Opinion ID: 461326
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Default Sanction.

Text: 23 The appellants also contest the imposition of the default sanction under Fed.R.Civ.P. 37(b)(2)(C), which penalty they characterize as unduly harsh given the facts of this case. The Supreme Court has held that a primary purpose of Rule 37 sanctions is to deter future abuse of discovery. National Hockey League v. Metropolitan Hockey Club, Inc., 427 U.S. 639, 643, 96 S.Ct. 2778, 2781, 49 L.Ed.2d 747 (1976) (per curiam ). Sanctions may also be imposed to punish those guilty of willful bad faith and callous disregard of court directives. Securities and Exchange Commission v. First Financial Group of Texas, Inc., 659 F.2d 660, 666 (5th Cir.1981). 24 On appeal we may reverse for abuse of discretion, National Hockey League, 427 U.S. at 642-43, 96 S.Ct. at 2780-81; Carlucci v. Piper Aircraft, 775 F.2d 1440, 1447 (11th Cir.1985). But the decision to enter a default judgment ought to be the last resort--ordered only if noncompliance is due to willful or bad faith disregard of court orders. Societe Internationale pour Participations Industrielles et Commerciales, S.A. v. Rogers, 357 U.S. 197, 212, 78 S.Ct. 1087, 1096, 2 L.Ed.2d 1255 (1958); Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Troy State University, 693 F.2d 1353, 1354 (11th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 463 U.S. 1207, 103 S.Ct. 3538, 77 L.Ed.2d 1388 (1983); Morton v. Harris, 628 F.2d 438, 440 (5th Cir. Unit B 1980) (per curiam ), cert. denied sub nom., Morton v. Schweiker, 450 U.S. 1044, 101 S.Ct. 1766, 68 L.Ed.2d 243 (1981). On appeal we will also find an abuse of discretion if less draconian but equally effective sanctions were available. Aztec Steel Co. v. Florida Steel Corp., 691 F.2d 480, 481-82 (11th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 460 U.S. 1040, 103 S.Ct. 1433, 75 L.Ed.2d 792 (1983); Diaz v. Southern Drilling Co., 427 F.2d 1118, 1126-27 (5th Cir.), cert. denied sub nom, Trefina, A.G. v. United States, 400 U.S. 878, 91 S.Ct. 118, 27 L.Ed.2d 115 (1970). On the facts here presented, we find no basis for relief from the judgment of default per se. We find bad faith noncompliance and no reasonable expectation that lesser sanctions under Rule 37 would have had the necessary effect. 25 The judge below exhibited great sensitivity to appellants' concerns: he ordered discovery only minimally adequate to meet the legitimate needs of the appellees; he iterated the duty of all parties to abide by court directives; and he gave appellants repeated opportunities to avoid default. Appellants' response was a flat pretermission of the trial court's orders. They made clear that they would divulge only that information they deemed discoverable and no more, though it was clear that the discovery ordered was in no way violative of the principles recognized in NAACP v. Alabama. This Court, and the former Fifth Circuit, repeatedly have held that this type of willful, bad faith conduct supports imposition of default judgments under Rule 37. Aztec Steel, 691 F.2d at 482; Sig M. Glukstad, Inc. v. Lineas Aereas Nacional-Chile, 656 F.2d 976, 979 (5th Cir. Unit B. 1981); Jones v. Louisiana State Bar Association, 602 F.2d 94, 96-97 (5th Cir.1979); Factory Air Conditioning Corp. v. Westside Toyota, Inc., 579 F.2d 334, 337-38 (5th Cir.1978) (per curiam ). 26 The default judgment is the most awesome weapon in the Rule 37 arsenal. Yet it is evident from the record that no other sanction would have been appropriate. The appellants made clear that under no circumstances would they comply with the discovery order. Thus there were no other means by which the appellees could secure a proper resolution of their claim. Judge Propst resorted to default only after finding that it would be fruitless to consider other coercive measures in light of appellants' steadfast assertions. The only effective remedy was the entry of a default judgment and assessment of damages. In the face of such obstreperous behavior we cannot find that the decision of the district court constituted an abuse of discretion. Aztec Steel Co., 691 F.2d at 481-82. 27 Refusal to abide by the law is not cost-free. No litigant and no attorney, even if motivated by misguided perceptions of constitutional privilege, may be permitted to exhibit such contumacious conduct without risk of sanctions under Rule 37. Jones, 602 F.2d at 96. It is manifestly the province and duty of the courts to say what the law is. Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137, 177, 2 L.Ed. 60 (1803); E. Coke, 1 Inst. 130a (Philadelphia ed. 1853) (1st ed. London 1628). When parties or lawyers substitute their own judgments for those judges, we have not justice but chaos. 28