# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No . 1 8 -2 8 95

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In re: Ev et t e Ni co le Reed

l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ll l D eb t o r

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Ro ss H. Bri gg s

l l l l l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l l l

A pp el l a n t

v

.

Ho n o rab l e Ch arl es E. Ren d l en , III

l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l

Ap p el l ee

Offi ce o f U.S

. Tr u s t ee

l l l l l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l l l U.S

. Tr u st ee

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Ap p eal fro m

Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt

fo r t he Eas t ern Di s t ri ct o f M i s s o u ri - St . Lo u i s

_

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Su bm i t t ed : Sep tem

ber 2 5, 2 0 19

Fi l ed : Decem

b er 3 , 2 0 1 9

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Befo re BENTON, SHEPHERD, an d GRASZ, Ci rcu i t J ud g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _GRASZ, Ci rcu i t J u d g e.

Ro s s Bri gg s at t em

p t ed t o ap p eal t wo b an kru p t cy c o u rt o rd ers t o t h e Un i t ed

St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt fo r t h e Eas t ern Di s t ri ct o f M i s s o u ri b y fi li n g a s i n g l e n o t i ce o f

ap p eal

. Acco rd i n g t o t h e d is t ri ct co u rt

, t h i s v i o l at ed a lo cal b an k ru p t cy co u rt ru l e.

Th e d is t ri ct co u rt st ru ck th e n o t i ce o f ap peal wi t h o ut al l o wi ng Bri gg s an o p p o rt u n i t y

t o cu re t h e d efect by fi l i n g s ep arat e n o ti ces o f ap p eal fo r each o rd er. Fo r t h e reas on s

s et fo rt h bel o w, we rev ers e t he d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s o rd er s t ri k i n g t h e n o t ice o f ap p eal t o

t h e ex t en t i t d en i ed Bri g g s an o p p o rt u n i t y t o cu re.

I . Ba ck g ro und

In 2 0 1 6

, U n it ed St at es Ban k ru p t cy J u d g e Ch arl es E. Ren dl en s an ct i o n ed

Bri g g s , an at t o rn ey i n t h e St at e o f M i s s o u ri

, an d b an ned hi m fro m p ract i ci ng b efo re

t h e Un i t ed St at es Ban k ru p tcy Co u rt fo r t h e Eas t ern Di s t ri ct o f M i s s o u ri f o r s i x

m o nt h s

. W e p rev i o u s l y

affi rm ed t h at d eci si o n on ap p eal

. S ee In r e Reed , 8 8 8 F.3 d

9 3 0 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 8 ). In Ju n e 2 0 1 8

, Bri g gs fi led a m o t i o n befo re J u d g e Ren d l en fo r

rei n s tat em en t o f h i s fu l l p ract i ce p ri v i l eg es as wel l a s a m o t i on t o d i s q u al i fy J u d g e

Ren dl en fro m p res id i n g o v er m at t ers rel at ed t o Bri g g s ’ s req u es t fo r rei ns t at em en t

. J u d g e Ren d l en d en i ed b o t h m o t i o ns

.

On J u ly 2 4

, 2 0 1 8

, Bri g gs fi l ed a si n g l e n o t i ce o f ap p eal ch al l en g i n g th e o rd ers

d en y i n g b o t h m o ti o n s

. Bri g gs at t ach ed t he t wo ord ers an d p ai d a s i n gl e fi l i n g fee.

Th e d i s t ri ct co u rt en t ered an ord er s t ri k i ng Bri g g s ’ s no t i ce o f ap p eal b ecau s e h e

ap p eal ed t w o s ep arat e o rd e r s u s i n g o n e no t i ce an d p ai d o n l y o n e fi l i n g fee in

v i o l at i o n o f Lo cal Ban k ru p t cy Ru l e 8 0 0 1 (A).

Bri g gs fi l ed a m o t i on t o reco n s i d er an d v acat e t he ord er. On Au g u st 2 3

, 2 0 1 8,

t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt d en i ed Bri g g s ’ s m o t i o n fo r reco n s i d erat i o n

. B r i g g s f i l ed a t i m el y

n o t i ce o f ap p eal fro m t h e d i s t r i ct co u rt ’ s o rd er, arg u i n g Lo cal Ban k ru p t cy Ru l e

-2

-8 0 0 1 (A) i s i n v al i d an d

, al tern at i v el y , t h at t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt erred i n t reat i n g t h e ru l e

as i f i t were a ju ri s d i ct io n al req u i rem en t

.

