Robert A. Heghmann v. Djamel Hafiani ( 2022 )


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  • USCA11 Case: 21-12650    Date Filed: 10/26/2022   Page: 1 of 17
    [DO NOT PUBLISH]
    In the
    United States Court of Appeals
    For the Eleventh Circuit
    ____________________
    No. 21-12650
    Non-Argument Calendar
    ____________________
    ROBERT A. HEGHMANN,
    BEATRICE M. HEGHMANN,
    Plaintiffs-Appellants,
    versus
    DJAMEL HAFIANI,
    MARY HAFIANI,
    MIRIAM HAFIANI,
    JAMEL JOSEPH HAFIANI,
    JULIA SARAH HAFIANI,
    THE TOWN OF RYE, N.H., et al.,
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650       Date Filed: 10/26/2022     Page: 2 of 17
    2                      Opinion of the Court                21-12650
    Defendants-Appellees,
    THE HAFIANI FAMILY TRUST, et al.,
    Defendants.
    ____________________
    Appeal from the United States District Court
    for the Middle District of Florida
    D.C. Docket No. 3:20-cv-00670-BJD-JBT
    ____________________
    Before ROSENBAUM, BRANCH, and GRANT, Circuit Judges.
    PER CURIAM:
    In 2020, Robert and Beatrice Heghmann (“the Heghmanns”)
    filed a civil action against the Hafiani family, the Town of Rye, New
    Hampshire, and John Does and Mary Roes 1 through 6,000, who
    were unknown residents of the Town of Rye (“the Residents”).
    The Heghmanns alleged that in 2003, these defendants violated
    automatic stays from Robert and Beatrice’s individual bankruptcy
    proceedings. The Heghmanns sought a declaratory judgment that
    the defendants violated the automatic stays, an award of
    compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees and costs.
    The district court granted the Hafiani defendants’ motions to
    dismiss on the grounds that the Heghmanns failed to state a claim
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650              Date Filed: 10/26/2022       Page: 3 of 17
    21-12650                   Opinion of the Court                               3
    against Miriam Hafiani, and that the Heghmanns’ claim against the
    other Hafianis was barred by res judicata. The district court also
    granted the Town of Rye’s motion to dismiss for lack of personal
    jurisdiction. On appeal, the Heghmanns argue that the district
    court erred in dismissing their action for various reasons. After
    review, we affirm.
    I.       Background
    According to the Heghmanns’ complaint, in late 2002, they
    rented a house in the Town of Rye, New Hampshire, from Djamel
    Hafiani. In January 2003, the Heghmanns fell behind on their
    rental payments. Djamel initiated an action in landlord tenant
    court, and a New Hampshire court ordered the Heghmanns to pay
    the past due rent, no later than March 3, 2003, and, if they did not
    do so, then a writ of possession would issue on March 17, 2003.
    The Heghmanns did not pay the past due rent. Instead, on
    March 13, 2003, Robert Heghmann filed a Chapter 13 bankruptcy
    petition, which triggered an automatic stay. 1 Robert Heghmann
    then informed Djamel’s counsel of the bankruptcy filing.
    However, no one notified the New Hampshire state court of the
    1 Upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition, “all legal or equitable interests of
    the debtor in property” as of the filing of the petition become part of the
    bankruptcy estate, with certain exceptions not applicable here. See 
    11 U.S.C. § 541
    . And actions against a debtor or property of the bankruptcy estate
    become subject to an automatic stay when the bankruptcy petition is filed. 
    Id.
    § 362.
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650       Date Filed: 10/26/2022     Page: 4 of 17
    4                      Opinion of the Court                21-12650
    bankruptcy filing, and it issued a writ of possession. Nevertheless,
    the Town of Rye Sheriff’s Office delayed enforcement of the writ
    after being informed of the bankruptcy proceedings.
    Robert Heghmann’s bankruptcy proceeding was dismissed
    on May 21, 2003. Djamel Hafiani advised the New Hampshire
    court that the bankruptcy proceeding had been dismissed, and the
    court reissued a writ of possession based on its prior March 3, 2003
    order. Based on the writ of possession, the Sheriff’s Office issued a
    notice of eviction, which gave the Heghmanns 24 hours to vacate
    the residence. Robert Heghmann informed the Rye police
    executing the writ that the eviction was in violation of the
    automatic stay and was illegal, but he was ignored. The
    Heghmanns vacated the residence and took what belongings they
    could, but they had to leave a number of their possessions behind.
