Source: http://ny.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20180727_0001756.SNY.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 00:36:16+00:00

Document:
THE CITY OF NEW YORK, et al., Defendants.
The City of New York, Daniel Nunez, Daniel Beddows, Juan Rodriguez, Jens Maldonado, John Anzelino, and Michael Raso (together, “Defendants”) move for sanctions against Angela Lawrence and her former counsel Jason Leventhal stemming from their production of 67 photographs purporting to show the immediate aftermath of the events at issue in this action. Defendants contend that sanctions are warranted under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 11, 26, and 37, and seek dismissal with prejudice and attorneys' fees. For the reasons that follow, Defendants' motion is granted in part and denied in part, and this case is dismissed.
In December 2017, this Court granted Leventhal's motion to withdraw and afforded Lawrence two months to secure new counsel. (ECF Nos. 97 & 98.) Lawrence was unable to engage a new lawyer and appeared pro se. By letter dated February 20, 2018, Lawrence claimed she provided the photographs to her attorney by accident because she had an eye infection. (ECF No. 105.) At a status conference, this Court advised Lawrence that “[t]he issue here is whether the photographs that you submitted actually depicted the damages at the time or whether it was all staged by you and then given to your attorney.” (Feb. Hr'g Tr., at 9:13-16.) Further, this Court informed Lawrence that “if evidence comes out on [Defendants'] motion that in fact this is all fabricated, at a minimum, [the Court] may be duty bound to refer it to the United States attorney, ” that her case could be dismissed, and that she “may be subject to substantial monetary penalties.” (Feb. Hr'g Tr., at 9:18-25.) Lawrence elected to proceed.
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provide for sanctions based on litigation misconduct. Courts also “possess certain inherent powers, not conferred by rule or statute . . . to fashion an appropriate sanction for conduct which abuses the judicial process.” Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. v. Haeger, 137 S.Ct. 1178, 1186 (2017) (citation and marks omitted). Courts have the inherent power to correct a fraud upon the court. Fraud upon the court exists where a litigant attempts to “improperly influence the trier” of fact, “lies to the court and h[er] adversary intentionally, repeatedly, and about issues that are central to the truth finding process, ” or “knowingly submit[s] fraudulent documents to the Court.” Passlogix, Inc. v. 2FA Tech., Inc., 708 F.Supp.2d 378, 395 (S.D.N.Y. 2010) (citation and marks omitted). A district court has broad discretion in fashioning sanctions under its “inherent power to manage its own affairs.” Residential Funding Corp. v. DeGeorge Fin. Corp., 306 F.3d 99, 106-07 (2d Cir. 2002).
Discovery sanctions serve broad purposes, including: (1) to ensure “that a party will not benefit from its own failure to comply”; (2) “as specific deterrents [to] seek compliance with the particular order issued”; and (3) “as a general deterrent effect on the case at hand and on other litigation.” Update Art, Inc. v. Modiin Publ'g, Ltd., 843 F.2d 67, 71 (2d Cir. 1988). In determining sanctions based on discovery misconduct, courts consider willfulness, duration of non-compliance, whether the non-compliant party had been warned of the consequences of non-compliance, and the efficacy of lesser sanctions. Dragon Yu Bag Mfg. Co. v. Brand Sci., LLC, 282 F.R.D. 343, 345 (S.D.N.Y. 2012).
“[D]ismissal is a harsh remedy, not to be utilized without a careful weighing of its appropriateness, ” and should only be employed when a court is “sure of the impotence of lesser sanctions.” Dodson v. Runyon, 86 F.3d 37, 39, 42 (2d Cir. 1996) (citation and marks omitted). Nonetheless, “when a party lies to the court and h[er] adversary intentionally, repeatedly, and about issues that are central to the truth-finding process, it can fairly be said that [s]he has forfeited h[er] right to have h[er] claim decided on the merits.” McMunn v. Mem'l Sloan-Kettering Cancer Ctr., 191 F.Supp.2d 440, 445 (S.D.N.Y. 2002).

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