2006 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 2-16-2006 

# In Re: J ohn Ame ndt
P r e c e de n t i al or N on-P r e c e de n t i al : N on-P r e c e de n t i al D ocke t N o . 05-2458

F o l lo w thi s a nd a dd it ion al work s at : h tt p://d i g it alc ommon s .l a w . vi l l a no va . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2006

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou gh t t o you for f r e e a nd ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i l l a no va U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di g it al Re posit or y

. It h as be e n a c c e pt e d for inclusion in 2006 D e c i sion s b y a n author i z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i l l a no va U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di g it al Re posit or y

. F or mor e infor m at ion, p le as e c on t a ct Be n j a min . C a rl s on@l a

w . vi l l a no va . e du
. Re c omme nde d C it at ion
" In Re: J o hn Ame ndt " (2006). 2006 D e cisio n s . P ape r 1569. h tt p://d i g it alc ommon s .l a

w . vi l l a no va . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2006/1569NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL I N TH E UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS

F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT
N o. 05- 2458
I N RE: J OHN AMENDT; BRUCE APPL EMAN; DAVID ARMBRECHT; JAMES ASHMORE, SR.; GEORGE B ACSKAI ; J OHN H. B EATTY; LYNN B EEKMAN; RAYMON D B EHN; WI LL IAM BO I CE; VI CTORIA B OND; CLARENCE BRI NKER; THOMAS B RYFOG L E, SR.; J AMES BUCHMAN ; MYRON BU TLER; J AMES CAHI LL , SR.; THOMAS CAHILL ; J OHN CANAVAN ; CHARLES CARS ON; DOROTHYCASEY; CHARL ES CHI DSEY; DI ON CLARK; F AI THGO GA

N; F RA NC I S CO RTRI GH T, SR.; JOHNCRA I GLE; DE LB ERT CRE SSMA

N; PAUL I

NECRO SSO N; JOHNCSI SEK ; RI CH ARD D AIL EY ; RO B ERT DAIL EY; HAROLD DE L ONG; CHARLES DEWEY; P ATRI CK DI NAN; ALBERT DO RKO; MA RLYN

N D ORKO ; GAR

Y E VE RI TT ; E LWOO D E YE R; E LWOO D F AH RI NG ER; WI LL IAM FAZ EKAS; J ERRY FLANK; MI NNIE FO LWEI L ER; HAROLD FO SS; J OHN FRANK ; HAROLD FRAN KENF I ELD; ROSEMARI E FRASIER; J UNE GI TTI NS; FRANK GLANZ ; RONA LD G OD SHALK; AR NO LD G ONZ ALEZ ; RO LLA G REG OR Y; JOSEP H G R O M LO W IC Z ; RAY M O N D H A IN E S ; R O B E R TH A N S ; R U S S E LL H A RIN G ; R O NA LD HART; J ACK HATCH; RI CHARD HATCH; ROBE RT HAWK; FREDERI CK HECKMAN; L ESTER HEI

NRI CH; ALFRED HENDERSHOT; WI LL IAM HUGH ES; CARLI NDEREL ST; J AMES J OHNSON; LAWRENCE J ONES; J AMES KENNEDY ; GEORGE KI NSEY; WI LL IAMLAB AR ; F RA NC I S LEH ; RI CH ARD LILLY; RO B ERTL IPPI NC OT T; AD OLPH L OC HE R, JR.; B ARB AR A L OSA GI O; CH ARL ES L UC AS; DONNA L

