Opinion ID: 596121
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Summary of the Poulis Factors

Text: 51 Although Poulis and its progeny have emphasized that the sanction of default is disfavored, our cases have also held that the district court rather than the court of appeals is in the best position to evaluate whether a default is proper. See e.g., Mindek, 964 F.2d at 1373-74. Guided by the principles we articulated in Poulis, the district court here concluded that a default against Blinder, Cox, and IEI was appropriate. Based on our review of the record, we have concluded that there is adequate support for the findings that underlay the district court's action. As the Supreme Court stated in regard to sanctions under Rule 37, the most severe in the spectrum of sanctions provided by statute or rule must be available to the district court in appropriate cases, not merely to penalize those whose conduct may be deemed to warrant such a sanction, but to deter those who might be tempted to such conduct in the absence of such a deterrent. National Hockey League v. Metropolitan Hockey Club, Inc., 427 U.S. 639, 643, 96 S.Ct. 2778, 2781, 49 L.Ed.2d 747 (1976). Accordingly, we find no abuse of discretion and affirm the entry of default and the default judgment.