In Re: Ferris A. Christian, Sr.
- Gregory Woods
- 1:25-cv-00574
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 1
In re Ferris A. Christian, Sr., Judge Woods declined to act on an unrelated wage complaint and denied fee-free appeal status.
Ferris A. Christian, Sr., whose unrelated wage complaint was not acted on in this appeal and whose fee-free status for an appeal from this order was denied; FAC Propertys LLC, which the opinion says is not a party to the appeal.
What happened
In re Ferris A. Christian, Sr. is an appeal from a December 5, 2024 judgment of the bankruptcy court. Ferris Christian, Sr., representing himself, filed a letter attaching a labor complaint claiming that FAC Propertys LLC owed damages for unpaid wages and unfair labor practices.
Judge Woods said that FAC Propertys LLC was not a party to the appeal and that only the bankruptcy court’s judgment was at issue. Because the letter did not appear related to that judgment, the court said it would not act on the letter and explained that separate issues must be raised in a separately filed lawsuit.
Judge Gregory H. Woods also certified that an appeal from this order would not be taken in good faith and denied Christian fee-free status for an appeal. The order did not describe or decide the issues in the bankruptcy court’s underlying judgment.
The detailed version
- In Re: Ferris A. Christian, Sr. · No. 1:25-cv-00574
- Gregory Woods
- Feb. 13, 2025
Background
This matter is an appeal from a December 5, 2024 judgment entered by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The opinion does not describe the substance of that bankruptcy judgment.
On February 12, 2025, Ferris A. Christian, Sr., representing himself, filed a letter attaching a “Labor Standards Complaint Form.” The letter alleged that “FAC Propertys LLC” owed damages for unpaid wages and unfair labor practices. The opinion states that FAC Propertys LLC was not a party to this appeal.
Court’s Ruling
The court stated that only the bankruptcy court’s judgment was at issue in the appeal. Because the opinion found no indication that Christian’s letter related to that judgment, the court said it would not act on the letter. The court stated that any distinct issues or complaints must be raised in a separately filed lawsuit.
The court also certified under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that any appeal from this order would not be taken in good faith. It therefore denied Christian’s fee-free status for purposes of an appeal. The order did not dismiss this appeal or decide whether the wage allegations were valid.
Effect of the Order
The order leaves the unrelated labor complaint unaddressed in this appeal and denies fee-free status for an appeal from this order. It does not state a ruling on the bankruptcy court’s underlying judgment.
Read the full 1-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.