    Robert Heghmann then filed a motion to set aside the
    bankruptcy dismissal and a motion for contempt against Djamel
    and his counsel for alleged violations of the automatic stay in the
    bankruptcy court. Heghmann v. Town of Rye, No. 04-100-SM,
    
    2005 WL 637928
    , *2 (D.N.H. March 18, 2005). The bankruptcy
    court denied both motions, and Heghmann did not appeal. 
    Id.
    Meanwhile, Beatrice Heghmann filed a petition for Chapter
    13 bankruptcy, which triggered another automatic stay. However,
    despite her pending bankruptcy petition, after retaking possession
    of the residence, Djamel and his then minor children, Miriam,
    Jamal, and Julia sold a great deal of the Heghmanns belongings at
    yard sales to unknown residents of the Town of Rye. As a result,
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650            Date Filed: 10/26/2022        Page: 5 of 17
    21-12650                  Opinion of the Court                               5
    Beatrice Heghmann filed motions for implementation of the
    automatic stay—allowing her to return the residence and requiring
    Djamel to return their possessions—and a motion for contempt
    seeking compensatory and punitive damages for Djamel’s
    violations of the automatic stay in Robert’s case and in her case.
    See In re Heghmann, 
    316 B.R. 395
    , 399 (B.A.P. 1st Cir. 2004).
    The bankruptcy court refused to consider Beatrice’s
    arguments related to the alleged violations of the automatic stay in
    her husband’s prior bankruptcy proceeding, explaining that such
    violations “may not be prosecuted in a subsequent bankruptcy
    case.” 
    Id.
     at 399 n.4. However, it determined that Djamel violated
    the automatic stay in Beatrice’s bankruptcy proceedings when he
    sold the Heghmanns’ belongings at the yard sales. 
    Id.
     at 399–400.
    It ordered Djamel to pay $1,200 in actual damages for the sale of
    the Heghmanns’ property. 
    Id. at 400, 405
    . It declined to award
    punitive damages. 
    Id. at 406
    . A Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the
    First Circuit affirmed on appeal. 2 
    Id.
     at 401–406. Notably, the
    Bankruptcy Appellate Panel rejected on the merits Beatrice’s
    claims concerning the violation of the automatic stay in Robert’s
    case, explaining that “the writ of possession and subsequent
    eviction did not violate the automatic stay as no stay was in place
    2 The judicial council of each circuit is authorized to establish a bankruptcy
    appellate panel composed of “bankruptcy judges of the districts in the circuit
    who are appointed by the judicial council” to hear appeals from the
    bankruptcy court. 
    28 U.S.C. § 158
    (b)(1). The First Circuit has established such
    a panel.
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650             Date Filed: 10/26/2022         Page: 6 of 17
    6                          Opinion of the Court                       21-12650
    at that time—Robert Heghmann’s case had been dismissed and
    Beatrice Heghmann’s case had not yet been filed.” 
    Id. at 401
    .
    Thereafter, in March 2004, Robert Heghmann filed a
    complaint in the United States District Court for New Hampshire
    against Djamel Hafiani, the Town of Rye, and various others,
    alleging that the defendants violated the automatic stay in his
    bankruptcy proceedings when they (i) sought to enforce the writ
    of possession issued in March 2003, (ii) obtained a new writ of
    possession after his bankruptcy case was dismissed, and then (iii)
    enforced said writ. Heghmann v. Town of Rye, 
    326 F. Supp. 2d 227
    , 232 (D.N.H. 2004). He also sought “an order requiring the
    defendants ‘to take immediate steps to undue [sic] the damage they
    have done by their past violations of the automatic stay.’” 
    Id.
     The
    district court concluded that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction to
    hear claims involving alleged violations of the automatic stay.
    Heghmann v. Town of Rye, No. 04-100-SM, 
    2004 WL 2526417
    , at
    *4, 6 (D.N.H. Nov. 8, 2004). Rather, “the proper forum in which
    to advance claims involving alleged violations of the automatic stay
    [was in] the bankruptcy court.” 3 
    Id. at *6
    .
