JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Winget ( 2024 )

UNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN SOUTHERNDIVISION ALTER DOMUS,LLC, Plaintiff/Counter-Defendant, CaseNumber08-13845 v. HonorableDavidM.Lawson LARRYJ.WINGETandtheLARRYJ. WINGETLIVINGTRUST, Defendants/Counter-Plaintiffs. ________________________________________/ ORDER DENYING MOTION TO SETTRIALSCHEDULE The matter is before the Court on the plaintiff’s motion to set a trial schedule on the damages portion of its fraudulent transfer claim against defendant Larry J. Winget. Briefing on that motion is complete, but the Court observes that the parties’ both now have pending appeals. The defendant filed a notice of appeal of the Court’s sales-process order on August 28, 2023, see ECF No. 1112, which the court of appeals held in abeyance pending the Court’s resolution of plaintiff’smotionforreconsiderationofthatorder(ECFNo.1107). TheCourtdeniedthemotion forreconsiderationonMarch18,2024,seeECFNo.1130,andtheplaintiffthereafterfiledanotice ofappealofthatruling, see ECF No.1131. “As a general rule, the district court loses jurisdiction over an action once a party files a notice of appeal, and jurisdiction transfers to the appellate court.” Lewis v. Alexander, 987 F.2d 392, 394 (6th Cir. 1993) (citing Cochran v. Birkel, 651 F.2d 1219, 1221 (6th Cir. 1981)). “The filing of a notice of appeal is an event of jurisdictional significance –– it confers jurisdiction on the court of appeals and divests the district court of its control over those aspects of the case involved in the appeal.” United States v. Holloway, 740 F.2d 1373, 1382 (6th Cir. 1984) (citing Griggsv.ProvidentConsumerDiscountCo.,459 U.S.56, 58 (1982)). AlthoughtheremaybesomequestionaboutwhethertheCourtretainsjurisdictionoverthe remainderofthecasewhilethepartiesappealthesalesprocessorder,itisprudenttodeferfurther adjudications until the appeals are resolved. Moreover, the resolution of the appeal may prompt furthersettlementdiscussionsandobviatetheneedforconsiderationoftheplaintiff’smotion. The Court therefore will deny the plaintiff’s motion without prejudice. Accordingly, it is ORDERED that the plaintiff’s motion to set a trial schedule (ECF No. 1128) is DENIEDwithoutprejudice. s/David M.Lawson DAVIDM. LAWSON United States District Judge Dated: May2, 2024