Opinion ID: 10012
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Apprill's affirmative defenses

Text: 50 Apprill argues the district court, upon remand, erred by entering judgment for Quest on its breach of contract claim without addressing his affirmative defenses under Rule 10b-5 and the TSA. In the first appeal, however, a panel of this court affirmed Quest's breach of contract claim, stating: On the facts of this case, Apprill ratified the Stock Purchase Agreement as a matter of law and was barred from asserting his mistake and fraud defenses to the contract. Quest Medical, Inc. v. Apprill, No. 92-1067, slip op. at 8, 998 F.2d 1014 (5th Cir. July 16, 1993). In a footnote, the panel further concluded that Apprill voluntarily withdrew his TSA affirmative defense at the first trial and that any claim to the contrary was not preserved for appeal. Id., slip op. at 9 n. 4. 51 The law of the case doctrine precludes reexamination of issues decided on appeal, either by the district court on remand or by the appellate court itself upon a subsequent appeal. Conway v. Chemical Leaman Tank Lines, Inc., 644 F.2d 1059, 1061 (5th Cir.1981). This rule applies whether the issue was decided expressly or necessarily by implication. Id. The law of the case doctrine, however, is not inviolable; an appellate court decision is to be followed in all subsequent proceedings in the same case unless evidence in the subsequent trial is substantially different, the prior decision was clearly erroneous and would work manifest injustice, or controlling authority has in the interim made a contrary rule of law applicable. Illinois Cent. Gulf R.R. Co. v. International Paper Co., 889 F.2d 536, 539 (5th Cir.1989). 52 The earlier panel of this court sustained Quest's breach of contract claim and rejected Apprill's affirmative defenses. It remanded only the question of the amount of damages for the breach. The district court granted summary judgment on the damages issue, rejecting Apprill's asserted defenses under the law of the case doctrine. The district court properly invoked the doctrine.