    3 The district court also noted that:
    Mr. Heghmann is an attorney, admitted to practice before the
    federal district courts in New York and Connecticut, the Court
    of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the United States
    Supreme Court. Heghmann v. Fermanian, 
    2000 WL 1742122
    at * 1, n. 1 (D.Me. Nov.27, 2000). He is no stranger to pro se
    litigation, at least some of which has been meritless. See 
    id.
     at
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650            Date Filed: 10/26/2022        Page: 7 of 17
    21-12650                  Opinion of the Court                               7
    Almost two decades later, in June 2020, the Heghmanns filed
    the underlying pro se complaint in the Middle District of Florida
    against Djamel Hafiani, his ex-wife Mary, and their now-adult
    children Miriam, Jamal, and Julia, 4 as well as the Town of Rye,
    New Hampshire, and its residents for alleged violations of the 2003
    automatic stay in both of the Heghmanns’ bankruptcy
    proceedings.5 Specifically, the Heghmanns alleged that Djamel
    Hafiani violated the automatic stay in Robert Heghmann’s
    bankruptcy proceeding when he (1) failed to advise the New
    *4 (awarding sanctions against Heghmann and concluding that
    his “claims in this action were without merit from the
    beginning and would have been perceived as such by any
    objectively reasonable attorney.”). Nor is this the first time
    that litigation has flowed from Heghmann’s failure to honor
    rent and/or mortgage obligations. See Connecticut Sav. Bank
    v. Heghmann, 
    193 Conn. 157
    , 
    474 A.2d 790
     (1984).
    Heghmann v. Town of Rye, No. 04-100-SM, 
    2004 WL 2526417
    , at *1 n.1
    (D.N.H. 2004). Because Robert Heghmann is a licensed attorney, his
    pleadings are not entitled to the liberal construction normally afforded pro se
    litigants. See Olivares v. Martin, 
    555 F.2d 1192
    , 1194 n.1 (5th Cir. 1977).
    4 The Hafianis now live in Florida.
    5 The Heghmanns explain in their brief before this Court that for eighteen
    years, they
    have been searching for a District Court where not only does
    the Circuit Court permit the exercise of subject matter
    jurisdiction in cases involving violations of the Automatic Stay
    but more importantly where state law procedures permit the
    exercise of quasi in rem garnishment of the New Hampshire
    defendants’ property without an onerous cash bond.
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650       Date Filed: 10/26/2022     Page: 8 of 17
    8                      Opinion of the Court                21-12650
    Hampshire court in March 2003 of the filing of Robert’s bankruptcy
    petition; (2) obtained a writ of possession; (3) attempted, albeit
    unsuccessfully, to have the Sheriff’s Office execute the writ; and
    (4) improperly obtained a new writ of possession following the
    dismissal of Robert’s bankruptcy proceedings (Counts 1–4). They
    alleged that Djamel, the Town of Rye, and its residents violated the
    automatic stay in Robert Heghmann’s bankruptcy case when the
    sheriff’s office executed the void writ of possession and evicted the
    Heghmanns (Count 5). Further, they alleged the Town of Rye and
    its residents violated the automatic stay in Robert’s bankruptcy
    proceeding when the town failed to have a procedure in place for
    all municipal officers to follow when a claim is made that the
    officers’ actions violate an automatic stay (Count 6).
    Next, the Heghmanns alleged that Djamel, his ex-wife Mary,
    and their children violated the automatic stay in Beatrice
    Heghmann’s bankruptcy proceeding when they improperly seized
    the Heghmanns’ property left at the residence (Count 7). They also
    alleged that the Hafiani family violated the automatic stay in
    Beatrice’s bankruptcy proceeding when they sold the Heghmanns’
    property at yard sales, and the residents of the Town of Rye
    violated the stay when they bought the property at the yard sales
    (Count 8). Finally, the Heghmanns alleged that because the
    bankruptcy court found that the yard sales violated the stay, it
    triggered a duty on the defendants to undo the damage and restore
    the Heghmanns to “the status quo” prior to the violation. Thus,
    they claimed that the Hafianis and the Town of Rye and its
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650         Date Filed: 10/26/2022     Page: 9 of 17
    21-12650                Opinion of the Court                          9
    residents violated the automatic stay—and continue to do so—
    because they have taken no action to fulfill this duty (Count 9).
    Miriam Hafiani moved to dismiss the complaint for failure
    to state a claim. She asserted that the Heghmanns failed to allege
    how she can be subject to a claim when she was a minor of 14 years
    old at the time of the actions at issue. Additionally, she alleged that
    the Heghmanns had failed to include any allegations linking her to
    the lease, the bankruptcy orders, or the automatic stays. In
    response, the Heghmanns argued that they were not suing for a
    violation of the automatic stay that happened when she was a
    minor in 2003, but rather, they were suing her for a continuing
    violation because she had a duty to undo the damages caused by
    the violation and continued to take no action to do so.
