10/12/2017 Blog

ObjectingtoaMagistrateJudge'sReportandRecommendation RelatedInformation
April5,20163:39PM|PostedbyJosephH.LangJr.|Printthispage RelatedAttorneys
LangJr.,JosephH.
AnunpublishedopinionfromtheTenthCircuitCourtof
AppealsinJanuary2016caughtoureyebecauseit
collectedvariousestablishedpreservationoferror RelatedServices
principlesforobjectingtoamagistratejudge'sreportand AppellatePracticeandTrial
recommendationinoneplace.SeeCollinsv.Colvin,2016 Support
WL66503(10thCir.Jan.6,2016)(unpublished).Thetake NationalTrialPractice
awayisthattheneedforproperobjectionstosucha
reportandrecommendationcannotbeoverstated.Asthe
appellatecourtexplained,[t]hescopeofourreviewislimitedtotheissues
theclaimantproperlypreservesinthedistrictcourtandadequatelypresents
onappeal,andheretheappellantwaivedallissuesthathedidnotraisein
hisobjectionstotheR&R.

PreservationIssues:

[A] party's objections to the magistrate judge's report and

recommendationmustbebothtimelyandspecifictopreserveanissuefor
appellatereview.

[O]nly an objection that is sufficiently specific to focus the district court's

attention on the factual and legal issues that are truly in dispute will
advance the policies behind the Magistrate's Act that led us to adopt a
waiverruleinthefirstinstance.

Do not attempt to make your objections by incorporating earlier filings by

reference. The courts often disfavor briefing by incorporation, and
sometimessuchabroadstatementisnotsufficientlyspecifictopreserve
anyargumentsforreview.

Tips:

Remembertofiletimelyandspecificobjectionstoamagistratejudge'sreport
andrecommendationinordertopreserveissuesforappellatereview.In
doingso,resistthetemptationtoadoptbyreferenceearlierargumentsmade
inthecase.Spellthoseargumentsoutspecificallyagaininyourobjections.
Ofcourse,ifyouarefacedwithhavingtomakeargumentsonappealthat
werenotpreservedthroughobjectionstothereportandrecommendation,be
suretoargueplainerroronappeal.Otherwise,eventhatexceptionwillbe
waived.[T]hefailuretoargueforplainerroranditsapplicationonappeal
surelymarkstheendoftheroadforawaivedargument.

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