Petroleos Mexicanos v. MT King A ( 2004 )


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  •                                                                                                                            Opinions of the United
    2004 Decisions                                                                                                             States Court of Appeals
    for the Third Circuit
    7-29-2004
    Petroleos Mexicanos v. MT King A
    Precedential or Non-Precedential: Precedential
    Docket No. 03-2541
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    PRECEDENTIAL
    TERRY L. STOLTZ, ESQ. (ARGUED)
    IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF           Nicoletti, Hornig, Campise, Sweeney &
    APPEALS                     Paige
    FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT              88 Pine Street
    _________________________           7 th Floor
    New York, NY 10005
    NO. 03-2541
    __________________________          ANDREW J. GOLDSTEIN, ESQ.
    Goldstein, Lem & Isaacson
    PETROLEOS MEXICANOS                100 Morris Avenue
    REFINACION,                    3rd Floor
    Springfield, NJ 07081
    v.
    Attorneys for Appellee
    M/T KING A (EX-TBILISI), her
    engines, boilers, etc.,
    in rem by KING DAVID SHIPPING
    CO., LTD.
    ________________________
    Appellant
    _______________________________               OPINION OF THE COURT
    On Appeal from the United States           ________________________
    District Court for
    The District of New Jersey
    BECKER, Circuit Judge.
    (D.C. No. 02-cv-01215)
    District Judge: Honorable Dennis M.       This case presents important questions
    Cavanaugh               about the scope of our appellate
    _______________________________        jurisdiction over the order of a district
    Argued June 15, 2004          court sitting in admiralty denying a motion
    to dismiss a suit and to vacate a warrant of
    Before: ALITO, SMITH and BECKER,        arrest in an in rem proceeding. Here,
    Circuit Judges              appellee Petroleos Mexicanos Refinacion
    (Filed: July 29, 2004)          (“Pemex”), the Mexican state-owned oil
    company, brought an action in rem against
    JEREMY J.O. HARWOOD, ESQ.               the King A, an oil tanker over which it
    (ARGUED)                                claims to hold a maritime lien. The
    Healy & Baillie                         District Court granted a warrant of arrest
    61 Broadway                             for seizure of the res (the vessel). King
    New York, NY 10006                      David Shipping Co. Ltd. (“King David”)
    claims ownership of the King A and
    Attorney for Appellant                  responded on its behalf, moving under
    Supplemental Rule E(4)(f) of the Federal                 I. Facts and Procedural History
    Rules of Civil Procedure to dismiss
    A. Background Facts
    Pemex’s suit—and to vacate the warrant of
    arrest for the King A—on subject matter                In late 1992, Pemex chartered a tanker,
    jurisdiction and statute of limitations            the Tbilisi (which has since been renamed
    grounds. The District Court denied the             the King A), from Tbilisi Shipping Co.
    motion, and King David appeals on behalf           (“Tbilisi Shipping”). In a voyage in
    of the King A.1                                    December 1992, a defect in the ship
    somehow caused the two types of
    We conclude that we lack appellate
    petroleum carried by the ship—diesel and
    jurisdiction over the District Court’s order
    unleaded gasoline—to cross-contaminate.
    under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 or the cognate
    This allegedly tortious event arguably
    collateral order doctrine of Cohen v.
    gives rise to a maritime lien on the ship in
    Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp., 337 U.S.
    favor of Pemex. As security for the
    541 (1949). We similarly conclude that
    damages, Pemex also withheld some
    we do not have appellate jurisdiction under
    $530,320 of charter hire that it otherwise
    the provisions for appellate review of
    owed to Tbilisi Shipping.
    certain interlocutory orders found in 28
    U.S.C. § 1292(a)(1) and (3). We therefore              Tbilisi Shipping conceded liability (but
    do not reach the merits of the appeal,             not the amount of damages). In 1993,
    which we will dismiss for lack of appellate        however, Tbilisi Shipping commenced an
    jurisdiction.                                      arbitration under the charter to recover the
    withheld hire. Tbilisi Shipping’s P&I
    club2 issued a Letter of Undertaking
    (“LOU”) (for our purposes here, a bond) to
    secure any arbitral award in favor of
    1
    Because this is an in rem action, the          Pemex (including costs and fees awarded
    King A itself is the defendant with King           by the arbitration panel). In return, Pemex
    David merely acting on its behalf.                 promised to pay the withheld hire and
    “American courts, by and large, adopted            refrain from arresting the Tbilisi.
    a ‘personification’ theory in which the
    As the parties confirmed at oral
    vessel itself is a party and judgments are
    argument, the arbitration has been
    entered against her without the necessity
    of securing jurisdiction over the owner.”
    Salazar v. Atlantic Sun, 
    881 F.2d 73
    , 76
    2
    (3d Cir. 1989). We will dispense with                  “P&I” stands for “Protection and
    the linguistic formality in the opinion,           Indemnity.” P&I is insurance against
    however, and refer simply to King                  third party liabilities and expenses arising
    David’s actions, arguments, etc., while            from owning ships or operating ships as
    recognizing that it appears only on behalf         principals. A P&I club issues such
    of the King A.                                     insurance.
    2