    Djamel, Julia, Mary, and Jamal also moved to dismiss. 6
    They argued, in relevant part, that the claims should be dismissed
    for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and for failure to state a claim
    because the Heghmanns’ claims were barred by res judicata. In
    response, the Heghmanns argued that, under Eleventh Circuit
    precedent, the district court had subject matter jurisdiction over
    the claims. They also argued that res judicata did not apply because
    they were seeking damages for the ongoing violation of the
    automatic stay based on the bankruptcy court’s findings that
    Djamel—and by extension his family members—violated the
    6 The Hafianis attached numerous records from the bankruptcy proceedings
    and prior district court proceedings to the motion to dismiss.
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650         Date Filed: 10/26/2022       Page: 10 of 17
    10                       Opinion of the Court                    21-12650
    automatic stay when he sold the Heghmanns’ belongings, but the
    Hafianis continued to take no action to undo the damage.7
    Finally, the Town of Rye moved to dismiss, arguing that the
    district court lacked personal jurisdiction over it. It argued that all
    of the complained of actions took place in New Hampshire and the
    Heghmanns failed to allege any facts connecting it with Florida. It
    also argued that exercising jurisdiction would not comport with
    “traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice” because of
    the cost to Rye of litigating in Florida, the apparent
    forum-shopping of the Heghmanns, the lack of any nexus between
    the actual events and the State of Florida, and the fact that the
    Heghmanns had access to effective relief in New Hampshire. In
    response, the Heghmanns argued that they were not seeking to
    exercise in personam jurisdiction over the Town of Rye and its
    residents. Rather, they were seeking quasi in rem jurisdiction over
    the Town of Rye and its residents.
    7 The Heghmanns asserted that the bankruptcy court’s award of $1,200 in
    actual damages and denial of punitive damages for the violation of the
    automatic stay did not have preclusive effect because when Djamel and his
    family violated the stay they effectively committed the common law torts of
    conversion and intentional infliction of mental and emotional distress,
    entitling the Heghmanns to damages—issues which a bankruptcy Article I
    judge is without authority to decide.
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650           Date Filed: 10/26/2022        Page: 11 of 17
    21-12650                  Opinion of the Court                              11
    After concluding that it had subject matter jurisdiction,8 the
    district court granted all three motions to dismiss. First, the district
    court concluded that the Heghmanns failed to state a plausible
    claim against Miriam Hafiani because they did not allege that she
    knew of the stay and intentionally violated it—and without such
    allegations, the district court could not “even consider the
    additional layer of allegations that [she] continued to violate the
    automatic stay for failing to ‘undo’ damage allegedly caused by the
    violation of the automatic stay.” Second, the district court
    concluded that the claims against Djamel were barred by res
    judicata.
    As to the remaining claims against Mary, Jamal, and Julia
    Hafiani (Counts 7–9), the district court found that these claims
    were due to be dismissed because (1) the Heghmanns made no
    specific allegations that Mary, Jamel, or Julia knew of the automatic
    stay and intentionally violated it, (2) res judicata barred these
    claims because they could have been brought in prior litigation,
    8 The district court concluded that it had subject matter jurisdiction over
    claims for violation of an automatic stay. See Just. Cometh, Ltd. v. Lambert,
    
    426 F.3d 1342
    , 1343 (11th Cir. 2005) (holding that “the explicit . . . grant of
    original jurisdiction” in 
    28 U.S.C. § 1334
     over cases arising under Title 11
    “clearly forecloses a conclusion that the district court lacked subject matter
    jurisdiction” over claims for damages caused by a violation of the automatic
    stay in a bankruptcy proceeding). Accordingly, we have subject matter
    jurisdiction to hear this appeal as well. 
    Id.
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650            Date Filed: 10/26/2022         Page: 12 of 17
    12                         Opinion of the Court                       21-12650
    and (3) the pleading was deficient because it failed to afford those
    defendants notice of the specific allegations against them.9
    Finally, the district court dismissed the claims against the
    Town of Rye and its residents because it lacked in personam
    jurisdiction under Florida’s long-arm statute and exercising
    jurisdiction would offend the traditional notions of fair play and
    justice. The Heghmanns timely appealed.
