Lleras v. Excelaire Services Inc.
Lleras v. Excelaire Services Inc.
Opinion of the Court
SUMMARY ORDER
This multi-district litigation involves wrongful death claims brought by surviv
For substantially the reasons stated in the decision of the district court, we affirm. It is by now well-established that “[t]he fomm non conveniens determination is committed to the sound discretion of the trial court.” Piper Aircraft Co. v. Reyno, 454 U.S. 235, 257, 102 S.Ct. 252, 70 L.Ed.2d 419 (1981). We will reverse “only when there has been a clear abuse of discretion.” Id. When, as in this case, the “court has considered all relevant public and private interest factors, and where its balancing of these factors is reasonable, its decision deserves substantial deference.” Id.
The district court properly determined the degree of deference owed to Plaintiffs’ choice of forum. In re Air Crash Near Peixoto, 574 F.Supp.2d at 282; see Iragorri v. United Techs. Corp., 274 F.3d 65, 71-72 (2d Cir. 2001). The district court was well within its discretion in concluding that Brazil is an available and adequate alternative forum. In re Air Crash Near Peixoto, 574 F.Supp.2d at 284-85; see Piper, 454 U.S. at 255 n. 22, 102 S.Ct. 252. Finally, the district court thoroughly assessed the private and public interest factors attending a forum non conveniens determination, and properly found that “the important factors of lack of jurisdiction in this forum over potentially liable parties and the lack of compulsory process over witnesses and evidence in Brazil, together with other considerations, swing the balance sufficiently to make this forum genuinely inconvenient and a Brazilian forum significantly preferable.” In re Air Crash Near Peixoto, 574 F.Supp.2d at 289 (internal quotation marks omitted); see also Iragorri, 274 F.3d at 73-75.
The district court made its dismissal on forum non conveniens grounds subject to several conditions enumerated in its opinion. In re Air Crash Near Peixoto, 574 F.Supp.2d at 290. In addition to those conditions, which remain operative, Defendants have agreed that the Pilot Defendants, Joseph Lepore and Jan Paul Paladi-no, will submit to videotaped depositions in the United States, and that Defendants will not object in Brazilian proceedings to the admissibility of those depositions on the basis, of either (1) the fact that the depositions were conducted in the United States, or (2) the format of the testimony.
The Court has reviewed Plaintiffs remaining arguments and finds them to be without merit. Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is hereby AFFIRMED.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- LLERAS, 06 Civ. 6083 De Souza Lemos, 07 Civ.2031 Abreu, 07 Civ. 2585 Swensson De Mattos, 07 Civ. 2590 Da Silva, 07 Civ.2975 Rodrigues, 07 Civ. 2976 Rodrigues, 07 Civ. 2977 Falcao, 07 Civ. 2978 Bonaroski, 07 Civ. 2981 Acker, 07 Civ. 2982 Silva, 07 Civ. 2986 Azevedo, 07 Civ. 2987 Rodrigues, 07 Civ. 2989 Rodrigues, 07 Civ. 2990 Rodrigues, 07 Civ. 2997 Calandrini, 07 Civ. 2996 Queiroz, Barreto, 07 Civ. 3005 07 Civ. 2999 Lins, 07 Civ. 3004 Batalha, 07 Civ. 3012 Michel, 07 Civ. 3016 Guidi, 07 Civ. 3017 Calandrini, 07 Civ. 3018 Custodio, 07 Civ. 3019 Amorim, 07 Civ. 3023 Bressan, 07 Civ. 3025 Murta, 07 Civ. 3026 Panizzi, 07 Civ. 3027 Freixo, 07 Civ. 2979 Torres, 07 Civ. 3039 Sabelli, 07 Civ. 3030 Lages, 07 Civ. 3031 Arruda, 07 Civ. 3032 Assis, 07 Civ. 3035 Colognese, 07 Civ. 3041 Reis, 07 Civ. 3042 Carvalho, 07 Civ. 3038 Rickli, 07 Civ. 3911 Silva, 07 Civ. 4403 Pereira, 07 Civ. 4404, Salvini, 07 Civ. 4405 Barreto, 07 Civ. 4406 Nunes, 07 Civ. 4407 Celestino De Souza, 08 Civ. 0064 Da Silva, 08 Civ. 1217 Souza, 08 Civ. 0477, Hancock, 07 Civ. 2587 Noe, 07 Civ. 2984 Silva, 07 Civ. 3013 Lucia Maria Carvalho De San Geraldi De Farias, 07 Civ. 3339 Braule, 07 Civ. 3000 Neto, 07 Civ. 3002 Miranda, 07 Civ. 2586 Radesca, 07 Civ. 2974 Padilha, 07 Civ. 3007 Martins Barato, 08 Civ. 2170 Lima, 07 Civ. 3001 Macena, 07 Civ. 3033 Lesqueves, 07 Civ. 3014 Doria, 07 Civ. 3022 Garcia, 06 Civ. 5964 Oliveria, 07 Civ. 2995 Barbosa, 07 Civ. 2998 Carvalho, 07 Civ. 3003 Machado, 07 Civ. 3015 Rosa, 07 Civ. 3010 Naranjo, 07 Civ. 3024 Santos, 07 Civ. 3040 Goncalves, 07 Civ. 3029 Lopes, 07 Civ. 3340 v. EXCELAIRE SERVICES INC. Raytheon Company Honeywell International, Inc. Amazon Technologies Company Embraer Aircraft Customer Services, Inc. Aviation Communications and Surveillance Systems LLC Jan Paul Paladino Lockheed Martin Corporation Joseph Lepore
- Status
- Published