Opinion ID: 792827
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Involuntary Dismissal of Plaintiffs' Complaint

Text: 19 Plaintiffs also contend the district court abused its discretion by dismissing Plaintiffs' complaint, with prejudice, pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 41(b) for failure to prosecute because the Plaintiffs did not appear for the scheduled pre-trial conference on September 30, 2004. Plaintiffs admit that the Nader Plaintiffs did not wish to pursue their claims because the issues with which they were concerned are matters addressed on the order to show cause; however, the Reform Party of the United States argues that the Sixth and Seventh Causes of action concern factual questions as to control of the state party that still require resolution in a fact-finding forum, either federal or state. The Reform Party of the United States does not plan on proceeding with these claims at this time; however, it points out that the district court's order was a dismissal with prejudice which would prevent them from adjudicating these claims in the future. 20 In this circuit we often have reversed a district court's decision to dismiss a complaint because litigants failed to appear, especially absent bad faith, or absent notice to the Plaintiffs that the court is contemplating involuntary dismissal. See Harris v. Callwood, 844 F.2d 1254, 1256 (6th Cir.1988) (extracting the principle from similar cases that in the absence of notice that dismissal is contemplated by a district court should impose a penalty short of dismissal unless the derelict party has engaged in `bad faith or contumacious conduct'); see Carter v. City of Memphis, 636 F.2d 159, 161 (6th Cir.1980) (courts should dismiss only in extreme situations of deliberate delay or contumacious conduct); Holt v. Pitts, 619 F.2d 558, 562 (6th Cir.1980) (same); Patterson v. Township of Grand Blanc, 760 F.2d 686, 688 (1985) (same); Bishop v. Cross, 790 F.2d 38, 39 (6th Cir.1986) (dismissal requires a degree of willfulness, bad faith or contumacious conduct). 21 Thus, as it appears no notice was given to the Plaintiffs that the district court was considering involuntary dismissal and as the Plaintiffs only missed one appearance, we find the district court abused its discretion by dismissing this complaint with prejudice.