mo th e r ’ s b a n k ru p t c y . Th e Ch a p t e r1 3 p e t i t i o n b e a r s h e rn a meT he D i s tr i ctC our tbel i eved thati tw as “noti n a pos i t i on t o det erm i ne w hether 5 appel l anti s , i n fac t , a co- debt or , as doi ng s o i s bey ond the s cope of i t s author i tyas an a p p e llate c o u rt.” (D ist. C t. O p . n .1 .) D e ter m in in g w h e th e r R a d o g n a w a s a c o -d e b to r in hi s m other ’ s bankrupt cy , how ever , ent ai l s nothi ng m or e than a r evi ew of the B ankrupt cy C o u rt re c o rd a n d a d e te rm in a tio n o f w h e th e r R a d o g n a w a s a d e b to r i n th a t p ro c e e d in g . 5 onl y , and s he r emai ned the onl ydebt ori n the B ankrupt cyC our tfr om the t i m e s he fi l ed herpet i t i on unt i l the t i m e heres t at e w as di s char ged. N ordoes R adogna’ s pot ent i al s t atus as a “c o- debt or ” w i th hi s m otheri n s om e othercapa ci ty( w hi ch he doe s notas s ert ) confe r sta n d in g to e n f

o rc e th e a u to m a tic s tay. S e e In re N e w E ra , In c ., 1 3 5 F .3 d 1 2 0 6 , 1 2 1 0 (7 th C i r . 1998) ( “[T] he s t ayi s forthe pr ot ect i on of the debt orand i t s cr edi t or s . ”) ; W i nt er s v. G eor ge M as on B ank, 94 F. 3d 130, 133 ( 4th C i r . 1996) ( “I ti s w el l s ett l ed thatthe aut om at i c s t aydoes notappl yt o non- bankruptcodebt or s . ”) . A ccor di ngl y , R adogna l acke d author i tyt o enfor ce the aut om at i c s t ayon behal f of hi s m other , and l acke d s t andi ng t o enfor ce i ton behal f of hi m s el f. 5 T hi s rul i ng does notdi s pos e of Radogna’ s ow n cons t i tut i onal cl ai m s . N ei thert he B a n k ru p tcy C o u rt n o r th e D istric t C o u rt a d d re ss e d th o se c laim s, b u t th e re is n o re v e rsib le e rro r in th a t re g a rd . T h e B a n k ru p tcy C o u rt lac k e d ju risd ictio n o v e r R a d o g n a ’s c laim r egar di ng the aut om at i c s t ay . See G oode v. C i tyof Phi l adel phi a, 539 F. 3d 311, 317 ( 3d C ir . 2 0 0 8 ) (A rt icl e III st an d ing is a “jurisdicti o n al pre req u isi te”). T h u s, R ad o g n a’s co n sti tuti o n al claim s req u ir ed an ind ep en d en t j u ri sd ict ion al ba sis. S ee also In re M ul l arkey , 536 F. 3d at223 ( “w e adopt ed a c l ai m - by - cl ai m appr oach t o det erm i ne the ext entof a ba nkrupt cycourt ’ s j ur i s di ct i on”) . T heydo nothave one .6

B ankrupt cycourt s have j ur i s di ct i on t o adj udi cat e cl ai m s “ar i s i ng under ” Ti t l e 11 or “ar i si ng i n” a T i t l e 11 ban kruptcycase ( coll ect i vely , “core” cl ai m s) , as w el l as tho se “re lat ed to” a b an k rup tcyca se. S toe v . F lahe rty , 4 3 6 F . 3 d 2 0 9 , 2 1 6 -17 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 6 ). R adogna’ s cons t i tut i onal cl ai m s fal l w i thi n nei therthe B ankrupt cyC our t ’ s “cor e” or

“ re late d to ” ju risd ictio n . R a d o g n a ’s c laim s a re n o t co re c laim s b e c a u se it ca n n o t b e sa id that“the B ankrupt cyC ode cr eat es the ca us e of a ct i on orpr ovi des the s ubs t ant i ve r i ght i nvoked” ( and thus thatthey“ar i s e under ” C hapt er11) , orthatthey“‘ have no e xi s t ence out s i de the bankrupt cy ’ ” ( and thus “ar i s e i n” the bankrupt cy ) . St one, 436 F. 3d at216- 17 ( ci t at i on om i t t ed) . T o t he contr ary , R adogna’ s cl ai m s al l egedl yar i s e underthe C o n s titu tio n a n d a re w h o lly in d e p e n d e n t o f h is m o th e r’ s b a n k ru p tc y . N ei therar e hi s cl ai m s “r el at ed t o” thatbankrupt cy . C l ai m s ar e “r el at ed t o” a bankrupt cyi f thei rout come “‘ coul d conce i vabl yhave a nyeff ecton the es t at e bei ng admi ni s t er ed i n bankrupt cy . ’ ” I d. at216 ( ci t at i on om i t t ed) . “[A ] tthe pos t - confi r m at i on s t age, ‘ the cl ai m m us taff ectan i nt egr al as pectof the bankrupt cypr oces s — ther e mustbe a c lo s e n e x u s to th e b a n k ru p tc yp la n o r p ro c e e d in g .’” Id . a t 2 1 6 n .3 (c ita tio n o m itte d ). R ad o g n a’s c o n sti tuti o n al claim s clea rl yd o n o t qu ali fy . H is cl aim s see k red ress f o r ha rm al l egedl ydone t o hi m , and he s eeks damages forhi s ow n al l eged “ s er i ous m ent al angui s h, ps y chol ogi cal and emot i onal di s tr es s , char act eras s as s i nat i on, and fi nanci al di s dai n. ” ( C o m p l . ¶ 2 4 . ) T h e s e c l a i m s b e a rn o c o n c e i v a b l e r e l a t i o n t o h i s m o th e r ’ s b a n k ru p t c y, w h ic h a lr e a d yh a d b e e n f u lly a d m in is te re d w h e n R a d o g n a f ile d h is c o m p la in t.R adogna i ni t i al l ys oughts anct i ons beca us e he c l ai m ed thathe di d notr ece i ve a c opy 6 of appe l l ees ’ br i ef orthei rm ot i on t o fi l e i toutof t i m e. A ppel l ees r es ponded thatthey s entboth t o R adogna, thatthei rm ai l i ngs w er e notr eturned as undel i ver abl e, and thathe m usthav e recei ved a cop yof thei r br i ef. In hi s r eply , R ado gn a do es not di spute tho se as s ert i ons and i ns t ead makes addi t i onal al l egat i ons thatw e fi nd t o be i m m at er i al . T o the ext entthatR adogna’ s r epl yon the i s s ue of s anct i ons m i ghtbe cons trued al s o as a mot i on to e n lar g e th e re c o rd o n a p p e a l, th a t as p e c t o f th e m o tio n is d e n ied a s w e ll. 7 A ccor di ngl y , the D i s tr i ctC our t ’ s or derw i l l be af fi r m ed. R adogna’ s m ot i on for s anct i ons i s deni ed. 6