    protracted for reasons not at all relevant         The application was in substance a motion
    here, and it continues to this day. At some        to dismiss the complaint, and (as the
    point, the Tbilisi was renamed the King A,         logical consequence thereof) to vacate the
    and it is now owned by King David.                 warrant of arrest and discharge King
    Pemex, wanting additional security for its         David’s P&I club’s LOU.
    claim (in case the LOU from Tbilisi
    The District Court ruled on three issues
    Shipping’s P&I club proves insufficient to
    in denying the Rule E(4)(f) application.
    cover any arbitral award) sought to arrest
    First, it held that Pemex has standing to
    the King A, on the theory that the tortious
    pursue the in rem action, over King
    event created a maritime lien on the ship,
    David’s objection that Pemex had been
    irrespective of its owner.
    paid in full for its loss by its insurers, and
    B. Proceedings Before the District Court           so had no lien on the ship, and hence no
    standing to sue. Second, the District Court
    Pemex applied in mid-March 2002 to
    held that there was a valid maritime lien
    the United States District Court for the
    against the ship, and so the warrant of
    District of New Jersey for, and was
    arrest was proper, over King David’s
    granted, a warrant of arrest for the King A,
    objection that Pemex failed to properly
    which was scheduled to call at Port
    plead the existence of a maritime lien in its
    Newark. 3 A few days later, King David’s
    complaint. Third, the District Court held
    P&I club issued a LOU to secure any in
    that there was no statute of limitations bar
    rem award, so the warrant of arrest was
    to Pemex’s claim, over King David’s
    withdrawn and was not actually served on
    objection that this action was subject to a
    the King A.
    one-year limitations period that had not
    In September 2002, King David                  been tolled, and had thus long ago expired.
    submitted an application under Fed. R.             Thus, the District Court denied King
    Civ. P. Supp. Rule E(4)(f), which                  David’s motion to dismiss, and refused to
    provides: “Whenever property is arrested           vacate the warrant of arrest for the King A.
    or attached, any person claiming an
    C. This Appeal
    interest in it shall be entitled to a prompt
    hearing at which the plaintiff shall be                King David argues on appeal that the
    required to show why the arrest or                 District Court’s holdings on subject matter
    attachment should not be vacated or other          jurisdiction, the existence of a maritime
    relief granted consistent with these rules.”       lien, and the statute of limitations were
    incorrect.    Viewing these matters as
    immaterial here, Pemex moved this Court
    3
    This is the normal course to begin an          to dismiss the appeal for lack of appellate
    in rem admiralty proceeding—a                      jurisdiction. In response, King David
    complaint is filed, and a warrant of arrest        moved for a summary remand to the
    is issued for the res. See Fed. R. Civ. P.         District Court with instructions to dismiss
    Supp. Rule C.
    3
    the complaint.     These motions were              interlocutory orders of district courts
    referred to the merits panel. See Third            sitting in admiralty; and fourth, 28 U.S.C.
    Circuit IOP 10.3.5, 10.6.                          § 1 2 9 2 ( a ) (1 ) , w h i c h autho riz e s
    interlocutory appeals from orders granting
    or refusing certain forms of interim or
    II. Appellate Jurisdiction                 provisional relief.      We address each
    jurisdictional provision in turn.4
    A Rule E(4)(f) motion (“Actions in
    Rem and Quasi in Rem: General                                 A. 28 U.S.C. § 1291
    Provisions – Procedure for Release From
    With the exception of the Cohen
    Arrest or Attachment”) is similar (at least
    collateral order doctrine, see infra Part
    here) to a motion under Fed. R. Civ. P.
    II.B, an appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 lies
    12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon
    only from a “final decision[].” As the
    which relief can be granted; in the case of
    Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized,
    Pemex’s alleged lack of standing, it is
    similar to a motion under Fed. R. Civ. P.
    12(b)(1) to dismiss for lack of subject
    4
    matter jurisdiction. However, in view of               Relying on the principle that subject
    its practical effect here, the Rule E(4)(f)        matter jurisdiction may be raised at any
    motion belongs to the class of motions             time, King David has zealously argued
    touching upon interim measures or                  that the Court of Appeals has an
    provisional relief, such as motions to             obligation to consider the jurisdiction of
    attach property or release an attachment, or       the court whose ruling is under appeal.
    motions for temporary restraining orders           This is abstractly true, but not the full
    or preliminary injunctions. As such, in the        story, as even the authorities quoted by
    discussion that follows, we are constrained        King David demonstrate. For example:
    to look at it both as a motion to dismiss          “On every writ of error or appeal, the
    and as an order similar to those touching          first and fundamental question is that of
    upon interim measures or provisional               jurisdiction, first, of this court, and then
    relief.                                            of the court from which the record
    comes.” Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better
    Four possible sources of appellate
    Env’t, 
    523 U.S. 83
    , 94 (1998) (quoting
    jurisdiction command our attention: First,
    Great S. Fire Proof Hotel Co. v. Jones,
    the familiar appeal-from-final-judgment
    
