Miller v. Apple, Inc.
- John Cronan
- 1:25-cv-01172
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Miller v. Apple, Judge Cronan cautioned John Williams Miller that more premature or frivolous filings could result in sanctions or a filing-injunction proceeding.
John Williams Miller, whose future filings were restricted by prior directives and who was warned that further premature or frivolous filings could lead to sanctions or proceedings concerning a limited filing injunction.
What happened
In Miller v. Apple, Inc., the court addressed John Williams Miller’s repeated filings while objections to a recommendation on Apple’s motion to dismiss remained unresolved.
The court had twice directed Miller not to make additional filings until it ruled on those objections. Despite those directions, Miller continued filing documents, including filings identified as Docket Entries 221 through 233.
Judge John P. Cronan cautioned Miller for the third time that further premature filings could result in sanctions. The court also warned that continued frivolous filings could lead to an order requiring Miller to explain why a limited filing restriction should not be imposed; it did not impose that restriction in this order.
The detailed version
- Miller v. Apple, Inc. · No. 1:25-cv-01172
- John Cronan
- Apr. 29, 2025
Background
The court stated that federal district courts have inherent authority—the authority courts possess to manage their own proceedings—to control the timing of filings and conserve judicial resources. The court had previously issued two orders directing Plaintiff John Williams Miller to refrain from making additional filings until the court ruled on any objections to Judge Tarnofsky’s Report and Recommendation concerning Defendant Apple, Inc.’s motion to dismiss.
The court said those earlier orders noted the burden caused by Miller’s numerous daily filings. Despite the directives, Miller continued filing documents, including Docket Entries 221 through 233.
Court’s Action
The court stated that it had so far declined to begin proceedings to impose a limited filing injunction or to direct the Clerk of Court not to accept further filings from Miller. The court had already twice warned Miller that future frivolous filings might result in sanctions.
In this order, Judge John P. Cronan cautioned Miller for the third time that continuing to file documents before the court ruled on objections to the Report and Recommendation could result in sanctions. The court also notified Miller that continued frivolous filings could result in an order to show cause—an order requiring him to explain why a limited filing injunction should not be imposed. The order itself did not impose sanctions or a filing injunction.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.