Opinion ID: 465035
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: accrual of appellant's claims

Text: 59 There is no dispute that appellant's claims against Local 42 did not accrue at least until early 1981. His claims against that organization and its officers were therefore timely, and so we reverse the dismissal of appellant's case as to those defendants. 8 60 The situation with respect to Local 49 is more difficult. The district court found that appellant was well aware that he was engaged in a dispute with Local 49 as early as December 1980. He did not file suit against Local 49 and its officers, however, until he submitted his amended complaint in March 1984. Thus, even under a three year statute of limitations, it may be that appellant's claims against Local 49 are time barred. We decline to decide this issue, however, and remand it to the district court for further consideration for two reasons. 61 First, appellant argues that his claims did not, in fact, accrue against Local 49 in December 1980. Appellant's complaint does not directly challenge Local 49's denial of membership; it focuses instead on the relationship of Local 49's actions to his problems with membership in Local 42. Thus, appellant contends that the return of his dues from Local 49 in December 1980 is irrelevant to the accrual of the present claim. He claims that no cause of action against the Local 49 defendants could have accrued at least until he was told in April 1981 that his transfer into Local 42 depended upon his clearing up the problems with his membership in Local 49. We believe this is a factual matter which should be considered first by the district court. 62 Second, appellant impliedly argues that his claims are timely in any event because his amended complaint should relate back to the date of his original complaint, which was filed in July 1983, within the three year statute of limitations. We believe that the district court should decide, in the first instance, whether appellant fulfilled the requirements of Rule 15 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for relating back an amendment that changes the party against whom a claim is asserted. 63 Because we believe issues not previously considered by the district court, including the pendent state law claims, should be addressed in the first instance by that court, the only matter left for our consideration is the district court's refusal to recuse itself. We find no error in that decision. 64 Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.