No. 19-739

Julius Barbour, et al. v. Halliburton Company, et al.

Lower Court: Fifth Circuit
Docketed: 2019-12-11
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (2)Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)
Tags: civil-rights class-action class-action-settlement-notice class-action-settlement-notice,due-process,hisen-v class-member-compensation compensation due-process hisen-v-carlisle-jacquelin judicial-discretion notice notice-requirement post-settlement-requirements procedural-fairness procedural-order settlement settlement-procedure
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw DueProcess ClassAction JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2020-04-17 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether class members received constitutionally adequate notice under Hisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED Petitioners, class members in settled class-actions, did not receive notice of a requirement, imposed postsettlement, to have filed an individual lawsuit in order to be entitled to recovery under the settlements until after the deadline to file such suits had passed. The court of appeals nevertheless held that petitioners were not denied due process, because they purportedly had notice of the suit-filing requirement in time to attempt to show cause why the failure to meet the deadline should be excused. That ground was not briefed but instead was raised by the court sua sponte at oral argument. The questions presented are: 1. Whether class members are given constitutionally adequate notice under Hisen v. Carlisle & Jacquelin, which requires direct individual notice when practicable, where a notice of a class action settlement that is mailed to some class members does not disclose a requirement to take certain action to preserve one’s entitlement to compensation under the settlement, and notice is not mailed to them or not mailed until after the deadline to comply with the requirement. 2. Whether it is a violation of due process or an abuse of discretion for a court of appeals to base its decision on a ground raised only by the court itself during oral argument. 3. Whether, regardless of notice, it violates due process to deny compensation to a class member for not meeting an eligibility qualification imposed by the claims administrator based on a post-settlement MDL procedural order and where the class member met the qualification at the time of settlement and at the time of claim submission.

Docket Entries

2020-04-20
Motion for leave to file amicus brief filed by Patrick A. Juneau, in His Capacity as New Class Claims Administrator of the Punitive Damages Settlement Program GRANTED.
2020-04-20
Petition DENIED.
2020-03-25
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/17/2020.
2020-03-24
Reply of petitioners Julius Barbour, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2020-03-06
Motion for leave to file amicus brief filed by Patrick A. Juneau, in His Capacity as New Class Claims Administrator of the Punitive Damages Settlement Program.
2020-03-06
Brief of respondents Transocean Holdings, LLC; et al. in opposition filed.
2020-03-06
Brief of respondents Halliburton Company, et al. in opposition filed.
2020-02-05
Response Requested. (Due March 6, 2020)
2020-01-22
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/21/2020.
2020-01-08
Waiver of right of respondents Halliburton Company, et al. to respond filed.
2019-12-06
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 10, 2020)

Attorneys

Halliburton Company, et al.
Robert Alan YorkReed Smith LLP, Respondent
Robert Alan YorkReed Smith LLP, Respondent
Julius Barbour, et al.
John G. WheelerMitchell, McNutt & Sams, Petitioner
John G. WheelerMitchell, McNutt & Sams, Petitioner
Patrick A. Juneau in his capacity as New Class Claims Administrator of the Punitive Damages Settlement Program
Richard Charles StanleyStanley, Reuter, Ross, Thornton & Alford, L.L.C., Amicus
Richard Charles StanleyStanley, Reuter, Ross, Thornton & Alford, L.L.C., Amicus
Transocean Holdings, LLC; Triton Asset Leasing GMBH; Transocean Deepwater, Inc.; Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling, Inc.
Jason Walker BurgeFishman, Haygood, Phelps, Walmsley, Willis & Swanson, LLP, Respondent
Jason Walker BurgeFishman, Haygood, Phelps, Walmsley, Willis & Swanson, LLP, Respondent