I I . Ana l ys i s

W e fi rs t co n s i d er o u r j u ri s d i ct i o n o ver t h e ap p eal

. Th is co u rt has j u ri s d i ct i o n

t o rev i ew fi n al o rd ers o f t h e d i s t ri ct co urt . 2 8 U.S.C. § 15 8 (d ). T he d i s t ri ct co urt ’ s

d eci s i o n t o s t ri k e Bri g g s ’ s n o t i ce o f ap p eal o f t wo b a n kru p t cy o rd ers was t h e

fu n ct i o n al eq u i v al en t o f a d i s m i s s al

, en d in g h i s ab i l i t y t o ch al l en g e th os e o rd ers

. Becau s e t h ere w as n o t hi ng m ore t o d o aft er s tri k in g t h e m o t i o n an d cl o s i n g t h e cas e,

we co ncl ud e t he d is t ri ct co u rt ’ s o rd er was a fi n al o rd er u n d er 2 8 U.S.C. § 1 5 8 (a). Cf

. In re Ap ex Oi l Co

. , 8 8 4 F.2 d 3 4 3

, 3 4 7 (8 t h Ci r. 1 9 8 9 ) (l i s t i n g fact o rs to d et erm i n e t h e

fi nal it y o f a b an kru pt cy

o rd er).

W e n o w t u rn t o Bri g g s ’ s arg um en t co n t es ti n g t h e v al i d i t y o f Lo cal Ban k ru p t cy

Ru l e 8 0 0 1 (A), wh i ch s t at es “ [a] s ep arat e n o ti ce o f ap p eal an d fi l i n g fee i s req u i red

fo r each o rd er bei n g ap p eal e d

. ” Ban k r. E.D. M o

. R. 8 00 1 (A). W e rev i ew d e n o v o

t h e d is t ri ct co u rt ’ s i n t erp ret at io n o f t h is ru l e. See Kei l v. Lo p ez , 8 6 2 F.3 d 6 85

, 7 0 3

– 0 4

(8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 7 ) (i n t erp ret i n g t h e Fed eral Ru l es o f Ci v i l Pro ced u re d e n o v o).

Th e Fed eral Ru l es of Ban k ru p t cy Pro ced ure ex p res s l y al l o w co ur t s t o ad o pt

l o cal ru l es o f p ract i ce an d p ro ced ure as l o n g as t h ey are co n si s t en t wi t h t h e f e d e ral

ru l es

. Fed . R. Ban k r. P. 9 0 2 9 (a)(1 ).

Th e fed eral b an k ru p tcy

ru l e g o v ern i n g ap p eal s p ro v i d es o n ly t h at a n o t i ce o f

ap p eal m u s t “ (A) co n fo rm s u bs t an t i al l y to t h e ap p ro pri at e Offi ci a l Fo rm ; (B) b e

acco m pan i ed b y t h e j u d gm en t

, o rd er, o r d ecree, o r t h e p art o f i t

, b ei n g ap p eal ed ; an d

(C) b e a c c o m

p an i ed b y t h e p res cri b ed fee.” Fed

. R. Ban k r. P. 8 0 0 3 (a)(3 ). Th e

b a n k r u pt cy ru l es are o t herwi s e s i l en t as t o a p art y ’ s ri g h t t o ap p eal m u l t i p l e o r d e r s

wi t h a s in g l e n o t i ce o f ap p eal

. Al t h o u g h Lo c a l Ban k ru p tcy Ru l e 80 0 1 (A) i s m o re

-3

-s p eci fi c t h an t h e r e l a t ed fed eral ru l es , i t i s n o t i n co n s i s t en t wi t h an y o f t h em

.

Th erefo re, we reject Bri g g s ’ s arg u m en t t hat i t i s i n v al i d

.