    II.     Discussion
    A. Whether the district court erred in dismissing the
    claims against the Hafianis
    The Heghmanns argue that the district court erred in
    dismissing the claims against the Hafianis for various reasons,
    including that the claims were not precluded by res judicata and
    that the defendants waived any claim that the complaint failed to
    state a claim because it did not allege that the defendants had
    knowledge of the stay. The Heghmanns maintain that the
    bankruptcy court’s finding of a violation of the automatic stay has
    preclusive res judicata effect and triggered an ongoing duty upon
    Djamel and those in privity with him10 to take actions “to restore
    9 The district court also noted that although there was no statute of limitations
    for bringing a claim for violation of an automatic stay, the 17-year delay in
    bringing these claims was “concern[ing].”
    10 The Heghmanns argue that Djamel’s children were in privity with him
    because they were present during the yard sales and “had their pick” of the
    Heghmanns’ property. And they argue that Djamel’s ex-wife, Mary, was in
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650           Date Filed: 10/26/2022        Page: 13 of 17
    21-12650                  Opinion of the Court                              13
    the status quo ante the violation,” and the defendants have taken
    no remedial action for the past 17 years.
    We review de novo a dismissal for failure to state a claim
    upon which relief may be granted, “accepting the allegations in the
    complaint as true and construing them in the light most favorable
    to the plaintiff.” Leib v. Hillsborough Cnty. Pub. Transp. Comm’n,
    
    558 F.3d 1301
    , 1305 (11th Cir. 2009).
    i.   Claims against Djamel
    The Heghmanns argue that the district court erred in its res
    judicata analysis as to the claims against Djamel. Additionally, they
    argue that the bankruptcy court did not have before it the claim for
    a continuing violation, as that claim did not arise until the
    bankruptcy court issued its judgment, and, therefore, it was not
    barred by res judicata.
    We review de novo the district court’s determination that a
    claim is barred by res judicata. See Jang v. United Tech. Corp., 
    206 F.3d 1147
    , 1149 (11th Cir. 2000). Res judicata “bar[s] a subsequent
    action if: (1) the prior decision was rendered by a court of
    competent jurisdiction; (2) there was a final judgment on the
    privity because she was the legal guardian of the children and “responsible for
    their conversion of the property.” Finally, the Heghmanns maintain that the
    Town of Rye and its residents were in privity because but for the Town of
    Rye’s actions (via the execution of the writ of possession), the Hafianis would
    not have obtained possession of the Heghmanns’ property, and under New
    Hampshire law, the residents of a municipality “are liable for the
    transgressions of the town government.”
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650        Date Filed: 10/26/2022     Page: 14 of 17
    14                      Opinion of the Court                 21-12650
    merits; (3) the parties were identical in both suits; and (4) the prior
    and present causes of action are the same.” 
    Id.
     (quotation omitted).
    “[I]f a case arises out of the same nucleus of operative facts, or is
    based upon the same factual predicate, as a former action, . . . the
    two cases are really the same ‘claim’ or ‘cause of action’ for
    purposes of res judicata.” Griswold v. Cnty. of Hillsborough, 
    598 F.3d 1289
    , 1293 (11th Cir. 2010) (quotation omitted) (alteration in
    original).
    The district court did not err in determining that res judicata
    barred the claims against Djamel. Counts One through Five for
    Djamel’s alleged violations of the automatic stay in Robert’s case
    are precluded by the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the First
    Circuit’s 2004 decision, which determined that “the writ of
    possession and subsequent eviction did not violate the automatic
    stay as no stay was in place at that time—Robert Heghmann’s case
    had been dismissed and Beatrice Heghmann’s case had not yet
    been filed.” In re Heghmann, 
    316 B.R. at
    401–02.
    Similarly, Counts Seven and Eight for violations of the
    automatic stay in Beatrice’s case when Djamel sold the
    Heghmanns’ property at yard sales are also precluded by the same
    decision because the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel affirmed the
    bankruptcy court’s order for Djamel to pay $1,200 in actual
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650            Date Filed: 10/26/2022         Page: 15 of 17
    21-12650                   Opinion of the Court                               15
    damages for violating the automatic stay in Beatrice’s case.11 See
    
    id.
     at 404–06.
    Finally, Count Nine is precluded because they could have
    alleged a continuing violation in Beatrice’s bankruptcy proceeding
    through the filing of a contempt action in the past 17 years, but
    they did not. 12 See Maldonado v. U.S. Att’y Gen., 
    664 F.3d 1369
    ,
    1377 (11th Cir. 2011) (explaining that “[r]es judicata acts as a bar
    not only to the precise legal theory presented in the previous
    11 The Heghmanns’ argument that their claims in the underlying complaint
    were for the common law tort of conversion, and, thus, were different from
    the claims in the prior bankruptcy proceeding is meritless. Each of the nine
    counts in the complaint were for “violation of the automatic stay,” citing 
    11 U.S.C. § 362
    (a)—the same exact claims resolved in the prior bankruptcy
    decision in the First Circuit.