    177 U.S. 449
    , 453 (1900)) (emphasis
    provision of 28 U.S.C. § 1291; second, the
    added). As this quotation aptly
    collateral order doctrine of Cohen v.
    demonstrates, the question of this Court’s
    Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp., 337 U.S.
    jurisdiction (i.e., our appellate
    541 (1949), which allows appeals under §
    jurisdiction) is antecedent to all other
    1291 from certain collaterally final orders;
    questions, including the question of the
    third, 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(3), which
    subject matter jurisdiction of the District
    expressly allows appeals from certain
    Court.
    4
    “a decision is not final, ordinarily, unless       Sub-Freights, Charter Hire, 558 F.2d
    it ‘“ends the litigation on the merits and         1050, 1051 (2d Cir. 1977). We agree: 28
    leaves nothing for the court to do but             U.S.C. § 1291 in its ordinary sense does
    execute the judgment.”’” Cunningham v.             not confer jurisdiction on this Court in this
    Hamilton County, 
    527 U.S. 198
    , 204                 appeal.
    (1999) (quoting Van Cauwenberghe v.
    B. Collateral Order Doctrine
    Biard, 
    486 U.S. 517
    , 521-22 (1988)
    (quoting Catlin v. United States, 324 U.S.            We recently had occasion to discuss the
    229, 233 (1945))); see also Gov’t of V.I. v.       collateral order doctrine in Gov’t of V.I. v.
    Rivera, 
    333 F.3d 143
    , 150 (3d Cir. 2003)           Hodge, 
    359 F.3d 312
    , 319 (3d Cir. 2004):
    (quoting 
    Catlin, 324 U.S. at 233
    ). “The
    This Court’s recent definitive
    denial of a motion to dismiss does not end
    treatment of the collateral order
    the litigation and ordinarily is not a final
    doctrine is In re Ford Motor Co.,
    order for § 1291 purposes.”             Bell
    
    110 F.3d 954
    (3d Cir. 1997). There
    Atlantic-Pa., Inc. v. Pa. Pub. Util.
    we explained:
    Comm’n, 
    273 F.3d 337
    , 343 (3d Cir. 2001)
    (citing 15A Wright, Miller & Cooper,                      The      colla te r a l  o rd e r
    Federal Practice and Procedure § 3914.6                   doctrine, first enunciated by
    at 526 (“Orders refusing to dismiss an                    the Supreme Court in Cohen
    action almost always are not final.”)). The               v. Beneficial Indus. Loan
    District Court’s decision denying King                    Corp., 
    337 U.S. 541
    (1949),
    David’s motion to dismiss plainly does not                provides a narrow exception
    meet the Catlin finality standard: But for                t o t h e g e n e r a l r u le
    this appeal, litigation on the merits would               permitting appellate review
    have continued, and there was no                          only of final orders. An
    judgment to execute.                                      appeal of a nonfinal order
    will lie if (1) the order from
    Likewise, the status of the warrant of
    which the appellant appeals
    arrest has no bearing on the merits, and
    conclusively determines the
    wh ile the arre st of th e ship
    disputed question; (2) the
    (metamorphosed into the LOU) may in the
    order resolves an important
    future be used to satisfy a judgment, the
    issue that is completely
    arrest itself is not the immediate precursor
    separate from the merits of
    to execution of a judgment. The Court of
    the dispute; and (3) the
    Appeals for the Second Circuit has
    o r d e r i s e f f e ct i v e ly
    cataloged a “long and distinguished line of
    unreviewable on appeal
    authority” that “an order denying a motion
    from a final judgment. See
    to vacate an attachment” is not “a final
    Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Inc. v.
    order within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. §
    Home Indem. Co., 
    32 F.3d 1291
    .” Drys Shipping Corp. v. Freights,
    851, 860 (3d Cir. 1994).
    5
    
