Opinion ID: 363500
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: refusal of the district court to terminate the

Text: CONTINUANCE ON MARCH 1, 1978 43 As stated above (note 5), the court granted the EPA defendants a continuance of the January 3, 1978, trial date on December 23, 1977, subject to reconsideration of the trial date at a February 3, 1978, conference. At that conference, Authority presented its lengthy motion seeking, Inter alia, a prompt trial or hearing on its request for an injunction. After argument on February 28, this motion was denied by a March 1, 1978 order, which left in full force and effect the stipulation maintaining the project in status quo pending further order of this court. The district court has not refused to issue an injunction but has continued the hearing date at the request of the EPA defendants, with the approval of plaintiffs but contrary to the wishes of Authority. 44 In Sutherland Paper Co. v. Grant Paper Box Co., 183 F.2d 926, 931 (3d Cir. 1950), this court said: 45 There is no question that as a general proposition, the grant or denial of continuances is a matter within the discretion of the trial court. There is also no question that an abuse of that discretion is subject to correction by an appellate court. 46 In Landis v. North American Co., 14 299 U.S. 248, 254-56, 57 S.Ct. 163, 166, 81 L.Ed. 153 (1936), the Court said: 47 (T)he power to stay proceedings is incidental to the power inherent in every court to control the disposition of the causes on its docket with economy of time and effort for itself, for counsel, and for litigants. How this can best be done calls for the exercise of judgment, which must weigh competing interests and maintain an even balance. (Citing cases.) True, the suppliant for a stay must make out a clear case of hardship or inequity in being required to go forward, if there is even a fair possibility that the stay for which he prays will work damage to some one else. . . . Occasions may arise when it would be 'a scandal to the administration of justice' in the phrase of Jessel, M. R. (Amos v. Chadwick, L.R. 9 Ch.Div. 459, 462), if power to coordinate the business of the court efficiently and sensibly were lacking altogether. 48 We must be on our guard against depriving the processes of justice of their suppleness of adaptation to varying conditions. Especially in cases of extraordinary public moment, the individual may be required to submit to delay not immoderate in extent and not oppressive in its consequences if the public welfare or convenience will thereby be promoted. . . . (D)iscretion was abused if the stay was not kept within the bounds of moderation. 49 In this case, also, the district court had a basis for concluding that the public welfare, as defined by Congress and the Executive in the statutes and Executive Order referred to above, would be promoted by the continuance in order to permit the EPA defendants to redefine their position. Whether the district court would have extended the continuance for an immoderate period will never be known with certainty because the Authority deprived it of jurisdiction by filing the notice of appeal on April 27, 1978. Since the district court reviewed the date for an evidentiary hearing on October 28, November 21, December 23, February 3 and February 28, there is no reason to believe that it would not have continued to review the matter and insist that the EIS be filed within a reasonable time or, in the alternative, that an evidentiary hearing be held. 50 The record does not establish that the EPA defendants have been responsible for procrastination, dilatory tactics, neglect or bad faith. See Gaspar v. Kassm, 493 F.2d 964, 969 (3d Cir. 1974); Davis v. United Fruit Co., 402 F.2d 328, 330-31 (2d Cir.), Cert. denied, 393 U.S. 1085, 89 S.Ct. 869, 21 L.Ed.2d 777 (1969); Chung Wing Ping v. Kennedy, 111 U.S.App.D.C. 106, 294 F.2d 735, 737, Cert. denied, 368 U.S. 938, 82 S.Ct. 380, 7 L.Ed.2d 337 (1961). 51 We can well understand the frustration of the Authority, and we too find it unfortunate that, interested persons in the locality having tentatively decided several years ago that such a project was necessary and the Authority having been permitted to expend its valuable time, effort and money, EPA has now tentatively determined to change its 1977 position, undertake further studies, and prepare a limited EIS. However, we note that the federal courts have been reluctant to grant exceptions to the impact statement requirement. See Note, The Environmental Impact Statement Requirement in Agency Enforcement Adjudication, Parts I-B, II and IV, 91 Harv.L.Rev. 815, 825 ff. (including cases there cited), 831 ff. and 839 ff. (1978). 52 On the facts of this case, we can find no abuse of discretion in the district court's continuance of the evidentiary hearing on the request for an injunction.