UC AS; RI CH ARD LUCAS; GEORGE MANNERS, J R.; ROBERT MATYAS; MAE MILL ER; DOUGLAS MO YLE; ELKENA CE; AN NAOVAD Y; L EEPET TI T; GE OR GEPIAT T; B ERNARD PRI CE; J OSEPH PUCC I O; HOWARD PYATT; SHIRL EY PYATT; B ETTY REESE; STANLEY REI GER; CHARL ES RODGERS; ANTHONY ROMAGN OL I ; ELMER RUSH; PAUL I NERYAN ; A LF RED SAGAZ I O; ALEEN SAL I SB UR Y; DA NIEL SCH AF ER; ARTHUR SERFASS; R OB ERT SHOEMAKER; NORMAN SMI TH; ROBERT SMI TH; RI CHARD SNYDER; ROBERT SPI LL ER; ROGER S PONDER; SHARRON STEFANO; D A N IE L S T ILL; R O B E R T S T O C KE R ; R U S S E LL S T O RM ; R O NA LD S T U E B E R ; LA S Z LO SZABO ; CHARL OTTE TERSI GNI ; KENNETHTHOMPSON; AUGUSTI NE TRI NCHERIA; SAMUE LUVAR

Y; ED WARD VA

N H OR N; HARO LD VAN SET ERS ; WILL IAMVENN ER; MARY VENNER; F RANCI S W ALLBILLI CH; SANDRA WAL LBILL I CH; KENNETH WEAVE R; ZAC HARIAHWI LL IAM S; F L OY D WI SME R; RI CH ARD Y OUPA; DENI SE YOUPA; REBECCA YOUPA; AARON YOUPA; RI CHARD YOUPA, JR .; J OHN ZAGRA; GENE ECKERT; EDI TH EVERI TT; WI LL IAM HOLDEN, JR .; HERBERT LAUGHLAND;

J OSEPH MI CKEY; WAYNE MORRI S; GEORGE SNYDER, SR., P et i t i on ers2 P eti ti o n fo r a W ri t of

M an d am u s to 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
. N o. 04- cv- 05299) D i s t r i ctJ udge: H onor abl e J ames K
. G ar dner

A r gued J anuary18, 2006 B e f o re : R O T H , F U E N T E S , a n d B E C K E R , C i r cui tJudges
.

( Fi l ed Februar y16, 2006)
OPI NI ON O F THE COURT
I R A B
. SI L V E R ST E I N ( A r gued) T horp, R eed & A r m s t r ong O ne C om m er ce Squar e, Sui t e 2010 2005 M ar ketSt r eet Phi l adel phi a, PA 19103 A t t orney for P et i t i on ers N A N C Y G
. R O SS (A r gued) M I CH AE L T
. GR AHAM M c Der mot tW i l l & Eme r yLLP 2 2 7 W e st M o n ro e S tre e t C hi cago, I l l i noi s 60606 A t t or neys f

orR es pondent B E C K E R , C i r cui tJudge. T his case com es to us on a peti t i on for a w ri tof m and am us. A l t ho ug h the pet i t i on ers , a g r o u p o f r e t i r e e s , b r o u g h t s u i t a g a i n s t Bowe Be l l + Howel l Comp a n y ( “ BB+H ”) i n t he E astern D istri ct of

P en n sy lvan ia, the D istri ct C o u rttr an sfe rred th e c a s e to the N o rt h ern3

D i s t r i ctof Il li n oi s , w her e B B +H had comm ence d a dec l ar at or yj udgm entact i on i nvol vi ng
s i m i l ari s s u es an d p art i es a y earear l i er . C oncl udi ng t he r et i r ees have f ai l ed t o m eett he
e x a c tin g s ta n d a rd f

o r m a n d a m u s , w e w ill d e n yth e p e titio n .

I. F a cts T he r et i r ees ar e for m erhour l yempl oy ees atB B +H ’ s fac i l i t yi n A l l ent ow n, Penns y l vani a. T hey al l ege t hat dur i ng a l abor s t r i ke i n 2001, B el l & H ow el l C om pany( t he pr edec es s ort o B B +H ) ind u ce d them t o r et i r e ea r l y , t hus fr eei ng t he companyt o hi r e nonu n io n iz e d e m p lo y e e s . At t h e t i me o f t h e s t r i k e , t h e r e t i r e e s ’ p e n s i o n p l a n s p r o v i d e d l i f e t i me
m ed ical be n ef

