Plain-English summary
Court: Rule 60(b)(6) still demands 'extraordinary circumstances' before reopening judgments to amend complaints
The Court ruled that a party seeking to reopen a final judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b)(6) must meet the long‑standing ‘extraordinary circumstances’ standard, and that needing to amend a complaint does not lower that standard. The decision reverses the Second Circuit and remands the case.
Why this matters
The ruling preserves a long‑standing protection for finality in civil litigation: once a judgment is final, courts should not reopen it lightly. It prevents parties from using Rule 60(b)(6) as an easier route to amend complaints after judgment, which could undermine the finality of cases and increase litigation costs and delay.
Who may feel it
- Civil litigants seeking to reopen final judgments
- Plaintiffs seeking to amend complaints after judgment
- Defense parties facing post‑judgment amendment attempts
- Federal courts managing finality and docket control
- Attorneys who bring post‑judgment motions