No. 22-1192

Headstream Technologies, LLC v. FedEx Express

Lower Court: Sixth Circuit
Docketed: 2023-06-12
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: airline-deregulation-act circuit-split contract-formation intentional-fraud package-delivery preemption service-preemption state-law-tort state-law-tort-claims summary-judgment
Key Terms:
Arbitration ERISA DueProcess Jurisdiction JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2023-09-26
Question Presented (from Petition)

To foster economic competition among airlines,
Congress in the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978
prohibits States from enacting or enforcing any law
related to "a price, route, or service" of an air carrier. But
when an air carrier's employee intentionally commits
fraud, even inventing a fake recipient/signor to cover up
the air carrier's failed delivery of petitioner's package, is
it liable under state law for its fraud using the rationale of
the Second, Third, Fourth, Ninth and Tenth Circuits or
are such claims preempted by the ADA as decided by the
First, Fifth and Sixth Circuits?

1. Should this Court resolve the continuing conflict
among the Circuits whether the ADA preempts state-law
tort claims which allege intentional, unreasonable and
unnecessary behavior by an air carrier in providing its
service?

2. Did the Panel mishandle the summary judgment
record by refusing to view the reasonable inferences
drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to petitioner,
the nonmoving party, when assessing its state-law
contract claim that the air carrier never presented it with
its terms of service until after the contract was formed?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Airline Deregulation Act preempts state-law tort claims alleging intentional fraud by an air carrier

Docket Entries

2023-10-02
Petition DENIED.
2023-07-05
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/26/2023.
2023-06-27
Waiver of right of respondent FedEx Express to respond filed.
2023-05-15
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 12, 2023)

Attorneys

FedEx Express
Thomas Whitelaw Murrey Jr.Fed Ex Corp.-Legal Dept., Respondent
Headstream Technologies LLC
John Anthony Renda — Petitioner