Ortiz v. Aurora Health Care, Inc.

Ct. of Appeals lacked subject-matter jurisdiction to consider direct appeal from Bankruptcy Ct. order granting defendant-creditor's motion for summary judgment in debtors' class action adversary complaint alleging that creditor violated Wisc. statute by publishing medical treatment information when filing proofs of claim in certain bankruptcy cases after Bankruptcy Ct. had determined that debtors had failed to present proof of actual damages. Bankruptcy Ct. lacked authority under Article III to enter final judgment on debtors' claims, even though said claims were core proceedings that arose out of Title 11 bankruptcy case, since debtors' claims were private matters involving liability under Wisc. law that could only be resolved by Article III court if filed in federal court. Ct. further noted that outcome might have been different had Bankruptcy Ct.'s grant of summary judgment involved adjudication of creditor's proof of claim.