Opinion ID: 782573
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The related case reference

Text: 38 Petitioners argue that their own judge-shopping should be excused because, they argue, the plaintiffs are guilty too. Petitioners contend that the plaintiffs' reference on the civil cover sheet to the Wright case as a related matter constituted a misrepresentation because, they argue, the cases are not sufficiently related. The district court, after a full evidentiary hearing and briefing by all parties, found no wrongful judge-shopping by the plaintiffs. The court found as a fact that the Wright case — which involved the same principal defendant, the same cause of action, and similar factual allegations regarding the use of promotional tests — was related to this matter, so that its listing on the intake sheet was plausible. 5 We see no basis on which to reject that finding as clearly erroneous. See Cossette v. Country Style Donuts, Inc., 647 F.2d 526, 531 (5th Cir.1981) (holding that, on appeal of disqualification motion, we review findings of fact for clear error while carefully reviewing the district court's application of relevant ethical standards).