Source: http://openjurist.org/967/f2d/418/arney-v-finney-arney-h-c-e-r-f
Timestamp: 2013-05-19 03:42:51
Document Index: 445843658

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1291', '§ 1291', '§ 1291', '§ 1291', '§ 1291', '§ 1291']

967 F2d 418 Arney v. Finney Arney | OpenJurist
967 F. 2d 418 - Arney v. Finney Arney	Home967 f2d 418 arney v. finney arney
967 F2d 418 Arney v. Finney Arney 967 F.2d 418
23 Fed.R.Serv.3d 174
Jouett Edgar ARNEY, Randall William Murphy, Plaintiffs-Appellants,andLeslie Keith Kimball, Rickey Ray Redford, Robert Demass,Richard Snell, Thomas H. Porter, Dennie House, RobertFrancis Smith, Jr., Lyle C. Sanders, Donald E. Alexander,Anthony R. Palocioz, Joseph F. Edwards, Plaintiffs,v.Joan FINNEY, Raymond Roberts, Gary Stotts, Defendants-Appellees.Jouett Edgar ARNEY, Plaintiff-Appellant,andLeslie Keith Kimball, Rickey Ray Redford, Robert Demass,Richard Snell, Thomas H. Porter, Dennie House, RobertFrancis Smith, Jr., Lyle C. Sanders, Donald E. Alexander,Anthony R. Palocioz, Joseph F. Edwards, Randall WilliamMurphy, Plaintiffs,v.Joan FINNEY, Governor, Raymond Roberts, Gary Stotts,Defendants-Appellees.Rickey Ray REDFORD, Robert Demass, Richard Snell, Thomas H.Porter, Dennie House, Robert Francis Smith, Jr.,Lyle C. Sanders, Donald E. Alexander,Anthony R. Palocioz, Joseph F.Edwards, Plaintiffs,andJouett Edgar Arney, Plaintiff-Appellant,v.Joan FINNEY, Governor, Leslie Keith Kimball, RaymondRoberts, Defendants-Appellees.
Nos. 91-3235, 91-3237 and 91-3295.
These interlocutory appeals arise out of a class action suit involving the conditions at correctional facilities under the jurisdiction of the Kansas Department of Corrections. In appeals number 91-3235 and number 91-3237, appellants Jouett Arney and Randall Murphy raise three arguments. First, they challenge the district court's authority to reopen a final order under Fed.R.Civ.P. 54(b). Second, they argue that a federal district court has a duty to honor a "termination" of counsel motion that is filed by a majority of the plaintiff class. Third, appellants assert that the district court should have conducted a hearing to determine whether appointed counsel for the class should be terminated. Appellant Arney also appeals an order of the district court denying his motion to intervene. In appeal number 91-3295, Arney contends that the district court abused its discretion by denying a hearing on the application-petition for a contempt of court citation to enter against the Kansas Department of Corrections. Arney also asserts that the members of the class have a right to have their views presented individually or through class counsel. Because these are interlocutory appeals and because the district court certified only the issue of the denial of Arney's motion to intervene, we exercise jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 with respect to the intervention issue only and affirm. The other issues on appeal are dismissed.1
On May 17, 1991, the district court entered an order significantly modifying its April 13, 1989 order over the protestations of some members of the plaintiff class. Arney v. Finney, 766 F.Supp. 934 (D.Kan.1991). In particular, certain members of the class claimed that the district court could not modify its April 13, 1989 order because that order was final and any modification of the order would violate res judicata principles. The district court disagreed and held that the doctrine of res judicata did not bar modification of the April 13, 1989 order. Id. at 937-38. In its order of May 17, 1991, the district court also granted appellant Arney's motion to withdraw as a class representative in the case and denied a number of other motions because they were not brought by counsel for the class. Id. at 940-41.
Both appellants Murphy and Arney--purportedly on behalf of the plaintiff class--moved to intervene in the action. The district court denied Arney's motion to intervene and held that only the denial of the motion to intervene was appropriate for immediate appeal as a collateral order. Porter v. Finney, 1991 WL 126724 (D.Kan. June 28, 1991). In an order entered on July 11, 1991, the district court added Murphy as a class representative.
On appeal, Arney contends that the district court erred by denying his motion to intervene as a class representative.2 Because Arney is representing himself, we construe his pleadings liberally. Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520-21, 92 S.Ct. 594, 595-96, 30 L.Ed.2d 652 (1972). We have jurisdiction to hear this appeal because an absolute denial of intervention is a collateral order and, therefore, is appealable immediately. See Stringfellow v. Concerned Neighbors in Action, 480 U.S. 370, 377, 107 S.Ct. 1177, 1182, 94 L.Ed.2d 389 (1987) ("In Railroad Trainmen ... [the] order denying all intervention was by necessity subject to immediate review, because the applicant '[could] not appeal from any subsequent order or judgment in the proceeding.' ") (quoting and explaining the holding in Railroad Trainmen v. Brotherhood of Baltimore & Ohio R. Co., 331 U.S. 519, 524-25, 67 S.Ct. 1387, 1390, 91 L.Ed. 1646 (1947)); see also Gerstle v. Continental Airlines, Inc., 466 F.2d 1374, 1377-78 (10th Cir.1972) (addressing and affirming district court's denial of permissive intervention).
