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PAUL SPINELLI, SCOTT BOEHM, PAUL
JASIENSKI, GEORGE NEWMAN LOWRANCE, DAVID
STLUKA, DAVID DRAPKIN, and THOMAS E.
WITTE,
Plaintiffs,
13 Civ. 7398
(RWS)
- against OPINION
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NFL PROPERTIES,
LLC, NFL VENTURES, L.P., NFL PRODUCTIONS,
LLC, NFL ENTERPRISES, LLC, REPLAY PHOTOS,
LLC, GETTY IMAGES (US), INC., ASSOCIATED
PRESS, ARIZONA CARDINALS HOLDINGS, INC.,
ATLANTA FALCONS FOOTBALL CLUB LLC,
BALTIMORE RAVENS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP,
BUFFALO BILLS, INC., PANTHERS FOOTBALL
LLC, CHICAGO BEARS FOOTBALL CLUB, INC.,
CINCINNATI BENGALS, INC., CLEVELAND
BROWNS LLC, DALLAS COWBOYS FOOTBALL CLUB,
DENVER BRONCOS FOOTBALL CLUB, DETROIT
LIONS, INC., GREEN BAY PACKERS, INC.,
HOUSTON NFL HOLDINGS LP, INDIANAPOLIS
COLTS, INC., JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS LTD.,
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FOOTBALL CLUB, INC.,
MIAMI DOLPHINS, LTD., MINNESOTA VIKINGS
FOOTBALL CLUB LLC, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS,
LP, NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA SAINTS, LLC,
NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS, INC., NEW YORK
JETS FOOTBALL CLUB, INC., OAKLAND RAIDERS
LP, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES FOOTBALL CLUB,
INC., PITTBURGH STEELERS SPORTS, INC.,
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS FOOTBALL CO., SAN
FRANCISCO FORTY NINERS LTD., FOOTBALL
NORTHWEST LLC, THE RAMS FOOTBALL CO. LLC,
BUCCANEERS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, TENNESSEE
FOOTBALL, INC., and WASHINGTON FOOTBALL
INC.,
Defendants.
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A P P E A R A N C E S:
Sweet, D.J.
certification is denied.
Prior Proceedings
------
A full
Id. at *1-5.
~3.)
(Declaration of Kevin P.
opposition papers on May 29, 2015 (Dkt. No. 110), the Plaintiffs
filed their reply brief on June 5, 2015 (Dkt. No. 112), and the
motion was heard on submission on June 10, 2015.
(Dkt. No.
113.)
Applicable Standard
1 In the same opinion, the Court granted Defendant Getty Images (US), Inc.'s
motion to compel arbitration.
As the Plaintiffs are proceeding to
arbitration with Getty, (Pl. Mem. at 1 n.1), they are not seeking Rule 54(b)
certification of that portion of the Court's opinion and Getty is not a party
to this motion.
Curtiss-
435
(citing
(1956)).
The
Rule 54(b)
The
Id. at *30-
It is "well
argue that where the grounds for dismissal are based on legal
determinations rather than on pleading defects, an updated
pleading will not help the plaintiff's situation and a dismissal
without prejudice should therefore be considered final,
citing
and the Court is unaware of, any precedent within the Second
Circuit for the proposition.
(2d Cir.
See
See
See
(quotation omitted)
(citing Hogan v.
Consol. Rail Corp., 961 F.2d 1021, 1025-26 (2d Cir. 1992)) . 3
The Plaintiffs will not suffer any significant hardship or
injustice from delaying their appeal of the copyright claims
until the end of proceedings in the District Court.
3 The Plaintiffs'
The
They also note that taking the latter course might prejudice
them since some of their remaining claims could have statute of
limitations issues.
In their opposition brief, the Defendants ask the Court (without making a
formal cross-motion) to enter final judgment on all the claims dismissed
without prejudice in the March 27 Order because the Plaintiffs filed their
motion for Rule 54(b) certification at the Court-ordered deadline instead of
a revised complaint.
(See D.'s Mem. in Opp., Dkt. No. 110, at 6-8.)
Although the Plaintiffs are technically out of compliance, such a result
would be unreasonably punitive. As the Defendants concede (see id. at 6),
the determination ultimately hinges on the Plaintiffs' diligence.
See Evans
v. Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., No. 02 Civ. 3482, 2003 WL 22287864, at *l
(S.D.N.Y. Oct. 3, 2003).
The Plaintiffs' diligence in this case has been
more than adequate, particularly as they have represented that they are
prepared to file their Second Amended Complaint within 48 hours of this
motion's resolution.
10
been entered."
Conclusion
It is so ordered.
New York, NY
August // , 2015
U.S.D.J.
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