Vizena v. Union Pacific RR Co

IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 01-30121 ERIC VIZENA, Individually and on behalf of Erica Vizena, on behalf of John Eric Vizena; PATRICIA VIZENA, Individually and on behalf of Erica Vizena, on behalf of John Eric Vizena; MICHAEL ROUGEAU, Individually and on behalf of Kaitlen Rougeau, on behalf of Jena Rougeau; WENDY ROUGEAU, Individually and on behalf of Kaitlen Rougeau, on behalf of Jena Rougeau; ERIC'S BODY SHOP; KATINA THIBODEAUX, Individually and on behalf of Hailey Thibodeaux, on behalf of Taylor Thibodeaux; ANTHONY RAY ROY; VELVA STANFORD Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------- HERBERT ARNOLD; JUDITH ARNOLD Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------- BRYANT CORMIER; SYBIL SMITH; WENDY THIBODEAUX Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------- GARY GAUDIN; LINDA GAUDIN Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------- HOLLY FONTENOT; JOHN PASTERICK; EVELINE ARDOIN; JOHN FONTENOT Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO 2 Defendant - Appellant ------------------------- GARY FONTENOT, Etc; ET AL Plaintiffs NEAL TRAHAN; AMY TRAHAN, on behalf of Brianne Stanford Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------- PATRICK MILLER; GAIL FRYE; DWIGHT COLLINS; APRIL COLLINS; CLAYTON SCOTT, SR; PATRICIA CEASAR; KEISHA VICTORIAN MILLER Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------- WALTER J ANDREPONT; PATRICK JAMES BERTRAND; MARY INC, doing business as Manuel Oil Co; LISA THIBODEAUX; SAM E THUMBLIN, JR; ERMA TROSCLAIR; WAVELAND SERVICES INC Plaintiffs - Appellees 3 v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------ JOHN DANA LATOUR; JUDY LATOUR; DULA JOHNSON Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------ LINTON SAM Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------------ DEBRA HARDY, on behalf of Kristen Hardy, on behalf of Leola Poulard, on behalf of Shaun Hardy; GARY HARDY, on behalf of Kristen Hardy, on behalf of Shaun Hardy, on behalf of Leola Poulard Plaintiffs - Appellees v. 4 UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ----------------------- LADONNA SHEREE SNOW; TERRANCE PAUL HEBERT; TAMMIE G BERTRAND; CARL A BERTRAND; AMOS D GRAHAM; MARYLAND W GRAHAM Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ----------------------- ALRISTELLE K THOMAS; STEVE CEASER; TIFFANY C ROBINSON; QUITIN DOYLE; J L PITRE; JAMAL PITRE; JAVONTE PITRE; RAYMOND COLE; EMILE PITRE, JR; DONNA PITRE; MARGIE PITRE; EMILE PITRE, SR; MARGIE ALFRED Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants 5 UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ---------------------- BECKY BRUNET; RAMOND MALVEAUX; KIMBERLY WALKER, Individually and on behalf of Caroline Elizabeth Walker, on behalf of Ty Robert Walker; CHAD WAYNE DAIGLE, Individually and on behalf of Jacoby Daigle, on behalf of Colby Goodley; GENORA GOODLEY, Individually and on behalf of Jacoby Daigle, on behalf of Colby Goodley; MARK ROBERT WALKER, Individually and on behalf of Caroline Elizabeth Walker, on behalf of Ty Robert Walker Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ---------------------- EBONY WILLIS; ETHEL WILLIS; ROZENA EDWARDS; JAMAL WILLIS; LARRY EDWARDS Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ----------------------- ACADIANA AMUSEMENTS INC 6 Plaintiff - Appellee v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ----------------------- SCOTT PERRODIN; LYNDA PERRODIN; STEVIE BERTRAND; TINA BERTRAND Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ---------------------- MANZY THOMAS; MARGIE THOMAS; LLOYD H ANTOINE, Individually and on behalf of Alex Antoine, on behalf of Anthony Antoine; DENISE ANTOINE, Individually and on behalf of Alex Antoine, on behalf of Anthony Antoine; ANTOINE FARMS Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant 7 -------------------- JOSHUA WEST; HERMAN LAWRENCE, JR; TODD GUILLORY Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant -------------------- ELLA EDWARDS; RAUNDEA GUILLORY, Individually and on behalf of Rondessio Guillory, on behalf of Fitzgerald Guillory; ANNIE JACK; JOHNNY TILLMAN; LOLA WILSON Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant -------------------- PHILIP THOMAS; FREDERICK THOMAS; TRACY ELLISON; HILARY THOMAS; GEORGE THOMAS; EDDIE THOMAS Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant -------------------- PERRY L JONES, SR, Individually and on behalf of D'Andrea Broussard, on behalf of Laci Broussard, on behalf of Tia Broussard, on behalf of Perry Jones, Jr, on behalf of Sharon Nicks; KENYA JONES, Individually and on behalf of D'Andrea Broussard, on behalf of Laci Broussard, on behalf of Tia Broussard, on 8 behalf of Perry