    Id. at 958.
    As the Cohen Court                  district court lacked subject matter
    explained, 28 U.S.C. § 1291 has                 jurisdiction. See, e.g., State Farm Mut.
    been given a “practical rather than             Auto. Ins. Co. v. Powell, 
    87 F.3d 93
    (3d
    a technical construction.” 337 U.S.             Cir. 1996). Likewise, there are cases
    at 546. To this end, as a doctrinal             (though fewer of them) addressing Rule
    matter, orders that meet the three              17(a) issues on appeal from final
    prongs described above are deemed               judgments in favor of plaintiffs. See, e.g.,
    to be “final decisions” within the              Borror v. Sharon Steel Corp., 327 F.2d
    meaning of the statute.                         165 (3d Cir. 1964).
    We need not consider the first or second               Moreover, we recently reaffirmed the
    prongs of the Cohen test, for nothing in the       principle that interlocutory orders finding
    District Court’s order satisfies the third         subject matter jurisdiction are ordinarily
    prong, that the issue be “effectively              not appealable under the collateral order
    unreviewable on appeal from a final                doctrine.       “‘[N]on-immunity based
    judgment.”       In assessing “effective           motions to dismiss for want of subject
    unreviewability” we address individually           matter jurisdiction are not ordinarily
    each of the issues determined by the               entitled to interlocutory review.’” Hodge,
    District Court (standing, existence of 
    a 359 F.3d at 321
    (quoting Merritt v. Shuttle,
    lien, and statute of limitations) as well as       Inc., 
    187 F.3d 263
    , 268 (2d Cir. 1999)
    its overall refusal to vacate the warrant of       (citing 
    Catlin, 324 U.S. at 236
    )). There is
    arrest.                                            no reason to depart from this general rule
    in this case. There are countless cases
    Standing is a question of subject matter
    where a district court rejects a defendant’s
    jurisdiction. E.B. v. Verniero, 119 F.3d
    challenge to the plaintiff’s standing; in that
    1077, 1092 n.12 (3d Cir. 1997) (quoting
    posture, defendants simply may not seek
    Page v. Schweiker, 
    786 F.2d 150
    , 153 (3d
    immediate review in the court of appeals.
    Cir. 1986)). What the parties here speak
    of as standing may also, as the District               The statute of limitations and maritime
    Court recognized, really be a question of          lien validity issues are likewise reviewable
    compliance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 17(a),             on appeal after final judgment. See, e.g.,
    which requires that civil actions be               Bell 
    Atlantic-Pa., 273 F.3d at 345
    (“The
    brought by the “real parties in interest.”         statute of limitations defense fails the third
    Whether Article III, Rule 17(a), or both are       prong of the Cohen standard because it is
    at issue, there is no reason to suspect that       not effectively unreviewable on appeal
    King David will be unable to obtain                from final judgment.”); Bermuda Express,
    effective review of its arguments on appeal        N.V. v. M/V Litsa (Ex. Laurie U), 872 F.2d
    from a final judgment. Cases abound                554 (3d Cir. 1989) (reviewing validity of
    where a victorious plaintiff’s judgment            maritime lien on appeal from final
    evaporates on appeal after final judgment          judgment in favor of lienor stevedores).
    when the court of appeals holds that the           Should Pemex ultimately prevail before
    6
    the District Court, King David may take                attachment has Cohen-type finality.
    precisely the course charted by the                    Swift & Co. Packers v. Compania
    defendants in the cases we cite.                       Colombiana del Caribe, 
    339 U.S. 684
    (1950). Appellate review of
    The legal issues considered above
    such an order at a later date “would
    (jurisdiction, maritime lien, and statute of
    be an empty rite after the vessel had
    limitations) have no immediate effect
    been released and the restoration of
    (aside from continuing the litigation). The
    the attachment only theoretically
    refusal to vacate the warrant of arrest is
    
