Opinion ID: 421210
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Proper Party Defendant

Text: 19 Under the Suits in Admiralty Act actions may be commenced against the United States, but not against a United States agency. See 46 U.S.C. § 745. The district court found that appellant Williams sued an agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, and not the United States. Appellant contends that the United States was a named party defendant, relying on three approaches: (1) the words The United States of America stand alone on several lines and therefore should be read apart from the ensuing FAA phrase; (2) this Court could insert punctuation between The United States of America and Federal Aviation Administration; or (3) this Court could strike Federal Aviation Administration as surplusage. 20 We find no merit in appellant's argument. A consideration of the complaint in its entirety leaves but one conclusion--appellant sued the FAA agency, not the United States. The caption and body of the complaint consistently refer to The United States of America Federal Aviation Administration. Further, defendant is referred to as an agency of the government of the United States who may be served with process by serving the U.S. Attorney General. 21 In reaching this conclusion, we are mindful of Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(f), which requires pleadings to be construed to do substantial justice. We also adhere to the principle that pleadings should not raise barriers in arriving at fair and just settlements of controversies. Maty v. Grasselli Chem. Co., 303 U.S. 197, 200, 58 S.Ct. 507, 509, 82 L.Ed. 745 (1938). Nonetheless, we cannot resurrect appellant's case when, on hindsight, it is discovered that the wrong defendant was named in the original complaint.