Opinion ID: 712249
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Applicability of Kokkonen

Text: 15 Plaintiff argues that since Kokkonen was decided after the Dismissal Order, that decision does not apply here. This claim is without merit. Federal courts have regularly applied Kokkonen to stipulations and settlement agreements executed before it was decided. See, e.g., Miener v. Missouri Dep't of Mental Health, 62 F.3d 1126, 1127 (8th Cir.1995); Hagestad v. Tragesser, 49 F.3d 1430, 1433 (9th Cir.1995); Morris v. City of Hobart, 39 F.3d 1105, 1110 (10th Cir.1994), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 115 S.Ct. 1960, 131 L.Ed.2d 852 (1995); Lucille v. City of Chicago, 31 F.3d 546, 548 (7th Cir.1994), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 115 S.Ct. 1109, 130 L.Ed.2d 1074 (1995). It is true that in none of these cases was the question of retroactivity discussed or, apparently, even raised. In each case, however, it is clear that Kokkonen was applied retroactively. The lack of discussion on the issue is explainable by each court's knowledge of the principle that a court is to apply the law in effect at the time it renders its decision, unless doing so would result in manifest injustice.... Bradley v. Richmond School Board, 416 U.S. 696, 711, 94 S.Ct. 2006, 2016, 40 L.Ed.2d 476 (1974). 16 There is no injustice in applying Kokkonen in this case. Plaintiff has only chosen the wrong forum; there are remedies available in New York State courts. A contract action may be brought to enforce the Agreement. A state court may compel arbitration under N.Y.Civ.Prac.L. & R. § 7503(a) if, as plaintiff argues, defendants are refusing to arbitrate in violation of the Agreement, and a state court may vacate or modify the arbitration award once it is rendered. N.Y.Civ.Prac.L. & R. § 7511. 17 In addition, the doctrine expressed in Kokkonen is not a new one. Although Kokkonen reversed a ruling of the Ninth Circuit, Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co., No. 92-16628, 1993 WL 164884 (9th Cir. May 18, 1993), the majority of circuit courts that had addressed the issue prior to the Supreme Court's decision had held that a district court did not have jurisdiction to enforce a settlement, after a case had been dismissed, where the court had not manifested an intent to retain jurisdiction or made the agreement part of its order of dismissal. See, e.g., Sawka v. Healtheast, Inc., 989 F.2d 138, 141 (3d Cir.1993); United Steelworkers of America v. Libby, McNeill & Libby, Inc., 895 F.2d 421, 423-24 (7th Cir.1990); Adduono v. World Hockey Ass'n, 824 F.2d 617, 621-22 (8th Cir.1987). The Second Circuit had not directly addressed the issue, but the district courts in the circuit generally did not exercise jurisdiction in these circumstances. See, e.g., Rolex Watch, U.S.A., Inc. v. Bulova Watch Co., 820 F.Supp. 60, 62-63 (E.D.N.Y.1993); Musifilm, B.V. v. Spector, 568 F.Supp. 578, 580-81 (S.D.N.Y.1983); cf. Meetings & Expositions, Inc. v. Tandy Corp., 490 F.2d 714, 717 (2d Cir.1974); Ryan v. Dow Chemical Co., 781 F.Supp. 902, 915-16 (E.D.N.Y.1991), aff'd, 996 F.2d 1425 (2d Cir.1993), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 114 S.Ct. 1125, 1126, 127 L.Ed.2d 434 (1994). 18 Accordingly, Kokkonen applies here.