Court Opinion

ID: 9460792
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 22:00:34.234394+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:36:47.209248
License: Public Domain

ON PETITION FOR REHEARING
PER CURIAM.
In its petition for rehearing Home Indemnity asserts, inter alia, that our opinion in this case considerably narrows the right of a stakeholder to seek relief from multiple litigation by the use of interpleader. Such is not the case.
Initially, it should be noted that we affirmed the action of the district court upon a narrow equitable ground; namely, that an adequate remedy existed in another court of law, obviating the need for federal interpleader relief. Consequently, our opinion cannot be read as a general grant of authority to the district court to deny interpleader on the basis of a broad spectrum of grounds.
Since an equitable determination of adequacy of judicial relief should also entail a consideration of the financial and logistical burden and feasibility of requiring the parties to resolve the litigation in another court, by our opinion the district court may only decline to allow interpleader if the stakeholder in the potential interpleader suit will not thereby be denied meaningful or reasonable redress. It is therefore apparent that our opinion in this case recognizes only a limited exercise of discretion by the district court, and in no way can be considered to overturn the general right to interpleader relief when appropriate.
The petition for rehearing is denied.