Collingham v. Northfield Hospital and Clinics

Background

The parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment, asking the court to resolve the case based on the record without a trial. The opinion states that the motions raised issues nearly identical to issues addressed in Kiel v. Mayo Clinic Health System Southeast Minnesota and reviewed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in Ringhofer v. Mayo Clinic, Ambulance.

Reason for the Stay

The court explained that it has authority to pause proceedings to manage its docket efficiently. It concluded that the Eighth Circuit’s decision and any later appeals could directly affect the court’s analysis of the issues raised in this case. Continuing the stay would avoid spending judicial resources deciding disputes that might be affected by further appellate proceedings.

Ruling

The court ordered that this case remain stayed until the appeal period for the decision in Kiel/Ringhofer ends. The court stated that, if no appeal is filed, it will lift the stay and proceed with the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment. It also stated that a hearing would be scheduled for the end of October, with briefing beginning forty-nine days before the hearing date. Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan did not decide the pending summary-judgment motions in this order.