Case Information
*1 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE EASTERN DIVISION
LARRY STEVE MELTON, LARRY S. MELTON, and R &; J OF TENNESSEE, INC.,
Plaintiffs, vs. BANK OF LEXINGTON branch of BANK OF FRIENDSHIP, TERESA HARRIS, B &; H INVESTMENTS, INC., BENNIE FESMIRE, DIANE TUCKER, HAROLD WALDEN BLANKENSHIP, DEAN BLANKENSHIP, FRANKIE STANFILL, KEVIN CARTER, The law firm of MILAM, CARTER &; STANFILL, REGINA MILLER, TODD HENDERSON, WILLIAM WILHITE, DAVID RIDDICK, The law firm of HOLMES, RICH, SIGLER &; RIDDICK, DON WEBSTER, JIMMY BARBOUR, WALDON GWINN, JAMES PUTNAM, TIM PILKINGTON, JAMES E. SMITH, M. V. WILLIAMS, JR., INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FINANCE, INC., and JOHN DOES I, II, III and IV,
Defendants.
HAROLD WALDEN BLANKENSHIP, Defendant/Third Party Plaintiff, vs. JOHN MELTON, HOWARD DOUGLASS, AMERICAN HOME FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC., AMERICAN HOME FINANCIAL SERVICES II, INC., BLANKENSHIP/ MELTON AVIATION, INC., LARRY STEVE MELTON, LARRY S. MELTON, R &; J OF TENNESSEE, INC., BANK OF LEXINGTON, BRANCH OF FRIENDSHIP, Third Party Defendants.
*2
LARRY S. MELTON, ..... ) Plaintiff/Third Party Defendant/ ..... ) Third Party Plaintiff, ..... ) vs. ..... ) BRADLEY KIRK, CARTER, STANFILL &; KIRK, PLLC, ..... ) DANIEL PERKY, SHIRLEY BLANKENSHIP, KELLY W. ..... ) BLANKENSHIP, BLANKENSHIP CONSTRUCTION, LLC., ..... ) BLANKENSHIP/MELTON REAL ESTATE, INC., BETH ..... ) MALOAN, JENNIFER AZBILL, JACK HOLMES, PAUL ..... ) PRIDDY, MICKEY GRANGER, DENNIS HUBBARD, ..... ) K.C. ARNETT, RICHARD McCORMICK, BLANKENSHIP ..... ) BROTHERS' CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, CITY OF ..... ) LEXINGTON, KEVIN CARTER, FRANKIE STANFILL, ..... ) HAROLD WALDEN BLANKENSHIP, DEAN ..... ) BLANKENSHIP, REGINA MILLER, WILLIAM WILHITE, ..... ) DAVID RIDDICK, JIMMY BARBOUR, WALDON GWINN, ..... ) JAMES PUTNAM, TIM PILKINGTON, JAMES E. SMITH, ..... ) M. V. WILLIAMS, JR., BANK OF LEXINGTON, Branch of ..... ) BANK OF FRIENDSHIP, B &; H INVESTMENTS, INC., ..... ) BENNIE FESMIRE, DIANE TUCKER, and JOHN DOE I, ..... ) Third Party Defendants. ..... )
ORDER DISMISSING THE COUNTER CLAIMS/CROSS-CLAIMS COMPLAINT OF LARRY S. MELTON
This matter came before this Court on May 27, 2005, upon Plaintiff/Third-Party Defendant/Third-Party Plaintiff Larry S. Melton's counterclaims and cross-claims against Defendants and Third-Party Defendants, James E. Smith, William Wilhite, Diane Tucker, Regina Miller, Todd Henderson, Don Webster, Jimmy Barbour, Waldon Gwinn, James Putnam, Tim Pilkington, M.V. Williams, Jr., City of Lexington, Frankie Stanfill, Kevin Carter, David Riddick, the law firm of Holmes, Rich, Sigler &; Riddick, B &; H Investments, Inc., and
*3 Bennie Fesmire, and the responses of said Defendants and Third-Party Defendants to Plaintiff/Third-Party Plaintiff's counterclaims and cross-claims.
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 14 governs third-party practice. Rule 14(a) allows for a defending party, as a third-party plaintiff to bring in "a person not a party to the action who is or may be liable to the third-party plaintiff for all or part of the plaintiff's claim against the third-party plaintiff." Fed. R. Civ. P. 14(a). Rule 14(b) further allows a plaintiff, upon a counterclaim being asserted against him, to bring in a third party "under circumstances which under this rule would entitle a defendant to do so." Fed. R. Civ. P. 14(b). The Court finds that Larry S. Melton's further counterclaims and cross-claims were asserted against individuals and entities who are the original Defendants in this case and thus, who are already parties to this lawsuit. Rule 14(a) therefore does not allow for third-party claims to be brought against these individuals and entities. Because the Defendants would not be allowed to bring third-party claims against these persons, the Plaintiff/Counter-Defendant also is not allowed to bring such additional claims under Rule 14(b).
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15 governs amendments to pleadings and allows for such under a strict time table:
A party may amend the party's pleading once as a matter of course at any time before a responsive pleading is served, or if the pleading is one to which no responsive pleading is permitted and the action has not been placed upon the trial calendar, the party may so amend it at any time within 20 days after it is served.
Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). A party may otherwise amend his pleading only by leave of court or by written consent of the adverse party. Id. Local Rule of Court for the Western District of Tennessee 7.2 further prescribes certain conditions for filing motions in this Court, including
*4 the requirement of a certificate that the movant has consulted with counsel and that the parties are either able or unable to reach agreement as to the issues or the action requested by the motion. L.R. 7.2(a)(1)(B). The Court finds that Plaintiff/CounterDefendant Larry S. Melton, in filing his further counterclaims and cross-claims against the original Defendants, has not met the requirements of either Rule 15 or the Local Rules of this Court.
It is therefore ORDERED that Plaintiff Larry S. Melton's further counterclaims and cross-claims against the Defendants are dismissed.
IT IS SO ORDERED this , 2005.
APPROVED FOR ENTRY: RAINEY, KIZER, REVIERE &; BELL, PLC
*5
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
The undersigned certifies that a true copy of this pleading or document was served upon counsel for each of the parties by mailing postage prepaid or by delivery to the person or office of such counsel.
Mr. Larry S. Melton, Pro Se
116 Hidden Valley Cove
Lexington, TN 38351
Mr. Tim Edwards
Mr. Robert Cox
Glassman, Edwards, Wade &; Wyatt, P.C.
26 North Second Street
Memphis, TN 38103
Mr. Richard Glassman
Mr. R. Douglass Hanson
Glassman, Edwards, Wade &; Wyatt, P.C.
26 North Second Street
Memphis, TN 38103
Mr. L. Lee Harrell
Harrell &; Harrell
110 Northwest Court Square
Trenton, TN 38382
Mr. Daniel D. Warlick
Warlick Law Office
611 Commerce Street, Suite 2712
Nashville, TN 37203
Mr. William S. Walton Miller and Martin 1200 One Nashville Place 150 Fourth Ave. N Nashville, TN 37219-2433 Mr. James L. Kirby Mr. Jeffrey L. Griffin Harris, Shelton, Dunlap, Cobb &; Ryder One Commerce Square, Suite 1700 40 South Main Street Memphis, TN 38103 Mr. Jerry E. Mitchell Mr. Craig C. Conley Thomason, Hendrix, Harvey, Johnson &; Mitchell One Commerce Square, Suite 2900 40 S. Main Street Memphis, TN 38103 Mr. Bradley G. Kirk Carter, Stanfill &; Kirk 25 Natchez Trace Drive P.O. Box 476
Lexington, TN 38351
This the 13th day of June, 2005.
*6
Notice of Distribution
This notice confirms a copy of the document docketed as number 600 in case 1:02-CV-01152 was distributed by fax, mail, or direct printing on June 20, 2005 to the parties listed.
John D. Burleson RAINEY KIZER REVIERE &; BELL 105 S. Highland Avenue Jackson, TN 38302--114 Milton Dale Conder RAINEY KIZER REVIERE &; BELL 105 S. Highland Ave. P.O. Box 1147
Jackson, TN 38302--114 William F. Burns WATSON BURNS, LLC One Commerce Square Ste. 2600 Memphis, TN 38103 Jeffrey L. Griffin HARRIS SHELTON DUNLAP COBB &; RYDER One Commerce Square Ste. 2700 Memphis, TN 38103 Richard Glassman GLASSMAN EDWARDS WADE &; WYATT, P.C. 26 N. Second Street Memphis, TN 38103 John T. Downing Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. 550 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20429 Tim Edwards GLASSMAN EDWARDS WADE &; WYATT, P.C. 26 N. Second Street Memphis, TN 38103
*7 Robert A. Cox GLASSMAN EDWARDS WADE &; WYATT, P.C. 26 N. Second Street Memphis, TN 38103 Beth Maloan 83 Bonaire Circle Jackson, TN 38305 Bradley G. Kirk CARTER STANFILL &; KIRK 25 Natchez Trace Dr. Lexington, TN 38351 James L. Kirby HARRIS SHELTON DUNLAP COBB &; RYDER One Commerce Square Ste. 2700 Memphis, TN 38103 John D. Stevens RAINEY KIZER REVIERE &; BELL 209 East Main Street P. O. Box 1147
Jackson, TN 38302--114 Jerry E. Mitchell THOMASON HENDRIX HARVEY JOHNSON &; MITCHELL 40 S. Main St. Ste. 2900 Memphis, TN 38103--552 Craig C. Conley THOMASON HENDRIX HARVEY JOHNSON &; MITCHELL 40 South Main Street Ste. 2900 Memphis, TN 38103 L. Lee Harrell
HARRELL &; HARRELL 110 Northwest Court Sq. Trenton, TN 38382 Jeffrey L. Griffin HARRIS SHELTON DUNLAP COBB &; RYDER 2700 One Commerce Square Memphis, TN 38103
*8 R. Douglas Hanson
GLASSMAN EDWARDS WADE &; WYATT, P.C. 26 N. Second Street Memphis, TN 38103 Daniel D. Warlick LAW OFFICE OF DAN WARLICK 611 Commerce Street Ste. 2712 Nashville, TN 37203 Larry S. Melton 116 Hidden Valley Cove Lexington, TN 38351 William S Walton MILLER &; MARTIN 1200 One Nashville Place 150 Fourth Ave. North Nashville, TN 37219--243 Honorable J. Breen US DISTRICT COURT