    possible.” 339 U.S. at 689
    .
    different to the extent that it has the
    immediate effect of compelling King                         “The situation is quite different
    David to maintain its P&I club’s LOU.                  where an attachment is upheld
    We have not had occasion to consider                   pending determination of the
    whether this is a distinction with a                   principal claim,” the Court said in
    difference. The Court of Appeals for the               Swift & Company Packers, citing
    Fifth Circuit has held that it is not. See             Cushing v. Laird, 
    107 U.S. 69
    Astarte Shipping Co. v. Allied Steel &                 (1883). “In such a situation the
    Export Service, 
    767 F.2d 86
    , 88 (5th Cir.              rights of all the parties can be
    1985); Constructora Subacuatica Diavaz,                adequately protected while the
    S.A. v. M/V Hiryu, 
    718 F.2d 690
    , 692 (5th              litigation on the main claim
    Cir. 1983); accord Seguros Banvenez S.A.               
    proceeds.” 339 U.S. at 689
    .
    v. S/S Oliver Drescher, 
    715 F.2d 54
    , 57                Although dictum, the Court’s
    (2d Cir. 1983) (Mansfield, J., concurring).            statement is persuasive, illustrating
    as it does the rationale underlying
    The logic of all these cases is that the
    the application of Cohen.
    refusal to vacate a warrant of arrest is not
    effectively unreviewable after final                Constructora Subacuatica Diavaz, 718
    judgment. If King David should prevail, it          F.2d at 692.
    could seek compensation for the expense
    We are in complete agreement, and our
    of maintaining the LOU during the
    long-established precedent from an
    pendency of the litigation. This is in stark
    analogous area—nonmaritim e
    contrast to the case where a warrant of
    prejudgment attachments—confirms our
    arrest is vacated and the plaintiff appeals;
    view. In United States v. Estate of Pearce,
    there, with the res unattached, and literally
    
    498 F.2d 847
    (3d Cir. 1974) (en banc), we
    sailing away, the plaintiff would be unable
    held that we were without jurisdiction to
    to execute on a judgment if it were
    review an order denying a motion to quash
    ultimately victorious on the merits. The
    a sequestration order under Delaware law.
    Fifth Circuit put the contrast well:
    We observed that sequestration under
    The Supreme Court has held                    Delaware law is an equitable device
    that an order vacating an                        “analogous to foreign attachment at law,”
    7
    
    id. at 849
    (citing Delaware cases), and             appeals in admiralty establishes that
    noted that “[o]rders granting or denying            the language of § 1292(a)(3)
    attachment are ordinarily interlocutory and         regarding a final determination of
    non-appealable,” 
    id. (citing 9
    Moore’s              rights and liabilities applies to
    Federal Practice ¶ 110.13[5]). Then,                situations such as the dismissal of
    citing Swift & Co. Packers, we concluded            parties from the litigation, grants of
    that, while an order denying or dissolving          summary judgment (even if not to
    an attachment may be appealable under the           all parties), and other cases where a
    collateral order doctrine, orders upholding         claim has somehow been
    attachments are not, and we therefore               terminated. “[T]he order appealed
    dismissed the appeal. See 
    id. at 849
    -50.            from must conclusively determine
    At least with respect to the collateral order       the merits of a claim or defense.”
    doctrine, we see no meaningful distinction          Kingstate Oil v. M/V Green Star,
    between the order appealed from in                  
    815 F.2d 918
    , 921 (3d Cir. 1987).
    Pearce’s Estate and the order appealed              For example, in Jones & Laughlin
    from here. Thus we conclude that Cohen              Steel, Inc. v. Mon River Towing,
    provides no basis for immediately                   Inc., 
    772 F.2d 62
    , 64 & n.1 (3d Cir.
    appealing the denial of a motion to vacate          1985), we allowed an interlocutory
    a warrant of arrest.                                appeal in admiralty after one of the
    defendants was dismissed from the
    C. 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(3)
    action for lack of subject matter
    We next consider whether the District           jurisdiction. In [In re Complaint
    Court’s order is appealable under the               of] Nautilus Motor [Tanker Co.], 85
    admiralty-specific provision of 28 U.S.C.           F.3d [105,] 109-10 [(3d Cir.
    § 1292(a)(3), which confers jurisdiction on         1996)], we granted an appeal
    the courts of appeals over appeals from             following the grant of judgment for
    “[i]nterlocutory decrees of such district           the counterclaim, even though the
    courts or the judges thereof determining            principal claim had not been
    the rights and liabilities of the parties to        conclusively decided. As we have
    admiralty cases in which appeals from               previously stated, interlocutory
    final decrees are allowed.” We have                 appeals in admiralty apply “to any
    focused on the “rights and liabilities”             order which finally determines the
    language to limit the scope of appealable           liability of a party even if the order
    interlocutory orders. In In re Complaint of         leaves unresolved an issue which
    PMD Enterprises, Inc., 
    301 F.3d 147
    , 149-           may ultimately preclude recovery
    50 (3d Cir. 2002), we recounted some                by a particular plaintiff.” Bankers
    cases where we have found § 1292(a)(3) to           Trust Co. v. Bethlehem Steel Corp.,
    apply:                                              
    761 F.2d 943
    , 945 n.1 (3d Cir.
    1985) (emphasis in original).
    Our case law on interlocutory
    8
    A prototypical application of §                  refers to the conclusive determination in
    1292(a)(3) is the appeal of a ruling on              favor of the defendant of a defense, such
    liability prior to a trial on damages. See,          that the plaintiff will not succeed on its
    e.g., United States v. The Lake George,              claim, and may take an immediate appeal.
    
