United States Fourth Circuit

Despite the existence of parallel proceedings in state and federal court, "exceptional circumstances" did not exist to warrant district court's decision to abstain from exercising diversity jurisdiction in breach of contract case; danger of "piecemeal litigation," inconsistent results, and inefficiency did not support decision.

Appellate Information

• Argued 02/28/2002
• Decided 04/18/2002
• Published 04/18/2002

Judges

• Before WILLIAMS and KING, Circuit Judges, and ANDRE M. DAVIS, United States District Judge for the District of Maryland, sitting by designation.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Philip John Harvey, Venable, Baetjer & Howard, L.L.P., McLean, Virginia, for Plaintiff-Appellant.  Robert Milton Moore, Moore & Lee, L.L.P., McLean, Virginia, for Defendant-Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  David G. Lane, Christine M. McAnney, Venable, Baetjer & Howard, L.L.P., McLean, Virginia, for Plaintiff-Appellant.  Charlie C.H. Lee, Richard O. Wolf, Moore & Lee, L.L.P., McLean, Virginia;  E. Mabry Rogers, Walter J. Sears, Arlan D. Lewis, Bradley, Arant, Rose & White, L.L.P., Birmingham, Alabama, for Defendant-Appellee.