    12 Although Congress did not enact a statute of limitations for claims
    involving willful violations of an automatic stay, we agree with the district
    court that the Heghmanns’ 17-year delay in filing the underlying complaint
    while they admittedly forum shopped for a court that would hear their case is
    gravely concerning. Under these circumstances, we conclude that, even if the
    Heghmanns’ claims were not barred by res judicata, they would be barred by
    the doctrine of laches. See Thornton v. First State Bank of Joplin, 
    4 F.3d 650
    ,
    653 (8th Cir. 1993) (explaining that “[w]hile delay alone does not automatically
    constitute laches, if a plaintiff's delay (1) is unreasonable and unexplained and
    (2) has disadvantaged the defendant, laches may apply,” and upholding
    application of the doctrine where the debtor waited four years after
    discovering the violation and two years after bankruptcy proceedings
    concluded to file his complaint, without explanation for the delay). In the
    Heghmanns’ case, the only reason for the delay in filing the underlying
    complaint was their admitted forum shopping, which further demonstrates
    why application of the doctrine of laches is appropriate.
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    16                      Opinion of the Court                  21-12650
    litigation, but to all legal theories and claims arising out of the same
    operative nucleus of fact.” (quotation omitted)); see also In re
    Harrison, 
    599 B.R. 173
    , 183 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 2019) (explaining that
    contempt is the “appropriate remedy” for willful violations of an
    automatic stay).         Accordingly, the district court correctly
    determined that the Heghmanns’ claims against Djamel were
    barred by res judicata.
    ii.   Claims against the remaining Hafianis
    With regard to the claims against Miriam, Mary, Julia, and
    Jamal Hafiani, the Heghmanns argue that the Hafianis did not
    assert in their motions to dismiss that the complaint failed to allege
    that they knew of the automatic stay; therefore, they waived this
    defense and the district court erred in relying on it as a basis for the
    dismissal. However, the Heghmanns fail to challenge another
    ground on which the district court based its dismissal—that the
    complaint was “deficient in that the[] counts make assertions
    against these Defendants collectively and do not afford each
    Defendant notice as to the specific allegations made as to each
    Defendant.” “When an appellant fails to challenge properly on
    appeal one of the grounds on which the district court based its
    judgment, he is deemed to have abandoned any challenge of that
    ground, and it follows that the judgment is due to be affirmed.”
    Sapuppo v. Allstate Floridian Ins. Co., 
    739 F.3d 678
    , 680 (11th Cir.
    2014). Accordingly, we affirm the district court’s dismissal of the
    claims against the remaining Hafianis.
    USCA11 Case: 21-12650       Date Filed: 10/26/2022    Page: 17 of 17
    21-12650               Opinion of the Court                       17
    B. Whether the district court erred in dismissing the
    complaint against the Town of Rye for lack of personal
    jurisdiction
    The Heghmanns argue that the district court erred in
    dismissing the claims against the Town of Rye because the district
    court failed to recognize that “jurisdiction over the Town of Rye
    was never in personam, it was always quasi in rem.” The problem
    for the Heghmanns is that, even if they were proceeding under
    quasi in rem jurisdiction, the district court would lack jurisdiction
    because the Heghmanns did not allege that the Town of Rye has
    any property in Florida for purposes of quasi in rem jurisdiction.
    See Shaffer v. Heitner, 
    433 U.S. 186
    , 199 & n.17 (1977) (explaining
    that in rem and quasi in rem jurisdiction are “based on the court’s
    power over property within its territory”); World Wide Supply OU
    v. Quail Cruises Ship Mgmt., 
    802 F.3d 1255
    , 1259–60 (11th Cir.
    2015) (explaining that quasi in rem jurisdiction involves an action
    “against a party who is not personally present in the district but
    whose property is present”).
    Furthermore, the Heghmanns do not challenge the district
    court’s determination that it lacked in personam personal
    jurisdiction. Accordingly, they abandoned any challenge of that
    ground, and we affirm the dismissal of claims against the Town of
    Rye for lack of personal jurisdiction. Sapuppo, 739 F.3d at 680.
    AFFIRMED.