Opinion ID: 3054041
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Heading: The Appropriate Scope of Injunctive Relief

Text: It is well-established that once a court has obtained personal jurisdiction over a defendant, that court has the power to command the defendant to perform acts outside the territorial jurisdiction of the court. See New Jersey v. City of New York, 283 U.S. 473, 482 (1931) (“The situs of the acts creating the nuisance, whether within or without the United States, is of no importance. Plaintiff seeks a decree in personam to prevent them in the future. The Court has jurisdiction.”); accord Steele v. Bulova Watch Co., 344 U.S. 280, 289 (1952) (holding that an injunction may reach activities taking place in Mexico); Leman v. Krentler-Arnold Hinge Last Co., 284 U.S. 448, 451-52 (1932) (holding that a district court’s decree is binding “throughout the United States”). We have often reiterated this principle. See, e.g., Bresgal v. Brock, 843 F.2d 1163, 1170 (9th Cir. 1987) (“[T]here is no bar against . . . nationwide relief in federal district or circuit court when it is appropriate.”); United States v. Oregon, 657 F.2d 1009, 1016 n.17 (9th Cir. 1982) (holding that a district court “may enjoin the commission of acts outside its district”). Just last year, we upheld a nationwide injunction setting aside certain Forest Service regulations that were “manifestly contrary” to the Forest Service Decisionmaking and Appeals Reform Act. Earth Island Inst. v. Ruthenbeck, 490 F.3d 687, 698-99 (9th Cir. 2007). UNITED STATES v. AMC ENTERTAINMENT, INC. 15963 Likewise, district courts within our circuit commonly issue nationwide injunctions where the “injunction . . . is tailored to the violation of law that the Court already found—an injunction that is no broader but also no narrower than necessary to remedy the violations.” California ex rel. Lockyer v. U.S. Dep’t of Agric., 468 F. Supp. 2d 1140, 1144 (N.D. Cal. 2006); see also Golden Door, Inc. v. Odisho, 437 F. Supp. 956, 968 (N.D. Cal. 1977), aff’d, 646 F.2d 347 (9th Cir. 1980), abrogated on other grounds by Japan Telecom, Inc. v. Japan Telecom Am. Inc., 287 F.3d 866 (9th Cir. 2002) (“Plaintiff’s market area, and hence the sphere of its reputation, are nationwide. Accordingly, it is entitled to nationwide protection against confusion and dilution. The scope of the injunction must therefore be nationwide.”).3 3 In point of fact, other circuit courts also regularly countenance nationwide relief under federal law, often without reference to the law of their sister circuits. See, e.g., CBS Broad., Inc. v. EchoStar Commc’ns Corp., 450 F.3d 505, 523-27 (11th Cir. 2006) (finding a nationwide “pattern or practice” of violating 17 U.S.C. § 119(a)(7)(B) and granting a nationwide injunction against such activity); JTH Tax, Inc. v. H & R Block E. Tax Servs., Inc., 359 F.3d 699, 701 (4th Cir. 2004) (considering potential violations of a nationwide injunction issued to enforce IRS regulations); United States v. Dinwiddie, 76 F.3d 913, 929 (8th Cir. 1996) (holding that where “a geographically narrow injunction would be insufficient to advance” the government’s “significant interest” in nationwide relief, “the nationwide scope of the injunction is constitutional”); Washington v. Reno, 35 F.3d 1093, 1103-04 (6th Cir. 1994) (“[T]he appropriate relief to be granted to the plaintiffs on their . . . claim necessarily implicates nationwide relief.”); McLendon v. Cont’l Can Co., 908 F.2d 1171, 1182 (3d Cir. 1990) (“It cannot be gainsaid that Continental has employed a liability avoidance program [(“LAP”)], illegal wherever it is used. Full relief required a nationwide injunction ordering Continental to cease its use of this discriminatory LAP.”); see also Stiller v. Hardman, 324 F.2d 626, 628 (2d Cir. 1963) (“The mandate of an injunction issued by a federal district court runs throughout the United States.”); 5 J. Thomas McCarthy, McCarthy On Trademarks and Unfair Competition § 30:15 (4th ed. 2008) (“It is a familiar rule of Anglo-American law that once a court has obtained personal jurisdiction over a defendant, the court has power to command the defendant to do or not do acts outside the territorial jurisdiction of the court.”). 15964 UNITED STATES v. AMC ENTERTAINMENT, INC. Ultimately, the appropriate scope of injunctive relief is guided by “the rule that injunctive relief should be no more burdensome to the defendant than necessary to provide complete relief to the plaintiffs.” Califano v. Yamasaki, 442 U.S. 682, 702 (1979) (revisiting equitable principles in light of class action lawsuits). Thus, “principles of equity” limit the scope of injunctions to “the extent of the violation established, not by the geographical extent of the plaintiff class.” Id. Our circuit assesses the appropriateness of the relief fashioned by referencing the test set by Califano: “The primary concern . . . must be that the relief granted is not ‘more burdensome than necessary to redress the complaining parties.’ ” Bresgal, 843 F.2d at 1170 (quoting Califano, 442 U.S. at 702). Consistent with these principles, we have held that a district court abuses its discretion when it enjoins activities beyond what is necessary to address the actual case before the court. See Meinhold v. U.S. Dep’t of Defense, 34 F.3d 1469, 1480 (9th Cir. 1994). Addressing the complaint of a lone U.S. Navy serviceman who was discharged for stating he was gay, the district court had issued an injunction preventing the Department of Defense (“DOD”) from discharging anyone based on sexual orientation and from maintaining files on the sexual orientation of servicemen “in the absence of conduct affecting the military mission.” Id. at 1472. Applying Califano, we found the injunction overbroad, reasoning: “This is not a class action, and Meinhold sought only to have his discharge voided and to be reinstated. . . . Beyond reinstatement, and not separating Meinhold on that basis, DOD should not be constrained from applying its regulations to Meinhold and all other military personnel.” Id. at 1480. Accordingly, we vacated all aspects of the injunction addressing issues beyond Meinhold’s reinstatement. Id. These principles are beyond any real dispute. Moreover, it is clear that, following these principles, the district court appropriately tailored its injunction so that it was “no more burdensome” to AMC “than necessary to provide complete UNITED STATES v. AMC ENTERTAINMENT, INC. 15965 relief” to the DOJ. Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). The majority apparently does not disagree.