it s fo r t h e e m p loy ee s an d their spo u ses. T h e r e tir e e s all eg e tha t th ey w ere p ro m ise d th a t if th e yre tired e a rly , the yw o u ld re tain life tim e b e n e f its; o th e rw ise , the yw o u ld l ose t hese be nefit s. A ccor di ng t o t he compl ai nt , on J anuary1, 2004, w el l aft ert hey had r et i r ed due t o t he al l eged pr om i s e of l i fet i m e bene fi t s , B B +H r enege d on i t s pr om i s e, re duci ng benef i t s for reti ree s y o u n g er tha n 6 5 , an d elim inating all h ea lth co v era g e f o r reti ree s ag e 6 5 an d o lder. O n N ovember 12, 2004, t he r et i r ees br oughtt hi s act i on agai ns tB B +H i n t he East er n D i s t r i ct of Penns y l vani a ( t he “Pennsy l vani a act i on”) , al l egi ng vi ol at i ons of t he Em pl oy ee Ret i r ement I ncome Secur i t yA ct( “ER I SA ”) and st at e l aw . T he P enns y l vani a act i on i s t he onl yl i t i gat i on b e f o re th is C o u rt . A ful l y ear befor e t he re t i r ees comm ence d t he P enns y l vani a ac t i on, on N ovember 10, 2003, B B +H br oughta dec l ar at or yj udgm entact i on i n t he N or t her n D i s t r i ct of I l l i noi s ( “t heT h e Illino is ac tio n c o u n ter c laim s als o in c lu d e a b re a c h o f c o n tra c t cla im o m itt e d in 1 t he P enn sy l van i a act i on cl ai m s. 4 I l l i noi s act i on”) , s eeki ng a decl ar at i on t hat i tcoul d l aw ful l ym odi fyt he r et i r ees ’ benef i tpl ans ( t he “I l l i n o is A cti o n”)
. B B +H al s o s oughtt o pr el i m i nar i l yand perm anent l yenj oi n t he
r e t i r e e s f r o m a s s e r t i n g c l a i ms r e l a t i n g t o t h e p l a n modi fi cat i ons i n o t h e rv e n u e s . BB+H br ought t hi s a c t i o n b e f

o r e t h e mod i f

i c a t i o n s i n t h e b e n e f

i t s p l a n s wen ti n t o e f

f e c t . BB+H named as defe ndant s t he r et i r ees ’ uni on and t hr ee r et i r ees as r epr es ent at i ves of t w o defe ndant
c la s s e s . O n Febr uar y5, 2004, s t i l l w el l befor e t he comm ence m entof t he Penns y l vani a ac t i on, t he uni on and t w o r et i r ees fi l ed a m ot i on t o di s m i s s t he I l l i noi s A ct i on, ori n t he al t er nat i ve, t o t r ans fert hatcas e t o t he East er n D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a. T he D i s t r i ctC our tfort he N or t her n D i s t r i ctof I l l i noi s deni ed t he mot i on. O n J ul y9, 2004, t he r et i r ees ans w er ed B B + H ’s com plai nt i n the I l l i no i s act i on and asser t ed co un t ercl ai m s. T he t w o act i ons ar e mi r r ori m ages of ea ch ot her : I n t he I l l i noi s act i on, B B +H s eeks a dec l ar at i on t hatt he pl an modi fi cat i ons w er e l aw ful , and i n t he Penns y l vani a ac t i on, t he
r e t i r e e s a s s e r tt h a t t h e p l a n mo d i f i c a t i o n s we r e u n l a wf

u l
. I n f a c t , t h e r e t i r e e s ’ c o u n t e r c l a i ms in th e Illino is a c tio n a re a lm o st id e n tica l to th e c laim s the y n o w a ss e rt in th e P e n n sy lv a n ia
ac ti o n . T h e se cti o n s li sti n g req u ested reli ef are also str iking lysim il ar. 1 O n M ar ch 14, 2005, t he D i s t r i ctC our tfort he East er n D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a gr ant ed B B +H ’ s m ot i on t o t r ans fert he Penns y l vani a ac t i on t o t he N or t her n D i s t r i ct of Il l i noi s . T heW e re j ect t he cont ent i on t hatt he D i s t r i ctC our tdi d noti ndepende nt l ydeci de t he i s s ue 2 b u t sim p lyd e f