    224 F.2d 117
    , 118-19 (3d Cir. 1955)                  S ym m etr ica lly, a d ef e nd a nt m ay
    (“[T]he statute permits an appeal in                 immediately appeal the conclusive
    avoidance of the expense and delay of                determination in favor of the plaintiff of a
    finding damages which may not be                     claim. To use the language from PMD
    recovered. It is settled, however, that the          Enterprises, § 1292(a)(3) authorizes
    statute does not cover all interlocutory             appeals only when “a claim has somehow
    orders, but only such as ‘determine the              been 
    terminated.” 301 F.3d at 149
    rights and liabilities of the parties’, and it       (emphasis added). Section 1292(a)(3) may
    was not intended to allow repeated                   allow more interlocutory appeals than are
    appeals.” (citations omitted)).                      generally permitted in civil litigation, but
    it does not permit litigants to parade
    Therefore, the question in this case is
    piecemeal appeals before the court of
    whether any of Pemex’s or the defendant’s
    appeals. If we had jurisdiction under §
    “rights” or “liabilities” have been finally
    1292(a)(3) to consider a District Court’s
    decided. They have not: The District
    rejection of a statute of limitations
    Court’s ruling on standing resolves the
    defense, we could think of few orders that
    question in favor of finding jurisdiction,
    would not be subject to immediate appeal.
    which is the archetypal ruling not about
    rights or liabilities. Finding the existence             The District Court’s refusal to vacate
    of a maritime lien is a step on the road to          the warrant of arrest again presents a
    finding liability, but it is only a step, and        slightly different question. We have not
    we do not understand King David to have              previously held whether interlocutory
    conceded that the King A is liable to                orders denying motions to vacate maritime
    Pemex.                                               attachments (i.e., warrants of arrest) are
    appealable under § 1292(a)(3). It seems
    The ruling on the statute of limitations
    clear that they are not, for whether or not a
    likewise does not have the effect of finally
    vessel is subject to arrest says nothing
    determining whether one party is liable to
    about the “rights and liabilities” of the
    another. The District Court does appear to
    parties; it is merely a procedural matter.
    have conclusively ruled that the statute of
    See Astarte 
    Shipping, 767 F.2d at 88
    . In
    limitations defense is unavailable in this
    sum, 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(3) is of no aid to
    case, but that is not the end of the case,
    the appellants.
    and it is not, at all events, the sort of
    “conclusive[] determin[ation of] the merits                  D. 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(1)
    of a . . . defense” spoken of in Kingstate
    The final possible source of appellate
    Oil v. M/V Green Star, 
    815 F.2d 918
    , 921
    jurisdiction is the statute authorizing
    (3d Cir. 1987). Rather, this language
    9
    review in the courts of appeals of orders              (1988) (holding that a district court’s
    “granting, continuing, modifying, refusing             refusal to abstain under Colorado River
    or dissolving injunctions, or refusing to              Water Conservation Dist. v. United States,
    dissolve or modify injunctions.” 28 U.S.C.             
    424 U.S. 800
    (1976), was not appealable
    § 1292(a)(1).5 This subsection plainly                 under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(1)). We
    does not apply to the District Court’s                 therefore conclude that the District Court’s
    decisions on jurisdiction, the maritime                order in this case is not appealable under §
    lien, or the statute of limitations; the only          1292(a)(1).
    question is whether the refusal to vacate a
    warrant of arrest is, for purposes of §
    1292(a)(1), the refusal to dissolve an                              III. Conclusion
    injunction. We hold that it is not. The
    For the foregoing reasons, we lack
    warrant of arrest is not, like an injunction,
    appellate jurisdiction in this case. That
    a form of substantive relief; rather, it is a
    said, we of course express no view on the
    component of the conduct of the litigation
    merits of the decision that King David
    in an admiralty proceeding in rem. See
    appeals, and this opinion is without
    supra note 3. “An order by a federal court
    prejudice to King David’s right to take an
    that relates only to the conduct or progress
    appeal from an appropriate final order or
    of litigation before that court ordinarily is
    appealable interlocutory order presenting
    not considered an injunction and therefore
    the same issues it now appeals.
    is not appealable under § 1292(a)(1).”
    G u l f s tr e a m A e r o s p ace C o rp . v .           The appeal will be dismissed.
    Mayacamas Corp., 
    485 U.S. 271
    , 279
    5
    There is nothing in § 1292(a) or
    elsewhere to indicate that subsection (3)
    is the exclusive provision for
    interlocutory review of orders in
    admiralty, and we see no logical reason
    that subsection (1) is not also available.
    See Treasure Salvors, Inc. v.
    Unidentified Wrecked & Abandoned
    Sailing Vessel, 
    640 F.2d 560
    , 564 (5th
    Cir. 1981); see also R.M.S. Titanic, Inc.
    v. Wrecked & Abandoned Vessel, 
    286 F.3d 194
    (4th Cir. 2002) (finding
    jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(a)(1)
    over an interlocutory appeal from district
    court sitting in admiralty).
    10
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 03-2541

