Grecia v. Brass Lion Entertainment, Inc.
- Rearden
- 1:25-cv-01484
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Grecia v. Brass Lion Entertainment, Inc., Judge Rearden granted voluntary dismissal of Bryna Smith, denied dismissal as moot, and set sanctions briefing.
William Grecia, Bryna Smith, Brass Lion Entertainment, Inc., and Justin Smith are affected by the dismissal-related rulings. The defendants’ request for a filing injunction and attorney’s fees remains pending, with briefing deadlines set for Grecia and the defendants.
What happened
In Grecia v. Brass Lion Entertainment, Inc., William Grecia asked to voluntarily dismiss Bryna Smith from the case. The court granted that request, and the clerk was directed to terminate Bryna Smith as a defendant.
Because Grecia’s claims against Brass Lion Entertainment, Inc., Justin Smith, and Bryna Smith had been voluntarily dismissed, the court denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss as moot. The court also granted Grecia’s request to withdraw his motion for Rule 11 sanctions.
Judge Jennifer H. Rearden said the court still had authority to consider the defendants’ separate request for sanctions. Grecia must file one opposition addressing the requested filing injunction and attorney’s fees by July 22, 2025; any reply from the defendants is due August 5, 2025.
The detailed version
- Grecia v. Brass Lion Entertainment, Inc. · No. 1:25-cv-01484
- Rearden
- June 25, 2025
Orders on dismissal and Rule 11 motion
William Grecia applied to voluntarily dismiss defendant Bryna Smith under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A)(i). The court granted the application. The court stated that Grecia’s claims against Brass Lion Entertainment, Inc., Justin Smith, and Bryna Smith had been voluntarily dismissed, and therefore denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss as moot. The clerk was directed to terminate Bryna Smith and docket entries 36, 37, 53, and 92.
Grecia also moved to withdraw his motion seeking sanctions under Rule 11, which addresses improper filings and litigation conduct. The court granted that motion and directed the clerk to terminate docket entries 73 and 81.
Pending sanctions request
The court stated that a voluntary dismissal does not prevent it from deciding collateral matters, including sanctions. It therefore concluded that it retained authority to consider the defendants’ request for sanctions in docket entries 53 and 54.
The court identified two requested sanctions: a filing injunction that would require Grecia to obtain court permission before bringing litigation in federal court, and monetary sanctions in the form of attorney’s fees. The court ordered Grecia to file one consolidated opposition addressing both requests by Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Any reply from the defendants is due by Tuesday, August 5, 2025. This order did not decide whether either sanction would be imposed.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.