e rre d to , o r c o n sid e re d itse lf b o u n d b y , the N o rth e rn D is tr ic t o f Illino is d e c is io n . 5 D i s t r i ctC our t t ook not e of s ever al fac t or s favor i ng t r ans fer , i ncl udi ng: ( 1) t he modi fi cat i ons t o t he bene fi t s pl an occ ur r ed i n t he N or t her n D i s t r i ctof I l l i noi s ; ( 2) m os tdocument s and
w i t nes s es r el at ed t o B B +H ’ s deci s i on t o m odi fy t he pl an ar e l ocat ed i n t he N or t her n D i s t r i ct of I l l i noi s ; and ( 3) t he N or t her n D i s t r i ct of I l l i noi s had a s ubs t ant i al i nt er es t i n r es ol vi ng t he dis pu t e. T he D i st ri ct C ou rtst at ed that t he r et i rees ’ causes of act i on i n b oth cases ar e “al m ost l i t er al l yverbat i m ” and that“t he ca s es ar e i dent i cal , foral l pr act i cal purpos es . ” The D i s t r i ct C o u rt a lso su g g e ste d th a t in f ili n g th e P e n n sy lv a n ia a c tio n , the re tiree s w e re a tt e m p tin g to
m a k e a n e n d ru n a ro u n d th e Illino is D istric t C o u rt’s re f u sa l to tra n sf

e r th e Illino is A c tio n to Penns y l vani a. 2 O n M ar ch 24, 2005, t he r et i r ees m oved t he D i s t r i ctC our tfort he East er n D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a t o s t ayt he t r ans ferof t he P ennsy l vani a ac t i on t o I l l i noi s and t o cer t i fyt he t r ans feror derfori m m edi at e appe al under28 U
. S. C
. § 1292( b)
. A s of M ay5, 2 0 0 5, t he D i s t r i ct C our t had y ett o r ul e on ei t herm ot i on, and t he r et i r ees fi l ed a pe t i t i on fora w r i tof
m andamus, as ki ng t hi s C our tt o or dert he D i s t r i ct C our t not t o t r ans fer t he cas e. O n J une 3, 2 0 0 5 , the D istri ct C o u rtref u sed to ce rt ifythe a p p ea l and to staythe tran sfe r ord er. I I . Juri s di ct i on and St andard of R evi ew M a n d a m u s is th e o n ly co n c e iv a b le b a s is f o r o u r j u ri s d ic tio n . See Sunbe l tC or p. v. N obl e, D en ton & A ssoc s . , I nc. , 5 F. 3d 28, 30 ( 3d C i r . 1993) ( “M andamus i s . . . t heA p p e a l th ro u g h th e o rd in a rysta tu to ryc h a n n e l, 28 U .S .C
. § 1 2 9 1 , is n o t av a ilab le 3 b e c a u s e a n o rd e r t ra n s f

e ri n g v e n u e is n o t a “ f

in a l d e c is io n ” u n d e r 2 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 9 1
. S ee In r e Fed.

- MogulG l obal

, I nc. , 3 0 0 F .3 d 3 6 8 , 3 7 8 (3 d C ir. 2 0 0 2 ) (“ It is a w e ll-es tab lish e d ru le i n t hi s ci r cui t( and gene r al l y ) t hator der s t r ans ferr i ng venue a r e noti m m edi at el ya p p e a l abl e. ”) (cit ati o n s a n d q u o tat ion s o m it ted); Sunbel tC or p. , 5 F. 3d at30. L i kew i s e, beca us e t he Di s t r i c tCo u r td e n i e d t h e r e t i r e e s ’ mo t i o n t o c e r t i f yt h e t r a n s f