This appeal does not involve a case of intervention of right under Fed.R.Civ.P. 24(a) because Arney's interests are adequately represented by the other class representatives, who also are challenging the conditions of the prison system. Instead, this appeal raises the question of whether Arney should be permitted to intervene under Rule 24(b). "[P]ermissive intervention is a matter within the sound discretion of the district court, and we will not disturb its order except upon a 'showing of clear abuse.' " United Nuclear Corp. v. Cranford Ins. Co., 905 F.2d 1424, 1427 (10th Cir.1990) (quoting Shump v. Balka, 574 F.2d 1341, 1345 (10th Cir.1978)), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 799, 112 L.Ed.2d 860 (1991). After reviewing the record of proceedings in this case, we cannot conclude that the district court abused its discretion in denying Arney's motion to intervene. Arney's intervention would only clutter the action unnecessarily--especially since Arney remains a member of the class and is similarly situated with other members of the class. Further, Arney's intervention would not aid the class in its attempt to correct allegedly unconstitutional conditions.
We now must address whether we have jurisdiction over appellants' remaining claims. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, this court only has jurisdiction over final orders of the district court in all but a few exceptional cases. In Cohen v. Beneficial Indus. Loan Corp., 337 U.S. 541, 69 S.Ct. 1221, 93 L.Ed. 1528 (1949), the Supreme Court crafted a common law exception to the final judgment rule. " 'To come within the "small class" of decisions excepted from the final-judgment rule by Cohen, the order must conclusively determine the disputed question, resolve an important issue completely separate from the merits of the action, and be effectively unreviewable on appeal and from a final judgment.' " G.J.B. & Assoc., Inc. v. Singleton, 913 F.2d 824, 827-28 (10th Cir.1990) (quoting Coopers & Lybrand v. Livesay, 437 U.S. 463, 468, 98 S.Ct. 2454, 2457, 57 L.Ed.2d 351 (1978)). Thus, under the Cohen doctrine, "where the denial of immediate review does not render impossible any review whatsoever, i.e., where rights will not be irretrievably lost in the absence of an immediate appeal, collateral review is not available." In re Magic Circle Energy Corp., 889 F.2d 950, 954 (10th Cir.1989) (citations omitted).
We first address the appealability of the district court's determination that class counsel should not be "terminated." In Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Risjord, 449 U.S. 368, 101 S.Ct. 669, 66 L.Ed.2d 571 (1981), the Supreme Court addressed whether a motion to disqualify opposing counsel was appealable as a final order under § 1291. In Firestone, the defendant filed a motion to disqualify plaintiffs' counsel due to an alleged conflict of interest. The district court denied the motion and the defendant appealed immediately. The Court held that an order denying a motion to disqualify was not an appealable final decision under § 1291 because it fails to meet the "collateral order" exception to the final judgment rule established in Cohen. Id. at 375-76, 101 S.Ct. at 674. The Court held that such an order fails to meet the third prong for the Cohen test, requiring that the interlocutory order be "effectively unreviewable on appeal from a final judgment." Id. at 376, 101 S.Ct. at 674. The Court explained that "[t]he propriety of the district court's denial of a disqualification motion will often be difficult to assess until its impact on the underlying litigation may be evaluated, which is normally only after final judgment." Id. at 377, 101 S.Ct. at 675. Applying this rationale, we conclude that the district court's denial of appellants' claim that class counsel should be removed due to a conflict of interest is not appealable as a final order.
Turning to appellants' remaining arguments, we also conclude that these issues are not appealable under § 1291. In addition to challenging the district court's denial of intervention and decision not to terminate class counsel, appellants challenge the district court's (1) decision to reopen a final order under Fed.R.Civ.P. 54(b), (2) denial of a hearing on the adequacy of class counsel, (3) denial of a hearing on the application for a contempt of court citation to be entered against the Kansas Department of Corrections, and (4) decision not to permit the class members to have their views presented individually or through class counsel. None of these claims involve a final order of the district court. Further, these issues do not satisfy the exception to the final order requirement as expressed in Cohen and Coopers & Lybrand. Denial of immediate review of these issues does not render them unreviewable at a later stage. Moreover, denial of review at this stage will not cause appellants an irretrievable loss of their rights. Each of these issues can be addressed after the district court issues a final order in this ongoing class action. Thus, we do not have jurisdiction under § 1291 to hear these appeals.
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