Th i s d o es n o t en d o u r in q u i ry

. Bri g g s al t ern at i v el y arg ues t h at ev en i f Lo cal

Ban kru p t cy Ru l e 8 00 1 (A) is v al i d

, th e d is t ri ct co u r t s h o u l d h av e p erm i t t ed h i m to

am en d h is n o t i ce o f ap p eal to cu re an y d efi ci en cy u n d er th e l o c a l ru l es

. W i t h o ut

ex p res s i n g an y o p i n i o n a s t o t h e m eri t s o f h i s u n d erl y in g ap p eal

, we ag ree. Th e

d i s t ri ct co u rt erred i n s t r i k in g t h e n o t i ce o f ap p eal wi t h o u t al l owi n g Bri g g s an

o p p o rt u ni t y t o cu re t h e d efect b ecau s e d o i n g s o wro n g l y t rea t e d t h e d efect as ju ri s d i ct i o n al

.

Th e Un it ed St at es Su p rem e Co u rt h as i n s t r u ct ed co urt s t o l i beral ly co n s t ru e

ru l e s g o v e rn i n g n o t i ces of ap p eal an d av o i d t reat i n g i m p erfect i on s in n o t i ces o f

ap p eal as fat al s o lo n g as cert ai n req u i rem en ts are m et

. See S mi t h v. Ba r r

y , 5 0 2 U.S.

2 4 4

, 2 47

– 4 8 (1 9 9 2 ) (ex p lai n i n g co u rt s m u s t l i b eral l y co n s t ru e t h e req u i rem en t s o f

Fed

. R. Ap p

. P. 3 s o t h at p ap ers t ech n i cal ly at v ari a n c e m a y b e co n s i d ered t h e

“ fu nct io n al eq u i v al en t .”). “ [I] m p erfect i o n s i n n o ti ci n g an ap p eal s h o u l d no t b e fat al

wh ere n o g en u i n e d ou b t ex i s t s ab o u t wh o i s ap p eal i ng , fro m wh at ju d g m en t

, t o wh i ch

ap p el l at e co urt .” Becker

v. Mo n t g omer y , 5 3 2 U.S. 7 5 7 , 7 5 9 (2 0 0 1 ).

Bri g gs ’ s no ti ce o f ap p eal u n d o u bte dly pr ovide d the ne c e s sa r y inf or m a tion: w ho

was ap p eal i n g , fro m wh at ju d g m en t

, an d t o wh i ch ap p el lat e co u rt t h e ap p eal was

d i rect ed

. As s u ch

, t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt s h o u ld n o t h av e t reat ed t h e i m p erfect io n as fat al

. Th i s i s n o t t o say t h e d i st ri ct co u rt can n o t en fo rce t h e b a n k r u p t c y ru les

. It m ay b e

ap p ro p ri at e i n cert ai n ci rcu m st an ces fo r t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt t o s tri k e a n ot i ce of ap p eal

, i n cl u d i n g , fo r ex am

p le, wh en s an ct i o n i n g a p art y ’ s wi l l fu l fai l u re t o co m p l y wi t h t h e

l o cal ru l e. S

ee Fed

. R. Ban k r

. P

. 9 0 2 9 (a)(2 ) (“ A lo cal ru l e i m p o s i ng a req u i rem en t

o f fo rm s h al l n o t b e en fo rced i n a m an n er t hat c a u s e s a part y t o l o s e ri g h t s b ecau s e

o f a n o n w i ll fu l fai lu re t o co m p ly wi t h t h e req u i rem en t .”). Ho wev er, t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt

m ad e n o s u ch fi n d i ng h ere.

-4

-M o reo v er, Bri g g s ’ s fai lu re t o p ay th e req u i red fee s h o u l d n o t h av e b een t reat ed

as a j u ri s d ict io n al req u i rem en t t h at ren d ered t h e n o t i c e o f a p p eal i neffect i v e. See

Pa r is s i v. Tel ech r on

, In c. , 3 4 9 U.S. 4 6

, 4 6

– 4 7 (1 95 5 ) (h o l d i n g u n t i m el y p ay m en t o f

a fi l i n g fee d i d n o t i n val i d at e a n o t i ce o f ap peal ); B.J. McAd ams , In c. v. I.C.C. , 5 5 1

F.2 d 1 1 1 2

, 1 1 1 5 n .3 (8 th Ci r. 1 97 7 ) (h o l d i n g t h e fai l u re t o en cl o se a d o ck et i n g fee d id

n o t ren d er i n effect i ve a pet i t i o n fo r rev i ew). In st ead

, t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt s h ou l d h av e

g i v en Bri g g s an o pp o rt u n i t y t o cu re t h i s d efect

.