e ro r d e rf

o ra p p e a l , 2 8 U. S
. C. § 1 2 9 2 (b ) d o e s n o t p ro v id e a n a v e n u e to th is C o u rt . A p e tit io n e r se e k in g a w rit o f m a n d a m u s m u st a lso sh o w th a t th e r e is n o a d e q u a te 4 a lte rn a tiv e re m e d y . See Su nb el tC orp . , 5 F. 3d at 30. T he r et i r ees have m et t hi s r equi r ement b ec au se a n ap p ea l from a fina l jud g m en t o f t h e tran sfe ree fo rum (i n this case , the N o rt h ern D i s t r i ctof I l l i noi s ) “i s notan ade quat e al t er nat i ve t o obt ai n t he r el i ef s ought
. ” Id
. 6 appr opr i at e m echa ni s m forr evi ew i ng an al l egedl yi m pr opert r ans feror der
. ”) ( ci t at i ons
o m it ted). 3 T he requ i rem ents for i ssui ng a w ri t of m and am us place a heavy bu rden on t he ret i rees . “G ener al l y , a w r i tw i l l onl yi s s ue i f t he di s t ri ct c o u rt di d nothave the pow ert o ent ert he
o rd e r, an d th e n ‘o n lyif th e p a rtyse e k in g th e w rit m e e ts its b u rd e n to d e m o n stra te th a t it s
r i ghtt o t he w r i ti s cl earand i ndispu ta bl e. ’ ” Id
. ( ci t at i on om i t t ed)
. T hus , “[a ] w r i tof 4

m andamus i s an extr aor di nar yr emedy
. ” I d. II I. A n a ly sis T he s t atut e gover ni ng t r ans fer s of venue, 28 U
. S. C
. § 1404( a) , pr ovi d es: “F o r t he conveni ence of par t i es and w i t nes s es , i n t he i nt er es tof j us t i ce, a di s t r i ctcour tm ayt r ans fer anyci vi l act i on t o anyot herdi s t r i ctordi vi s i on w her e i tm i ghthave be en br oug h t. ” The b u rd e n o f

s h o w in g a n e e d f

o r t ra n s f e r i s o n th e m o v a n t, in th is c a s e , B B + H
. See J um ar a v. S t a t e Fa r m I

n s . Co
. , 5 5 F
. 3 d 8 7 3 , 8 7 9 (3d C ir
. 1 9 9 5 ). W e have pr ov ided an e xt ens i ve l i s tof fa ct or s t hatm aybe r el evantt o t r ans ferof7

venue: ( 1) t he pl ai nt i ff’ s choi ce of forum ; ( 2) t he def endant ’ s choi ce of

forum ; ( 3) w her e t he cl ai m ar os e; ( 4) “conve ni ence of t he par t i es as i ndi cat ed byt h eir rel at i ve phy s i cal and fi nanci al condi t i ons ”; ( 5) “t he conve ni ence of t he w i t nes s es
— butonl yt o t he ext entt hatt he
w i t nes s es m ayactual l ybe unava i l abl e fort r i al i n one of t he for a”; ( 6) t he l ocat i on of books
a n d re c o rd s; (7 ) th e e n f o rc e a b il it yo f

th e ju d g m e n t; (8 ) p ra c tica l co n sid e ra tio n s th a t co u ld expedi t e ors i m pl i fyt r i al ; ( 9) t he l evel of cour tconges t i on i n t he t w o for a; ( 10) “t he l ocal i nt er es ti n deci di ng l ocal cont r over s i es at hom e”; ( 11) t he publ i c pol i ci es of t he for a; and ( 12) in a d iv e rs ity c a s e , th e f a m ilia ri ty o f

th e tw o c o u rt s w ith s ta te la w . Id
. at879- 80. H er e, th e mos ti mpo rt a n tf a c t o ri s t he avoi dance of dupl i cat i ve l i t i gat i on: A dj udi cat i ng al m os ti dent i cal i s s ues i n s epar at e for a w oul d w as t e j udi ci al r es our ces . T he r et i r ees w ai t ed
a n e n tire yea r f

