Because my practice focuses on complex commercial disputes–especially cases involving antitrust, oil and gas, and patents–I keep daily track of important decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court, the 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the highest appeals courts in Delaware, New York, and Texas.

You can follow along during the week on Twitter (@contingencyblog) or here at The Contingency each Monday with this Commercial Case Roundup.

• Private-equity funds don’t have to pay pension debt of portfolio company that went bankrupt.

 

• Failure to determine citizenship of limited partners barred exercise of diversity jurisdiction.

 

• New York choice of law clause doesn’t save breach of contract claim that accrued in California outside the California limitations period.

 

• Ruling against contract claim in S.D.N.Y. case collaterally estopped bad-faith claim in M.D. Tenn. action.

 

• Due process required cutting jury’s punitive award 80 percent.

 

• Seattle’s practice of sweeping away homeless camps didn’t raise question common to class members under Rule 23.