District Court Lacks Authority to Stay Execution of $68 Million Judgment Pending a Petition for Certiorari to the Supreme Court

Following the Federal Circuit's affirmance of the jury verdict, the magistrate judge recommended granting plaintiff's motion to enforce liability on defendant's $68 million supersedeas bond and rejected defendant's request to continue the stay pending its certiorari petition to the Supreme Court. "⁠[Rule 62(d)] does not specify when a stay under that provision expires or terminates. The great weight of authority regarding this issue, however, suggests that the Rule 62(d) stay expires when a circuit court issues its mandate. . . . I have found no authority to support [defendant's position] that district courts retain inherent authority to issue a stay of the judgment of a circuit court of appeals pending a petition for certiorari review to the Supreme Court. . . . [B]ecause the Federal Circuit has issued its final judgment and mandate affirming the . . . judgment in [plaintiff's] favor, the district court is obligated to enforce the Federal Circuit's mandate."

PPC Broadband, Inc. v. Corning Optical Communications RF, LLC, 5-11-cv-00761 (NYND June 18, 2018, Order) (Peebles, MJ)