Opinion ID: 2978306
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Denial of a Motion to Amend the Complaint

Text: A denial of a motion to amend is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. Evans v. Pearson Enters., Inc., 434 F.3d 839, 853 (6th Cir. 2006). A denial of a request to amend without explanation is an abuse of discretion unless the reason is readily apparent. See Miller v. Admin. Office of Courts, 448 F.3d 887, 898 (6th Cir. 2006). - 18 - No. 08-4532 Johnson v. Cleveland City School District et al. A court should consider the following factors in determining whether to allow an amendment: “the delay in filing, the lack of notice to the opposing party, bad faith by the moving party, repeated failure to cure deficiencies by previous amendments, undue prejudice to the opposing party, and futility of amendment.” Perkins v. Am. Elec. Power Fuel Supply, Inc., 246 F.3d 593, 605 (6th Cir. 2001). When the motion is made late in litigation, there is an increased burden on the movant. Wade v. Knoxville Utils. Bd., 259 F.3d 452, 458 (6th Cir. 2001). “At least one Sixth Circuit decision has held that allowing amendment after the close of discovery creates significant prejudice, and other Circuits agree.” Duggins, 195 F.3d at 834 (collecting cases). If the Rule 16 deadline for amendments has already passed, then the movant must also show good cause for failure to seek to amend the complaint earlier. Leary v. Daeschner, 349 F.3d 888, 909 (6th Cir. 2003). Any error in denying a motion to amend is subject to harmless error analysis. See Rose v. Hartford Underwriters Ins. Co., 203 F.3d 417 (6th Cir. 2000); see also Garner v. Mo. Dept. of Mental Health, 439 F.3d 958 (8th Cir. 2006); FED . R. CIV . P. 61. An error is harmless unless it affects the substantial rights of one of the parties. FED . R. CIV . P. 61. Johnson moved to amend her complaint almost five months after the scheduling deadline for amendments. It was also seven weeks after the discovery deadline passed. She explained that she wanted to amend her complaint to remove a cause of action that the court had already dismissed; to, as a procedural matter, refer to the second right-to-sue letter in the complaint; and to add facts from discovery. (Motion to Amend Complaint, Docket No. 192.) The motion further noted that “[t]he Defendant would not be prejudice [sic] by clarification of the procedural issues and facts in this case.” (Id. at ¶ 5.) These reasons explain why Johnson wanted to amend her complaint, but they do - 19 - No. 08-4532 Johnson v. Cleveland City School District et al. not explain what good cause Johnson had for filing the motion so long after the deadline for amendments had passed. Given the increased burden on Johnson due to the timing of the motion, we cannot say that the district court abused its discretion in denying the motion. See Miller, 448