Th e Ap p el l ee arg ues t he cas es d is cu s s ed ab ov e d o n o t co n t ro l becau s e t h ey

i n t erp ret t h e Fed eral Ru l es o f Ap pel l at e Pro ced u re an d d o n o t i n vo l v e a b an k ru p t cy

ap p eal t o a d i s t ri ct co urt

. W e d o n o t fi n d t h i s d i s t i n ct i o n m at eri al t o o u r an al y s i s

. An

ap p eal m ad e fro m a b an kru pt cy o rd er t o a fed eral d i s t ri ct co u rt “ s h al l b e t ak en i n t h e

s am e m an n er as ap p eal s i n ci v i l p ro ceed i ng s g en eral l y are t ak en to th e co u rt s o f

a p p e al s fro m th e di st ri ct co u rt s an d i n th e t i m e pro v i ded b y Ru l e 8 0 0 2 o f t h e

Ban kru p t cy Ru l es .” 2 8 U.S.C. § 1 5 8 (c)(2 ). Th u s, we ap p l y t h e s am e l i b eral

co n st ru ct i o n o f t h e n ot i ce req u i rem en t s i n ci v i l p ro ceed i n g s t o b an k ru p t cy ap p eal s

.

Al t h ou g h Lo cal Ban k ru p t cy Ru l e 80 0 1(A) is v al i d

, t h e di s t ri ct co u rt erred by

t reat i n g t h e ru l e as a ju ri sd i ct i o n al re q u i rem en t w i t ho u t p ro v i d i ng Bri g g s an

o p p o rt u ni t y t o cu re t h e d efect b y fi l i n g s ep arat e n o t i ces o f ap p eal fo r each ord er an d

p ay i n g t h e acco m

p an y i n g fees

. 1

1 Th e Ap p el l ee arg u es al t ern at i v e g r o u n d s ex i s t ju s t i fy in g t h e di st ri ct co urt ’ s d eci s i o n t o d i s m i s s Bri g g s ’ s ap p eal , ex p l ai n i n g t he n o ti ce o f ap p eal w as fi l ed m o re

t h an 14 d ay s aft er t he b an k ru p t cy co u rt d en i ed t h e m o t i o n t o d i s qu al i fy t h e b an kru p t cy ju d g e, wh ich h e cl ai m s v i o l at ed Fed

. R. Ban k r. P. 80 0 2 (a). W e o ffer n o

o p i n i o n as t o t h e m eri t s o f t h i s arg um en t

. T h e d i s t ri ct co u rt m ay co n si d er t h e Ap p el l ee’ s t i m el i nes s arg u m en t i n t h e fi rs t in s t an ce. S ee Lo f t n es s Sp eci a li

z ed Fa r m Eq u ip

. , I n c

. v. Twi es tmeyer

, 7 4 2 F.3 d 8 4 5

, 8 5 1 (8 t h Ci r. 2 01 4 ) (“ Al t h o u gh we ma y affi rm t h e d i s t ri ct co urt ’ s ju d g m en t o n an y b as i s s u p p o rt ed b y t he reco rd

, we are n ot

req u i red t o d o s o [,] ” an d wi l l rem an d w h en “ i t wo u l d b e b e n e f i c i al fo r t h e d i s t ri ct

co u rt t o co ns id er t h [e] i s s u e i n t h e fi rs t i ns t an ce.”).

-5

-I I I . Co ncl us i o n

Fo r t h e fo reg o in g reas o n s , we rev ers e t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s o rd er s t r i k i n g t h e

n o t i ce o f ap p eal an d rem an d th e cas e t o t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt fo r p ro ceed i n g s co n s i s t en t

wi t h t h i s o p i n i o n

.

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