Myer Sankary v. Greta Curtis

MEMORANDUM

The Appellants, Greta Curtis, Law Offices of Greta Curtis, Nina Ringgold, and the Law Offices of Nina Ringgold, appeal from the district court’s order remanding this action to state court. The Appellants challenge: (1) the order transferring this case to the docket of Judge Manuel Real; (2) the denial of the Appellants’ motion to disqualify Judge Real; (3) the district court’s decision to remand; and (4) the district court’s order assessing a fine against Nina Ringgold for civil contempt.

We have jurisdiction to review the ré-mand order pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1447 (d). We have jurisdiction to review the other issues raised on appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 . We reverse the fine against Nina Ringgold, and affirm in all other respects.

The Appellants have not pointed to any irregularity in how the case was assigned. The case was assigned to Judge Real because it was related to an earlier-filed case on Judge Real’s docket.

Judge Philip Gutierrez did not err in denying the Appellants’ application to disqualify Judge Real. 28 U.S.C. § 144 provides that “if the judge before whom the matter is pending has a personal bias or prejudice either against him or in favor of…