ro m th e tim e B B + H c o m m e n c e d th e Illino is a c tio n to f ile th e P e n n s ylv a n ia act i on. B yt hi s t i m e, t he Il l i noi s D i s t r i ctC our thad deni ed t he r et i r ee’ s m ot i on t o t r ans fert he I l l i noi s act i o n to Penns y l vani a. T hus , bybr i ngi ng t he Penns y l vani a ac t i on, t he r et i r ees
e f f e c tiv e lyso u g h t to re li ti g a te th e Illino is D istric t C o u rt’s r e f u sa l to tra n sf

e r th e c a se to Penns y l vani a. T he D i s t r i ctC our tr efus ed t o s anct i on t hi s s t r at egy , w hi ch i tchar act er i zed a s

“ a s e c o n d b ite a t th e a p p le .” B eca us e t he r emai ni ng fac t or s ar e atbes ta dr aw , t hey p rov ide n o r eas on t o al l ow
esse n ti all yiden ti ca l l it igation to p roc ee d in se p ara te fo ra, m u ch le s s t o gr an t th e e x tr ao rdin ary
r emedy of m andamus. T he pl ai nt i ffs ( t he r et i r ees ) chos e t o l i t i gat e i n t he East er n D i s t r i ctof Penns y l vani a but t he defenda nt ( B B +H ) w oul d pr efe rt o l i t i gat e i n t he N or t her n D i s t r i ctofM o re o v e r, an yd e p o sitio n s o f th e re tiree s w ill b e tak e n in P e n n sy lv a n ia, p ro x im a te 5 t o thei r hom es. 8 I l l i noi s . E l em en ts of

t he r et i r ees ’ cl ai m s ar os e i n eac h of t he t w o for a: W hi l e t he al l eged pr om i s e t h a t t h e r e t i r e e s wou l d r e t a i n l i f e t i me b e n e f

i t s o c c u r r e d i n t h e Ea s t e r n Di s t r i ct of P enn sy l van i a, B B + H am end ed the pl an in t he N ort hern D i st ri ct of Il l i no i s. T u rn in g to th e c o n v e n ien c e o f th e p a rties a n d w itn e ss e s, th e re tiree s sta te th a t itw o u ld b e d ifficu ltto trav el fro m P en n sy lvan ia to I ll ino is. H o w ev er, i t app ea rs un li k elythat m o re t h a n a f e w of t h e r e t i r e e s wou l d be cal l e d u p o n t o t e s t i f ya tt r i a l
. W h i l e s o me BB+H

5 empl oy ees w i t h r el evantknow l edge (p resu m abl y , know l edge r el at i ng t o t he t er m s of t he
r et i r ees ’ ear l yr et i r ement ) l i ve i n Pe n n s y l vani a, B B +H empl oy ees i nvol ved i n t he amendm ent of t he bene fi t s pl an re side i n I l l i noi s . D ocument s r el evantt o t he dec i s i on t o m odi fyt he ben efi t s pl an are l ocated i n the N ort hern D i st ri ct of Il l i no i s. T he int eres t s of the t w o fo ra i n d eci ding t he co ntr ov ers yapp ear r ou gh l yequ al becau se t h e r e t i r e e s l i v e i n P e n n s y l v a n i a , b u t BB + H i s h e a d q u a r t e r e d i n I l l i n o i s . BB + H’ s Al l e n t o wn f a c ili tyh a s b e e n sig n if

ica n tlyre d u c e d , an d th e re tiree s’ f o rm e r u n io n n o lo n g e r re p re se n ts t h e b a r g a i n i n g u n i ta tt h i s f a c i l i t y. In sh o rt , ev en if w e w ere to co n side r t h e tr a n s fe r ord er de novo , t he fa ct or s pr es ent her e w oul d notj us t i fyal l ow i ng t he s ame cas e t o be l i t i gat ed i n bot h P en n sy lvani a and I l l i noi s . T her efor e, t he r et i r ees do noteven com e cl os e t o m eet i ng t he exact i ng s t andar d for
a w r i t of m andamus. T hei r r i ght t o r el i ef i s cer t ai nl y not“cl earand i ndi s put abl e. ” S u n b e lt9