Jones, Jr, on behalf of Sharon Nicks; LAMIKAA MEEKS; RETINA SHANTELL MEEKS; MARIE SCOTT; RENELLA LEVINE; OCTAVE THOMAS, JR; MARIA STRAHAN, Individually and on behalf of Lashonda Strahan; MARY STRAHAN, Individually and on behalf of Caroline Strahan; BRENDA TRAHAN, Individually and on behalf of the Unborn Child; JUDY TRAHAN, Individually and on behalf of Patty Trahan, on behalf of Rita Trahan, on behalf of April Trahan, on behalf of Benjamin Trahan; KEVIN JORDAN, Individually and on behalf of Tyler Jordan, on behalf of Deanta Jordan, on behalf of Melissa Buchnell; MARY JORDAN, Individually and on behalf of Tyler Jordan, on behalf of Deanta Jordan, on behalf of Melissa Buchnell; ALBERT ARNOLD MILLER; SHERAL LAVERGNE; VIRGINIA DUPRE, on behalf of Shauncey Francois-Dupre; CLIFFORDS AUGUST; STELLA AUGUST; JANIS FAYE BREWSTER; CHRISTAL DUPRE, Individually and on behalf of Eboni Dupre; ETHEL DANTLEY; JOSEPH CHARLES, SR; BETTY THOMAS; GLORIA J ALFRED, Individually and on behalf of Frank Alfred, on behalf of Ronket Alfred; CHARLES DAIGLE, Individually and on behalf of Jordon Daigle; PAM DAIGLE, Individually and on behalf of Jordon Daigle; DONALD BROWN, Individually and on behalf of Keisha Brown; MARGARET BROWN, Individually and on behalf of Keisha Brown Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant --------------------- HILDA FRANK; FRANCIS FRANK, JR, Individually and on behalf of Frankie H Frank, on behalf of Francine Frank, on behalf of Franko H Frank; FRANCIS FRANK, III; FRANDON FRANK; CURLEY FRANK; DORIS FRANK; JACKIE FRANK, Individually and on behalf of Jack Scott, on behalf of Nicholas Frank; LOYCE ALFRED; NANCY ALFRED, 9 Individually and on behalf of Jena Fontenot, on behalf of Trina Fontenot; SANDRA ALFRED, Individually and on behalf of Michael a Jacobs, II, on behalf of Rozuandra Jacobs, on behalf of Clifton Durgin, Jr; TERRIE ALFRED; LINTON BELL; RITA FRANSAW; HERMAN FRANSAW; HERMAN FRANSAW, JR; JENNIFER FRANSAW, Individually and on behalf of Ronnisha A Hilts, on behalf of Kayondra Fransaw, on behalf of Kashanda Fransaw; FREDRICK GUILLORY; JOYCE GUILLORY; MARILYN E GUILLORY; OTIS J GUILLORY, JR; EVELYN HANDY, Individually and on behalf of Doris Fontenot; MICHAEL HANDY, Individually and on behalf of Evelena Handy, on behalf of Michael Handy, Jr; RHONDA MALVEAUX, Individually and on behalf of Shameka Fransaw; JOEL MASON; TERRY PITRE, Individually and on behalf of Andrew Pitre, on behalf of Terrance Pitre, on behalf of Terrika Pitre, on behalf of Tina Pitre, on behalf of Andrea Pitre; ALVA SAM; LINTON SAM, Individually and on behalf of Coretha Bell; DONALD TERRY; HOWARD TERRY, Individually and on behalf of Howard Terry, Jr, on behalf of Clarina Terry, on behalf of Ja'Mario Terry; THELMA TERRY; NEAMALEKA WASHINGTON, Individually and on behalf of D'Onte Washington; ZALPHIA WASHINGTON; KARLA D WHITE; LARRY M REED Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant -------------------- PAUL LANDRY; ROSE LANDRY, Individually and on behalf of Keith Carrier; RAMONA LEMELLE, on behalf of Aaron Lemelle Plaintiffs - Appellees 10 v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant -------------------- CHARLOTTE FONTENOT; CLARENCE FONTENOT; PEGGY FONTENOT; RICHARD FONTENOT; ADRIAN LEDAY; ANTHONY LEDAY; JOSEPH SOILEAU Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant -------------------- PAUL DUPLANTIS; KAREN DUPLANTIS Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant ------------------- 11 RODERICK ABNEY; LESTER ADAMS; KERRY ALVIS, JR; M ANDERSON; RICHARD ANDERSON; ET AL Plaintiffs - Appellees v. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO; ET AL Defendants UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO Defendant - Appellant Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana (USDC No. 00-CV-2782) _______________________________________________________ October 4, 2001 Before REAVLEY, HIGGINBOTHAM and PARKER, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* The order of the district court signed on January 9, 2001, and entered on January 12, 2001 is vacated. Union Pacific cannot be prevented from settling claims with persons not parties to any case pending before the court. Nor may the court subject non-parties to expenses of litigation, even though those expenditures * Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the Court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4. 12 may possibly be used to accrue to their benefit. The court has no authority to create a common fund with money of persons who are not parties before the court. And even though these victims of the train derailment may become members of a class, their right to opt-out of the class may not be denied or interfered with. ORDER VACATED. 13