Source: http://dc.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19960701_0000149.DDC.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2017-03-29 19:09:02
Document Index: 19711224

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1292', '§ 1292', '§ 12', '§ 1292', '§ 1502', '§ 764', '§ 764', '§ 1292']

| IN RE KOREAN AIR LINES DISASTER OF SEPTEMBER 1
ORDER Upon consideration of the Joint Motion for an Order Amending Order of June 4, 1996 to Include Statutory Language From 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) to Certify the Court's Order of June 4, 1996 for an Interlocutory Appeal and a Joint Motion for a Stay, it is by the Court this 1st day of July, 1996, ORDERED, that the above-captioned actions be and hereby are STAYED until further Order of the Court; and it is FURTHER ORDERED, that the Joint Motion for certification of this Court's Order of June 4, 1996 to the Court of Appeal for interlocutory appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b), be and hereby is GRANTED; and it is FURTHER ORDERED, that this Court's Order of June 4, 1996 be and hereby is amended to state: Certification for Interlocutory Appeal Generally, appellate review of a trial court's decision is only appropriate upon an appeal from a final judgement in the trial court, that is, only after all the issues involved in a particular lawsuit have been finally determined. See F. James and G. Hazard, Civil Procedure § 12.4 at 657 (1985). However, in 1958 Congress created a statutory exception to the final judgment rule, codified at 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b). Section 1292(b) provides in pertinent part: When a district judge, in making in a civil action an order not otherwise appealable under this section, shall be of the opinion that such order involves a controlling question of law as to which there is substantial ground for difference of opinion and that an immediate appeal from the order may materially advance the ultimate termination of the litigation, he shall so state in writing in such order. . . . Thus, an interlocutory appeal can be properly certified only where the district court and the appellate court agree that (1) an order involves a "controlling question of law"; (2) this controlling question of law is one upon which "there is substantial ground for difference of opinion"; and (3) "an immediate appeal from the order may materially advance the ultimate termination of the litigation." The within actions are governed by the Warsaw Convention. Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to International Transportation by Air, October 12, 1929, 49 Stat. 3000, T.S. No. 876 (1934), reprinted in note following 49 U.S.C. § 1502. The liability of Korean air for the death of all passengers on Korean Air Lines Flight KE007 has previously been established. See In re Korean Air Lines Disaster of September 1, 1983, 289 U.S. App. D.C., 932 F.2d 1475 (D.C. Cir.), cert. denied 502 U.S. 994 (1991). The actions remaining in this Court assert recovery for damages and are postured following the Supreme Court's decision in Zicherman v. Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd., U.S. , 116 S. Ct. 629, 133 L. Ed. 2d 596 (1996), which held that the wrongful death cause of action is governed by the Death on the High Seas Act, 46 U.S.C. App. § 764 et seq. ("DOHSA"). Specifically, Plaintiffs claim a right to recover damages for mental anguish and grief pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 764 under Korean law and that there is a general maritime survival action separate and distinct from the wrongful death action under DOHSA which may co-exist with the wrongful death action. The Court has granted Korean Ar Lines' Motion to Dismiss all claims for nonpecuniary damages holding that mental anguish and grief damages may not be recovered and that a general maritime survival action may not supplement wrongful death damages under DOHSA. The pending issues have never been addressed by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and were not addressed in Zicherman, U.S. , 116 S. Ct. at 629. The parties are of the opinion that the recoverable damages issues involve controlling questions of law which are of significant importance to the remaining damages trials currently pending in this Court and that there are substantial grounds for differences of opinion. The parties are further of the opinion that an immediate appeal from this Order will materially advance the ultimate termination of the remaining litigation. This Court agrees. During the many years that this litigation has been in this Court and in the other district courts and circuit courts across the United States questions regarding recoverable damages have repeatedly confounded the courts. Complicating the determination of available damages are circuit splits and the interplay between the Warsaw Convention, DOHSA, and general maritime law. With the Supreme Court's opinion in Zicherman, a major step was taken towards resolving the difficult question of available damages under the Warsaw Convention. Guidance from the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit regarding: (1) the availability of mental anguish and grief damages; and (2) the availability a survival action for pain and suffering damages in light of Zicherman, will hopefully assist in terminating these action once in for all. Therefore the Court certifies this Order dismissing Plaintiffs' claims for nonpecuniary damages for an immediate interlocutory appeal. &nbsp; It is FURTHER ORDERED, that above-captioned cases be and hereby are certified for interlocutory appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) because they involve controlling questions of law as to which there is substantial ground for difference of opinion and an immediate appeal ...