No. 23-704

Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., et al. v. Federal Trade Commission, et al.

Lower Court: Eleventh Circuit
Docketed: 2023-12-29
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Tags: civil-contempt civil-procedure contempt decisional-law equitable-remedies federal-trade-commission ftc-act permanent-injunction rule-60(b)(6) sanctions
Key Terms:
Securities JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2024-05-30
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Can a fundamental change in decisional law independently support relief from a judgment under Rule 60(b)(6)?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED Section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 53(b), permits the Commission to obtain a “permanent injunction” in court to stop violations of the Act while the Commission pursues administrative proceedings under Section 5(b), 15 U.S.C. § 45(b). For decades, the Commission relied on this “permanent injunction” provision to bypass administrative proceedings and obtain compensatory equitable remedies for violations of the Act directly in court. This interpretation, which had been accepted by nearly all the lower federal courts, was rejected in AMG Capital Management, LLC v. Federal Trade Commission, 593 U.S. 67 (2021). Despite AMG Capital, the Commission continues to bypass administrative proceedings; it does so by seeking and obtaining compensatory equitable remedies in court as sanctions for civil contempt of Section 13(b) permanent injunctions. The lower federal courts are uniformly rejecting AMG Capital as a basis for relief from such contempt judgments under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b)(6). The questions presented are: 1. Can a fundamental change in decisional law independently support relief from a judgment under Rule 60(b) (6)? 2. Can the Federal Trade Commission obtain compensatory equitable remedies as sanctions for civil contempt of a Section 13(b) permanent injunction when those remedies are not directly available under Section 13(b)?

Docket Entries

2024-06-03
Petition DENIED.
2024-05-14
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/30/2024.
2024-05-08
2024-04-24
Brief of respondent Federal Trade Commission in opposition filed.
2024-03-22
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including April 24, 2024.
2024-03-21
Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 29, 2024 to April 24, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
2024-02-29
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including March 29, 2024.
2024-02-27
Motion to extend the time to file a response from February 28, 2024 to March 29, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
2024-01-24
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including February 28, 2024.
2024-01-23
Motion to extend the time to file a response from January 29, 2024 to February 28, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
2023-12-27
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 29, 2024)
2023-11-13
Application (23A427) granted by Justice Thomas extending the time to file until December 27, 2023.
2023-11-08
Application (23A427) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from November 27, 2023 to January 26, 2024, submitted to Justice Thomas.

Attorneys

Federal Trade Commission
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., et al.
Robert Foust ParsleyMiller & Martin, PLLC, Petitioner
Robert Foust ParsleyMiller & Martin, PLLC, Petitioner