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Harper Macleod Solicitors v. Keaty & Keaty

Registering courts may use Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b)(4) to sustain jurisdictional challenges to default judgments issued by another district court.

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Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

Appellees Thomas Keaty, Robert Keaty and Keaty & Keaty, d/b/a the Keaty Law Firm, (the Defendants) suffered a default judgment in the Southern District of Texas in favor of Appellant Harper Macleod Solicitors (Harper), a Scottish law firm. When Harper sought to register the default judgment in the Eastern District of Louisiana pursuant to 28 U.S.C. � 1963, the Defendants challenged its validity alleging deficient service of process. The Louisiana district court sustained that challenge and, using Rule 60(b)(4), voided the default judgment. Harper now appeals, arguing that (1) the Texas district court’s jurisdictional findings should be afforded preclusive effect in accordance with Texas law, and (2) service on the Defendants sufficiently complied with the Texas long arm statute to support the default judgment issued by the Texas district court. After concluding that district courts have authority to entertain motions challenging the validity of another district court’s judgment using Rule 60(b)(4), we confirm the propriety of the district court’s reliance on federal rules of issue preclusion to determine that the Texas district court’s jurisdictional findings did not preclude the Defendants from arguing their jurisdictional claims. Further, we agree with the Louisiana district court’s conclusion that service on the Defendants was defective under Texas law. Accordingly, we AFFIRM the judgment of the Louisiana district court voiding the default judgment of the Texas district court.

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