Anna Nicole Smith

While the paparazzi followed every move of Anna Nicole Smith during her tragically shortened life, those of us of the legal paparazzi now stalk every new development in the case which bears her legal name, Stern v. Marshall. Some commentators have asked whether the newly emphasized limitations on the jurisdiction of U.S. Bankruptcy Judges to enter final judgments will apply to U.S. Magistrates as well. The Fifth Circuit has indicated that it will soon be considering this issue.

The Supreme Court issued a second opinion arising from the seemingly endless litigation over claims against the estate of the late Pierce Marshall (Anna Nicole’s elderly husband of one year before his death).  In this 5-4 split opinion released yesterday (June 23, 2011), the Supreme Court significantly limited the scope of Bankruptcy Courts’ jurisdiction to [...]