Opinion ID: 485239
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Denial of Leave To File Second Amended Complaint

Text: 51 Leave to amend a pleading under Fed.R.Civ.P. 15(a) is a matter within the discretion of the trial court, and an order denying leave to amend will be reversed only for an abuse of that discretion. Isaac v. Harvard University, 769 F.2d 817, 829 (1st Cir.1985) (citations omitted). 52 We find no such abuse in this case. The district court clearly laid out its reasons why leave was denied: (1) discovery would have to be reopened after the accumulation of an extensive and expensive record and after the legal issues involved had already been developed; (2) the additional allegations contained no newly discovered evidence or facts of a different character that would change appellants' basic claims; and (3) the threshold issue of justifiable reliance would still prove an insurmountable obstacle to recovery. In addition, the district court noted that the motion to amend came after summary judgment was under advisement. Under these circumstances, the motion for leave to amend could be viewed as an attempt to avoid an adverse ruling on summary judgment. See, e.g., Local 472 v. Georgia Power Co., 684 F.2d 721, 724 (11th Cir.1982). We cannot say that the district court abused its discretion in denying the amendment.