Chambers v. Nasco, Inc.
501 U.S. 32 (1991) Cited 9,206 times 14 Legal Analyses
Holding that courts "may bar from the courtroom a criminal defendant who disrupts a trial" may "assess attorney fees when a party has acted in bad faith, vexatiously, wantonly, or for oppressive reasons," and "may act sua sponte to dismiss a suit for failure to prosecute"
Roadway Express, Inc. v. Piper
447 U.S. 752 (1980) Cited 2,845 times 3 Legal Analyses
Holding that a court may impose attorney's fee sanction against opposing counsel for “abusive litigation practices” only in “narrowly defined circumstances,” including where the court makes a finding that “counsel's conduct ... constituted or was tantamount to bad faith”
Nat'l Hockey League v. Met. Hockey Club
427 U.S. 639 (1976) Cited 2,761 times 2 Legal Analyses
Holding that dismissal was proper sanction under Rule 37 where respondents failed to answer interrogatories for seventeen months
Fink v. Gomez
239 F.3d 989 (9th Cir. 2001) Cited 898 times
Holding sanctions can be imposed for recklessness "coupled with an improper purpose"