No. 21-1149

Phoenix Light SF DAC, et al. v. U.S. Bank National Association

Lower Court: Second Circuit
Docketed: 2022-02-18
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: article-iii-jurisdiction circuit-split civil-procedure jurisdiction jurisdictional-analysis lexmark lexmark-doctrine merits merits-issues prudential-standing standing
Latest Conference: 2022-03-18
Question Presented (from Petition)

This Court has held that federal courts (1) may adjudicate jurisdictional issues in any sequence they choose and (2) may, under appropriate circumstances, assume jurisdiction in order to decide non-jurisdictional threshold issues that do not involve the merits. Ruhrgas AG v. Marathon Oil Co., 526 U.S. 574, 583-84 (1999); Sinochem Int'l Co. v. Malaysia Int'l Shipping Corp., 549 U.S. 422, 435-36 (2007). Here, the Second Circuit assumed Article III jurisdiction in order to dismiss the case for lack of prudential standing.

1. In light of Lexmark International, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc., 572 U.S. 118 (2014)'s holding that many types of prudential standing doctrines are misnomers and actually address merits issues, are the last vestiges of these doctrines properly treated as part of the merits (rather than standing) such that federal courts cannot evaluate them before addressing Article III jurisdiction?

2. In light of the "deep and important circuit split" regarding the jurisdictional nature of prudential standing, Lucas v. Jerusalem Cafe, LLC, 721 F.3d 927, 938 (8th Cir. 2013); Grocery Manufacturers Ass'n v. EPA, 693 F.3d 169, 185 (D.C. Cir. 2012) (Kavanaugh, J., dissenting), is prudential standing jurisdictional such that federal courts can always evaluate it before addressing Article III jurisdiction?

3. If, despite Lexmark, 572 U.S. 118, prudential standing remains a non-merits issue, could the Second Circuit sidestep the question of Article III standing when the Article III issues pose no particularly complicated or novel issues?

4. Did petitioners' preexisting proprietary interest establish Article III standing and a non-champertous claim?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether federal courts can evaluate prudential standing before addressing Article III jurisdiction

Docket Entries

2022-03-21
Petition DENIED.
2022-03-02
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/18/2022.
2022-02-23
Waiver of right of respondent U.S. Bank National Assoc. to respond filed.
2022-02-16
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 21, 2022)

Attorneys

Phoenix Light SF DAC, et al.
Timothy Towery CoatesGreines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP, Petitioner
U.S. Bank National Assoc.
Louis A. ChaitenJones Day, Respondent