Opinion ID: 181039
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motion for Reconsideration and Stay of Order Imposing Sanctions

Text: Doran and Sullivant contend that their failure to respond to ADT's discovery requests occurred because they had not received ADT's supplemental disclosures pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26. They argue that with the information contained in the supplemental disclosures plaintiffs could have complied with the district court's discovery orders. They also argue that ADT's delay in supplementing its Rule 26 disclosures justify setting aside the grant of attorneys' fees. We review a district court's decision regarding a motion for reconsideration pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b) under an abuse-of-discretion standard. Arnold v. Wood, 238 F.3d 992, 998 (8th Cir.2001). Motions for reconsideration serve a limited function: to correct manifest errors of law or fact or to present newly discovered evidence. Hagerman v. Yukon Energy Corp., 839 F.2d 407, 414 (8th Cir. 1988) (quotations and citations omitted). They are not to be used to introduce new evidence that could have been adduced during pendency of the motion at issue. Id. A motion for reconsideration is also not the appropriate place to tender new legal theories for the first time. Id. Doran and Sullivant contend that the district court should have granted the motion for reconsideration because ADT's supplemental disclosures constituted newly discovered evidence. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 60(b)(2) (allowing relief from an order on the basis of newly discovered evidence). The evidence was not newly discovered, however, because it was produced to plaintiffs before the district court issued its order on ADT's motion to compel. Moreover, the district court found no support for the proposition that plaintiffs had previously attempted to gather the information. It also rejected plaintiffs' argument that the supplemental disclosures addressed the deficiencies of plaintiffs' discovery responses. We conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in holding that the evidence was not newly discovered and that plaintiffs had not exercised due diligence as required by Rule 60(b)(2). We find meritless Doran and Sullivant's contention that reconsideration was warranted based on ADT's alleged fraudulent conduct. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 60(b)(3) (allowing relief from order based on opposing party's fraud, misrepresentation, or misconduct). Plaintiffs were required to show, with clear and convincing evidence, that ADT engaged in a fraud or misrepresentation that prevented them from fully and fairly prosecuting their case. See United States v. Metro. St. Louis Sewer Dist., 440 F.3d 930, 935 (8th Cir.2006). They failed to do so. Accordingly, the district court did not abuse its discretion in holding that plaintiffs failed to satisfy the requirements of Rule 60(b)(3) and in denying plaintiffs' motion for reconsideration and their motion to stay the order imposing sanctions.