UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. Walker, Ph.D et al

Filing 211

ORDER granting #198 Motion to Stay. Ordered by Judge Clay D. Land on 12/13/2010. (CGC)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. Walker, Ph.D et al

Doc. 211

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA ATHENS DIVISION UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ex rel. DAVID L. LEWIS, Ph.D., et al., Plaintiffs, vs. JOHN WALKER, PH.D., et al., Defendants. * * * * * * CASE NO. 3:06-CV-16 (CDL)

ORDER The Court previously dismissed Relators' action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. United States ex rel. Lewis v. Walker,

No. 3:06-CV-16 (CDL), 2010 WL 3614144 (M.D. Ga. Sept. 10, 2010). Each set of Defendants--the EPA Defendants, the UGA Defendants, and the UGA Research Foundation--filed a bill of costs. Relators ask the

Court to stay the taxation of costs pending the outcome of their appeal to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Though the UGA

Defendants do not object to the stay, the EPA Defendants and the UGA Foundation do object and ask that the Court permit the Clerk to tax costs immediately. As the parties agree, the Court has discretion to postpone the taxation of costs pending the resolution of an appeal. E.g., Estate

of Pidcock v. Sunnyland Am., Inc., 726 F. Supp. 1322, 1341 (S.D. Ga. 1989) (staying taxation of costs pending appeal); Am. Infra-Red

Dockets.Justia.com

Radiant Co. v. Lambert Indus., Inc., 41 F.R.D. 161, 163 (same); see also Fed. Prescription Serv., Inc. v. Am. Pharm. Ass'n, 636 F.2d 755, 756 & n.1 (D.C. Cir. 1980) (granting motion to defer ruling on costs pending outcome of appeal). Under the circumstances of this case, including the United States Supreme Court's recent grant of certiorari to review United States ex rel. Kirk v. Schindler Elevator Corp., 601 F.3d 94 (2d Cir. 2010), the Court in its discretion finds that it is appropriate to stay the taxation of costs pending the outcome of Relators' appeal to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Relators' Motion for Stay of

Payment of Costs (ECF No. 198) is therefore granted.

IT IS SO ORDERED, this 13th day of December, 2010.

S/Clay D. Land CLAY D. LAND UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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