Source: https://openjurist.org/166/f3d/799/castaneda-v-falcon
Timestamp: 2020-04-04 06:08:46
Document Index: 340974805

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 1291', '§ 636', '§ 636', '§ 1291', '§ 636']

166 F3d 799 Castaneda v. Falcon | OpenJurist
166 F. 3d 799 - Castaneda v. Falcon
166 F3d 799 Castaneda v. Falcon
166 F.3d 799
Ernesto C. CASTANEDA, and Octavio Castaneda d/b/a Aanedas
Bail Bonds, Plaintiffs-Appellants,
Eugenio FALCON, Jr., and Romero Molina, Defendants-Appellees.
No. 97-40350.
More than a year after the hearing, the magistrate judge issued a memorandum opinion and order finding that, although Falcon and Molina had not complied perfectly with the terms of the consent judgment, the instances of non-compliance did not "rise[ ] to the level which would give rise to a judgment of contempt." The magistrate judge further stated that "[t]he parties are reminded that in the Agreed Judgment they consented to arbitrate any further disputes. The court suggests that in the event future disagreements arise that the parties use this means of resolving their disagreements."2
We must always be sure of our appellate jurisdiction and, if there is doubt, we must address it, sua sponte if necessary. See Chunn v. Chunn (In re Chunn), 106 F.3d 1239, 1241 (5th Cir.1997). The prevailing view is that a magistrate judge lacks the power to adjudicate contempt proceedings; pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(e), a magistrate may only certify to the district court (or deny certification of) facts possibly constituting contempt.4 Several of these courts have held or implied that a magistrate judge may address contempt pursuant only to § 636(e) and that § 636(c) does not confer the power to adjudicate contempt.5 Accordingly, the greater weight of authority is that a court of appeals is without jurisdiction to hear a direct appeal from a magistrate judge's decision regarding contempt certification, because only § 636(c) provides for direct appeals.6
See, e.g., In re Hipp, Inc., 895 F.2d 1503, 1511 n. 16 (5th Cir.1990) (noting in dictum that, because contempt is an inherent article III power, magistrate judge has no authority to decide contempt motions and must certify facts to the district court); Bingman v. Ward, 100 F.3d 653, 656-57 (9th Cir.1996) (relying on civil contempt cases for proposition that magistrate judge may not adjudicate criminal contempt); Taberer v. Armstrong World Indus., Inc., 954 F.2d 888, 903-06 (3d Cir.1992) (holding magistrate judge may not adjudicate contempt, even under § 636(c), because contempt power falls only under § 636(e) requiring certification of facts); Grimes v. City & County of San Francisco, 951 F.2d 236, 240 (9th Cir.1991) (noting magistrate may only certify contempt to district court); Proctor v. Government of North Carolina, 830 F.2d 514, 516, 521-22 (4th Cir.1987) (holding that, when magistrate certifies facts pursuant to § 636(e) in course of § 636(c) proceedings, district court must allow the parties to present additional evidence); Geras v. Lafayette Display Fixtures, Inc., 742 F.2d 1037, 1044 (7th Cir.1984) (noting in dictum that, because contempt is an inherent article III power, "under no aspect of the Magistrate[s] Act, can a magistrate punish for contempt"); Collins v. Foreman, 729 F.2d 108, 117 (2d Cir.1984) (noting in dictum that "even under section 636(c) references, the contempt powers remain with the district court"); Cook v. Rockwell Int'l Corp., 907 F.Supp. 1460, 1463 (D.Colo.1995) (holding magistrate has power only to certify civil contempt facts to district court); King v. Thornburg, 762 F.Supp. 336, 342 (S.D.Ga.1991) (holding magistrate's limited contempt jurisdiction found only in § 636(e)); Stotts v. Quinlan, 139 F.R.D. 321, 323-24 (E.D.N.C.1991) (holding magistrate may only certify facts to district court for civil contempt in § 636(c) reference). But see Miami Valley Carpenters Dist. Council Pension Fund v. Scheckelhoff, 123 F.R.D. 263, 266 (S.D.Ohio 1988) (holding that parties' consent to magistrate's jurisdiction for all purposes under § 636(c) includes adjudicating contempt)
See, e.g., Trufant v. Autocon, Inc., 729 F.2d 308, 309 (5th Cir.1984) (holding magistrate's decisions appealable to court of appeals only under § 636(c)); Glover v. Alabama Bd. of Corrections, 660 F.2d 120, 122-23 (5th Cir. Unit B Oct.1981) (denying rehearing of Glover v. Alabama Bd. of Corrections, 651 F.2d 1014 (5th Cir. Unit B July 1981)) (holding that, because magistrate's decision "is not one of the district court," it is not directly appealable under § 1291); Bennett v. General Caster Serv., 976 F.2d 995, 998-99 (6th Cir.1992) (holding magistrate judge's decisions not directly appealable unless magistrate judge's power plenary as under § 636(c)); Siers v. Morrash, 700 F.2d 113, 115-16 (3d Cir.1983) (holding that magistrate's decisions under § 636(b) are not final and appealable pursuant to § 1291 until reviewed by district court and that when Congress wants to allow direct appeal, as in § 636(c), it says so explicitly)