C orp . , 5 F. 3d at30. A s t he r et i r ees cont end, t hi s cas e pr es ent s a var i at i on on ouror di nar ycons i der at i on
o f f a c to rs r e lev a n t to a tra n sf e r o f v e n u e . T h e re tiree s a re th e d e f e n d a n ts in th e Illino is act i on, even t hough t heyar e t he “na t ur al ” pl ai nt i ffs , t hati s , t he par t i es w ho al l ege thatt hey h a v e b e e n w ro n g e d
. T h e re tiree s co n ten d th a t b y b rin g in g a d e c lar a to ry ju d g m e n t ac tio n in Illino is, B B + H a c ted a s a n “ a rtific ial” p lain tiff a n d e f f e c tiv e lyd e p riv e d th e “ n a tu ra l” p la in tif f s o f th e ir o p p o rt u n ity to s e le c t th e p re s u m p tiv e f o ru m . W e are un i m press ed by t his con t enti on . T he ret i rees ’ bestcase i s AC F I nd us t r i e s LLC
v. C hapm an , N o . 4 :0 3 C V 1 7 6 5 , 2 0 0 4 W L 3 1 7 8 2 5 7 (E .D . M o . A u g . 2 6 , 2 0 0 4 ), b u t ev e n th is
c a se
— a n o t p re c e d e n tial o p in io n o f a n o th e r C o u rt— b e a rs o n ly a su p e rf icia l re se m b lan c e to t he ca s e atbar
. I n t he East er n D i s t r i ctof M i s s our i , A C F i ni t i at ed a de cl ar at or yj udgm ent
a c tio n a ss e rtin g th a t itd id n o t b re a c h f id u c iar yd u ties to re tiree s w h e n it m o d if ied a b e n e f

its pl an. T hen, i n t he Sout her n D i s t r i ctof W es tV i r gi ni a, t he r et i r ees fi l ed a s ui ts i m i l art o t he P e n n s y lv a n ia a c tio n in th is c a s e , a s s e rt in g th a t th e b e n e f its m o d if ic a tio n w a s u n la w f

u l. Id
. at*1- *2. T h e D is tri ct C o u rtfo r t h e E astern D istri ct of M issou ri tr an sfe rred A C F ’s decl ar at or yj udgm ents ui tt o W es tV i r gi ni a, even though t he dec l ar at or yj udgm entact i on w as f ile d f ir s t. Id
. a t * 2 -* 3
. Th i s c a s e d i f

f e r s f r o m C hapm an in tw o c ritica l re sp e c ts. F irst, th e D istric t C o u rt in C hapm an w as act i ng w i t hi n i t s di s cr et i on t o deci de a tr ans ferm ot i on i n t he fi r s ti ns t ance , w hereas t his case com es t o u s on a p et i t i on for an ext raor dinar y rem edy , a w ri tof m and am us.10

Second, i n C hapm an , t he r et i r ees r es ponded pr om pt l yt o t he dec l ar at or yj udgm entact i on,
w a itin g le s s th a n tw o m o n th s to b ri n g th e ir o w n s u it. I d. at*2. H er e, t he r et i r ees w ai t ed an ent i r e y ear , byw hi ch t i m e t he I l l i noi s D i s t r i ct C our t had deni ed t hei r m ot i on t o t r ans fert he Il lin o is a c tio n to P e n n s y lv a n ia
. C ons i der i ng t he i m por t ance of avoi di ng dupl i cat i ve l i t i gat i on, t he w eakne s s of t he fac t or s fa vor i ng l i t i gat i on i n Penns y l vani a, and t he extr aor di nar yhur dl es t hatt he r et i r ees
m us ts ur m ounti n or dert o j us t i fya w r i tof m andamus, w e w i l l denyt hei rpet i t i on.