No. 21-1483

Leander Bacon, et ux. v. United States, et al.

Lower Court: Fourth Circuit
Docketed: 2022-05-25
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: civil-procedure civil-rights due-process ejectment-action foreclosure-dispute issue-preclusion rooker-feldman-doctrine standing takings title-restoration veterans-affairs veterans-rights
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity Securities Immigration LaborRelations
Latest Conference: 2022-09-28
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Bacons' complaint constitutes an 'ejectment' action

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED This case has involved an effort by a wounded combat veteran and his wife seeking (a) an injunction against eviction based on a disputed foreclosure of their home; and (b) rescission of the foreclosure and restoration to them of ownership of the home. Subsequent to the decision by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (“the Court of Appeals”) below, (a) has become moot because one of the appellees, Navy Federal Credit Union, having previously obtained title from the United States of America, through the Veterans Administration (“the VA”), executed a deed to the home to an investor, which has filed an unlawful detainer summons against the wounded combat veteran, which is now pending in the Stafford County District Court. There remain no grounds for the petitioners to seek an injunction against eviction in this case because none of the appellees in this case now claims ownership of the home. Therefore, the appealable issue in this petition for certiorari is whether there are grounds to set aside the foreclosure. The questions for consideration by this Court are as follows: 1. Whether the Bacons’ complaint in this case seeking inter alia restoration to them of title to their home, has constituted an “ejectment” action. 2. Ifthe Bacons’ complaint is an “ejectment” action, whether their complaint is free of issue preclusion (by reason of eviction orders by Virginia state courts) because a Virginia statute provides that such ii eviction orders do not result in issue preclusion in any later ejectment case. 3. If the Bacons complaint is free of issue preclusion, whether their complaint is nevertheless barred by the Rooker-Feldman doctrine because their complaint, which they were required to bring in federal court because the opposing claimant of title to their home at that time was the VA, sought both rescission of foreclosure and restoration of their title and also an injunction against eviction of them by the VA pursuant to the state eviction order.

Docket Entries

2022-10-03
Petition DENIED.
2022-06-29
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/28/2022.
2022-06-24
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2022-05-23
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due June 24, 2022)

Attorneys

Leander Bacon, et al.
Henry Woods McLaughlin IIIThe Law Office of Henry McLaughlin, PC, Petitioner
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent