Opinion ID: 482848
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Pending Motions

Text: 36 During the currency of this appeal, the appellees moved for the imposition of attorneys' fees and double costs under Fed.R.App.P. 38. They branded the entire proceeding as frivolous. The appellants, not to be outdone, cross-moved for the fees involved in defending against what they deemed to be a capricious request for sanctions. 37 The appellees' motion presents, we think, a relatively close question. The fact that we elected not to consider the res judicata ground on which the district court dismissed the action is not any indication that we entertained substantial qualms about the district court's holding. Accord Casagrande v. Agoritsas, 748 F.2d at 48 n. 1 (Although we might well agree with the district court that dismissal on the complaint is warranted because the district court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, we choose to affirm its judgment on an independent ground.) (citations omitted). We reasoned, instead, that the case was sufficiently clear in other respects that the temptation gratuitously to enter the England thicket, see ante n. 4, should be avoided. This course of action seemed especially inviting because the district court, on the res judicata point, did not have the benefit of our opinion in Calderon Rosado v. General Electric Circuit Breakers, Inc., 805 F.2d 1085 (1st Cir.1986), and thus gave no consideration to acquiescence as a preclusory bar to invocation of a defense premised upon claim-splitting. See id. at 1087. See also Diversified Mortgage Investors v. Viking General Corporation, 16 Mass.App. 142, 450 N.E.2d 176, 179-80 (1983). 9 Since we have eschewed detailed review of the district court's rationale, however, it becomes more difficult for us, in fairness, to characterize the plaintiffs' appeal as frivolous. See Natasha, Inc. v. Evita Marine Charters, Inc., 763 F.2d 468, 472 (1st Cir.1985) (appeal frivolous when result is obvious or all arguments are wholly meritless). 38 Although this is a borderline case, we exercise our discretion under Appellate Rule 38 to deny the appellees' motion for fees and double costs. As the prevailing parties, however, they remain, entitled to ordinary costs. The appellants' cross-motion deserves scant comment; it shows signs of confusing fantasy with reality, and is denied.