Filed Date: 7/29/2004

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 10/13/2015

Authorities (24)

treasure-salvors-inc-a-corporation-and-armada-research-corp-a , 640 F.2d 560 ( 1981 )

page-helen-m-on-behalf-of-herself-and-all-others-similarly-situated-v , 786 F.2d 150 ( 1986 )

seguros-banvenez-sa-and-cvg-electrificacion-del-caroni-ca-edelca , 715 F.2d 54 ( 1983 )

constructora-subacuatica-diavaz-sa-cross-appellant-v-mv-hiryu-her , 718 F.2d 690 ( 1983 )

captain-manuel-salazar-and-the-crew-of-the-vessel-atlantic-sun-and-salem , 881 F.2d 73 ( 1989 )

Van Cauwenberghe v. Biard , 108 S. Ct. 1945 ( 1988 )

Cunningham v. Hamilton County , 119 S. Ct. 1915 ( 1999 )

Steel Co. v. Citizens for a Better Environment , 118 S. Ct. 1003 ( 1998 )

Joseph McNeil John Blankenship, Kevin O'DOnnell and United ... , 187 F.3d 263 ( 1999 )

in-the-matter-of-the-complaint-of-astarte-shipping-company-and-chi-yuen , 767 F.2d 86 ( 1985 )

united-states-of-america-appellant-libellant-v-the-lake-george-and-her , 224 F.2d 117 ( 1955 )

in-re-ford-motor-company-susan-i-kelly-administratrix-and-personal , 110 F.3d 954 ( 1997 )

government-of-the-virgin-islands-v-selvin-hodge-government-of-the-virgin , 359 F.3d 312 ( 2004 )

Cushing v. Laird , 2 S. Ct. 196 ( 1883 )

United States v. Ronnell D. Smith , 32 F.3d 1291 ( 1994 )

in-the-matter-of-the-complaint-of-pmd-enterprises-inc-as-owner-of-the , 301 F.3d 147 ( 2002 )

No. 01-2227 , 286 F.3d 194 ( 2002 )

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company v. Herbert ... , 87 F.3d 93 ( 1996 )

Government of the Virgin Islands v. Jamel Rivera , 333 F.3d 143 ( 2003 )

Swift & Co. Packers v. Compania Colombiana Del Caribe, S. A. , 70 S. Ct. 861 ( 1950 )

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