United States Third Circuit

In a class action alleging an illegal home equity lending scheme, a settlement order is vacated where the "settlement only" class was never properly certified in accordance with Amchem v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591 (1997).

Appellate Information

• Argued 02/17/2005
• Decided 08/11/2005
• Published 08/11/2005

Judges

• Before SLOVITER, AMBRO, and ALDISERT, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Daniel A. Edelman, Cathleen M. Combs (Argued), James O. Latturner, Edelman, Combs & Latturner, Chicago, IL, for Appellants Stephanie Spann, et al., in No. 03-4220., J. Michael Vaughan (Argued), David M. Skeens (Argued), R. Frederick Walters, Walters, Bender, Strohbehn & Vaughan, Kansas City, MO, for Appellants Ronald D. Gray, et al., in Nos. 03-4732, et al., Franklin R. Nix (Argued), Law Offices of Franklin R. Nix, Atlanta, GA, for Appellants Georgia Member Opt-Outs & Objectors, et al., in Nos. 03-4862, et al., John W. Sharbrough, III, The Sharbrough Law Firm, Mobile, AL, for Appellants Alabama Class Member Opt-Outs, et al., in Nos. 03-4319, et al., Brian S. Wolfman (Argued), Charlotte Garden, Public Citizen Litigation Group, Washington, D.C., Scott C. Borison, Legg Law Firm, Frederick, MD, for Appellants Badeaux Class Member Opt-Outs, et al., in Nos. 03-4316, et al., Lawrence H. Richmond, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Washington, D.C., for Intervenor Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in Nos. 03-4220, et al.


• For Appellees:
  
• David G. Oberdick, Meyer, Unkovic & Scott, Pittsburgh, PA, F. Douglas Ross, Odin Felman & Pittleman, Fairfax, VA, for Appellee Community Bank of Northern Virginia, in Nos. 03-4220, et al., Gary P. Hunt, Richard B. Tucker, III, Tucker Arensberg, Pittsburgh, PA, for Appellee Guaranty National Bank of Tallahassee, in Nos. 03-4220, et al., R. Bruce Carlson (Argued), Carlson Lynch, Sewickley, PA, Eric G. Calhoun, Lawson, Fields & Calhoun, Addison, TX, A. Hoyt Rowell, III, Daniel Myers, Richardson, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman, Mt. Pleasant, SC, for Appellees Class Members in Nos. 03-4220, et al., Thomas L. Allen (Argued), Roy W. Arnold, James C. Martin, Donna M. Doblick, Reed Smith, Pittsburgh, PA, for Appellee GMAC Residential Funding Corporation in Nos. 03-4220, et al.