Opinion ID: 534851
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Amendment of Judgment

Text: 25 Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e), a district court may alter or amend a judgment, allowing the court to correct its own errors, sparing the parties and appellate courts the burden of unnecessary appellate proceedings. Charles v. Daley, 799 F.2d 343, 348 (7th Cir.1986). Vacation of a judgment is one form of altering a judgment pursuant to Rule 59(e). Sutliff, Inc. v. Donovan Cos., Inc., 727 F.2d 648, 652 (7th Cir.1984). In this case, however, the district judge cited no errors or changes of heart regarding the merits of the legal arguments, but instead decided to send the case to the Illinois courts as the preferred forum. 26 Villegas, in his brief motion to vacate and allow for voluntary dismissal, did not offer any other grounds for vacation or alteration. He simply asserted that, Justice will be served by allowing Plaintiff to voluntarily dismiss his action without prejudice, as he will then be able to pursue his remedies in state court and obtain a clarification of his rights therein. It was an abuse of discretion to vacate a judgment for that reason.